Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Now, the Department of Health and Social Services has made a significant commitment in the past to employ northern nursing and other allied health professional students every summer. To this end, they have implemented a Related Experience Program to help the authorities hire these students. Last year the authorities across the Northwest Territories employed 45 students who fell into this category: two in the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority; 13 in Yellowknife Health and

Social Services Authority; 12 at Stanton; six in the Beau-Del Authority; six in Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority; five in the Deh Cho; and one in the Sahtu. This year the numbers don’t seem to be what they were last year, Mr. Speaker. We have heard from nursing students that they haven’t been having any luck, or at least limited luck obtaining related experience employment.

Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister is: does the Related Experience Program still exist and will the Minister commit to working with the authorities in the Northwest Territories to ensure that at least 45 -- preferably more -- students who qualify for the Relevant Experience Program are hired again this summer? Thank you.