Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, on July 24, 1991, the Financial Management Board approved a request for the Department of Government Services to revise computer service chargeback rates, and that was because Government Services had upgraded their computers. The Department of Finance advised at that time that insufficient funds were available to meet the increased commitment required as a result of the revised computer chargeback rates. As the continued operation of a highly sophisticated financial system is mandatory in order to meet the complex accounting control and reporting requirements of the government, the request for $489,000 was granted. Government Services upped its rates, Mr. Chairman, and we pay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Directorate, $489,000, special warrant. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Government Accounting, Total O And M

Government accounting, not previously authorized, $15,000. Mr. Gargan.

With regard to "Funding transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Finance to reverse an earlier transfer which provided funding for payroll processing costs for Arctic College. Payroll processing is now provided by the Department of Finance at no cost to Arctic College...." Is that $15,000 taken back since the Department of Finance now is doing it? They have taken that money back from the Department of Education. Is that correct?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, this has always been done. There was a memorandum of agreement between the Minister of Finance and Arctic College, and that was terminated on March 31, 1988, Mr. Chairman. The Department of Finance has provided payroll processing services to the college. The agreement that we previously had has been superseded by the GNWT transfer policy, under which payroll processing services are provided by the Department of Finance at no cost to the college. We used to bill them, and we do not bill them any more, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Mr. Gargan.

That would be since 1988, then?

Mr. Minister.

This just came into effect this year, Mr. Chairman. I did mention, though, that there was an earlier memorandum of agreement between the Minister of Finance and Arctic College which was terminated on March 31, 1988. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, presumably in 1988 there was an agreement between the Department of Education and the Department of Finance which allowed Arctic College to do their own accounting and financing, et cetera. That was terminated in 1988, but I do not know what that has to do with this $15,000. I am not too clear on that, Mr. Chairman. Exactly what does that mean? The agreement was terminated in 1988, but what does that have to do with that $15,000?

Mr. Minister, would you like to explain that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This may sound a little strange, but we performed the services for Arctic College. We would give them the $15,000, then we would send them a bill for the $15,000 and get it back again as payment for the services that we provided them in the payroll area. Now we are eliminating that $15,000. We are taking it back, and there will be no bills sent and no paper moving around, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Government Accounting, Total O And M, Agreed

Are you happy now, Mr. Gargan? Government accounting, $15,000. Agreed?

Agreed

---Agreed

Department of Finance, Total O And M, Agreed

Total department, $489,000, special warrants, and $15,000, not previously authorized. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Culture And Communications

Library Services, Total O And M, Agreed

On page 8, Culture and Communications, operations and maintenance, library services, not previously authorized, $74,000. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Minister.