Mr. Speaker, yes I do. I uphold and support native people taking these matters into their own hands, but from a department point of view, we still must be involved in some minute way to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Again, to assure the Members that are concerned that the principle of custom adoption is being upheld, it is just the matter of dealing with the legalities, the formalities that are required by our society today. I think the principle of it is being upheld by the department, the principle of it is being upheld by myself.

Mr. Speaker, when I was a young child I was given over to my grandparents to be looked after. They looked after me for many years. I understand that in the old days a parent not wishing to, or not able to look after a child of their own, their biological child, could, under custom within that group of people, give that responsibility over to someone else of their choosing; someone within the family. As I said with myself, my grandparents looked after me. It did not have to go through any legal process because there was no legal process at the time. I understand that it usually was done in consultation with the family and it was the choice of the family to accept. It was the choice of an individual to pass that child on, for a number of reasons; either for some tradition, necessity most often. Most often it was a desirable situation. It was good for the child and I think everybody had the child's safety and well-being in mind.

I do not believe things have changed too much today. The law has required individuals to do certain things to meet certain criteria now to meet the changing times. I do not think the principle of custom adoption has been eroded. I think it has been enhanced with certain Supreme Court judgments of some time ago. I think Sissons and Morrow would be some references that I may use.

I think that our society has complicated things a bit and I think that is what I was trying to deal with when the honourable Member asked me a question earlier on. I do not think the principle of custom adoption -- it is certainly not my intention to change that. I only want to emphasize that I think times have changed and customs, although they may be desired, must tolerate in some instances the changing times and requirements. That is briefly my understanding of it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can only offer an opinion on the question. Yes.

I am not sure, and I cannot be specific, as to the circumstances that may prevail that would prevent a custom adoption from taking place, but I think it is imperative that the department continue to monitor custom adoptions. I think that there are situations where, for the public good, something must be said of the adopting circumstances. As far as assisting, I think the workers do assist wherever they are asked to help through the necessary legal portions of it. But as far as stopping a custom adoption under extreme conditions I think that a worker would be well advised to continue that. But under normal circumstances they do not interfere.

I am not sure whether or not custom adoption does apply in those situations as the Member is describing, but I do not think that it is automatic simply because a parent decides to give the child to some other persons, that it is automatically custom adoption and will be adopted by the department or this government. I think that we a have a legal responsibility and a moral responsibility to ensure that some consideration is given to the child. I cannot

recall in my short time as the Minister any incidents where we have refused a custom adoption, but I think there is a legal process that does take place regardless of whether this is a custom adoption or not. I think there has to be that in order to properly document where children are eventually housed. There are some legalities that must take place, and that is not to say that we do not recognize custom adoption. I believe that we do have a responsibility to ensure that the home is a safe home and that it is a good home for children under the criteria that we use.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what the question was. Can I ask the Member to repeat it?

Yes, Mr. Speaker, naturally the Department of Social Services is concerned with any adoption that takes place in order to ensure the safety of the children and the safety, in fact, of the adopting parents to see that this is a suitable home for any adopted baby or child. It is not as simple as it used to be when, in the old days, one parent would trust another member of the family to look after the children. We live in a more complicated society today under different conditions than in the old days, and I think the department is, and will continue to be, concerned with any adoption. We are not interfering, the department is not interfering with the adoption process, but ensuring that all things are done with the safety of the child and the welfare of the child in mind. I think we must maintain that. If it is called screening, then that is what it is called, but it is a method that I approve of.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I do not think that is the direct answer I can give. As I spoke to Members as they were questioning me about this, the custom adoption principle -- I think custom adoption is recognized by the territorial government, as a government. It is recognized by a lot of people. But I think what I addressed was the paper trail that is required after custom adoption occurs. I do not think there is any concern with the fact custom adoption happens. There are concerns that deal with the legalities of any kind of adoption. There is a registration of individuals that is required. I am certainly familiar with custom adoptions, and I was addressing in the return what I had thought the question had been and it dealt with whether or not there was enough time by the people to help process the paperwork. My answer is that the social workers or the court workers that deal with that do as much as they can while they can. It is not an easy thing to do, it is relatively complicated, and I was addressing that portion of it, not the principle of custom adoption, which is, I think, accepted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just as soon as I can.