I just want to make a quick comment on the Productive Choices program. I do understand that when clients come and get funding, that the two choices they could possibly do is get some counselling or go do upgrading. In some instances what I’ve been hearing is that anyone who’s going through income assistance will go get their counselling. It’s not an effective counselling. They’re going there to get, possibly, a document signed, and then they take it to the income support office to get their funding. So they’re using up space which is really needed, because we have mental health issues in the communities. Those are where we need to find those instances and find better ways of dealing with it, because not all but we do have some people out there that know how to play the system, and when they’re put into a program where they have to go to counselling, it takes away time for people who really need that counselling and who want to get that counselling. There’s got to be a more effective way.

The same with the school system. Clients who are asked to go do their upgrading, they’ll go to school, be there for the attendance, won’t fully participate, and in some cases disrupt the other students who are trying to get the education. Those are two specific instances that I’ve heard about that really need to be addressed for people that aren’t wanting to use these Productive Choices effectively, they’re affecting other people’s way of life and ones that really do want to succeed or get the help that they need.

I just wanted to make a comment on Productive Choices. In that regard, I’m really glad to see that the Auditor General is going to be reviewing this specific program and hopefully we can put actions to the recommendations that come out of that.

In regard to the four programs that are mentioned in this section here, would it be possible to get a breakdown of how many applications that we do get for the programs, for each specific program, and then how many are approved and at what percentage? Because in each program, I’ve talked to residents where they have been approved or have not gotten approved for certain programs like this that really do need it. At some point if the Minister would be willing to get that information to me, that would be appreciated. Thank you.