Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, we follow this on a daily basis. The report today is that Service Canada has received 92,480 applications since September 19, which is 30 weeks ago. We have paid out 64,572 payments to individuals; 17,814 have been ineligible for a variety of reasons, including not having been to the school, been a day student, and so on.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for your question, Mr. Chairman. There are a number of supports that are already in place. Some of them are health supports, some are through Health Canada. There is support through the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and through Indian residential schools resolution. We provided funding to Shingwauk, for example.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. Thank you, Deputy. Mr. Chair, a number of things have happened since I last appeared before this committee on May 29, 2007, and in particular the settlement agreement is now in place. The minister mentioned it came into effect on September 19. This is court ordered and court monitored, which is obviously a very critical part of what is taking place.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We will also have teams of volunteers going into the communities who will be able to explain in the local language what this is about.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Cree, Ojibway, Inuktitut. I can't tell you precisely.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It will obviously be English and French, but in the main aboriginal—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can report, Mr. Chairman, that once we've been through the proper channels to have that approved, there will be an advance of the $125 million to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation . The $125 million was to be made available on implementation date. That has been delayed, as you know.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As soon as we can go through Treasury Board.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I expect that will be the end of April. We're working closely with them on a daily basis.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That will be an arm's-length foundation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There was a question about communications, Mr. Chair, and perhaps I could answer that.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  This is a big challenge. Under court authority, we will be moving into a notice plan. This is laid out in great detail in the settlement agreement. Once we know we're moving forward on a firm basis, there will be a six-week plan. That will include over 20,000 information mail-outs.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Maybe I can add a little detail to that.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  For 2006-07, for Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada, as opposed to Indian Affairs, the total amount expended will be $244,600,000. We can provide these numbers, Mr. Chairman. These are taken from the previous estimates process. Operating costs—because we are having to build up a significant team to work with the survivors—are in the order of $93 million, and that's for our offices across the country.