The Honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to go back to item 18, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters to deal with Bill 3, are there any nays? There are no nays. Second reading of bills. Item 18, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. Bill 34, Supplementary Appropriation Act number 2, 1992-93, with Mr. Nerysoo in the Chair.

Thank you. If I could call the committee to order. I would just like to indicate to committee Members that the supplementary appropriation is in your documentation, your files, or your binders. It is behind Bill 34.

What is the wish of the committee? Madam Minister?

Mr. Chairman, I have a brief opening statement to Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1992-93.

Mr. Chairman, Supplementary Appropriation, No. 2, requests authority for a net additional appropriation of $6.5 million. In addition, I will be making a motion at the appropriate time to amend the schedule to the bill, to increase the amount requested by $250,000, to provide initial funding for the public inquiry into the services provided by the Fort Smith Health Centre.

The full cost of this inquiry will be determined later, and will be included in subsequent of supplementary appropriation requests. This supplementary appropriation consists of additional appropriations and capital in the amount of $6.843 million, mainly comprised of a special warrant for $5.359 million which was necessary to fully fund the cost of 100 H.A.P. units for 1992-93, to which government was committed before C.M.H.C. announced funding reductions.

Net reductions and operations and maintenance appropriation in the amount of $343,000. The O and M appropriations include transfers between departments resulting from departmental consolidation. Those are the opening remarks on Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Standing Committee on Finance. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. What is the wish of the committee? General comments? Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Mr. Chairman, may I at this time bring in a witness to help me answer some of those specific questions?

Yes. Is it agreed, then? Witnesses then, Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses in, please?

Thank you. Government Leader, would you introduce the witness please?

Mr. Chairman, Lew Voytilla, Secretary to the Financial Management Board. Do you want to proceed to have Mr. Voytilla explain the question that was asked by the honourable Member, Mr. Dent?

Thank you. Mr. Voytilla.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The primary reason for the urgency for some of these warrants, particularly, in the area of capital, was due to the summer construction season, the requirement to meet shipping deadlines, and to meet contractual obligations. So, in most cases that was the reason for the urgency. In particular, the one for the Housing Corporation, and the H.A.P. units.

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Government Leader.

Mr. Chairman, I cannot give the details, but I am aware that in May, when there was a meeting in Coppermine that the Standing Committee on Finance was alerted, particularly to the Homeownership Assistance Program, and the problems that we might be coming into. As well as the need to do some adjustments to overcome the difficulties that we saw. I know Mr. Voytilla was at the meeting at the time, so he can explain the involvement, or the consultation or the information that was given to the Standing Committee on Finance. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Voytilla.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, in May the Standing Committee on Finance was meeting in Coppermine and the Minister of Finance had the opportunity to brief the committee on the fiscal situation and on the surplus that the Housing Corporation had for the 1990-91 fiscal year.

At the same time, the Minister of Housing was able to identify to them the problem with the C.M.H.C. funding reductions and the potential need for using some of the surplus from 1990-91 to replace some of that federal funding, if, in fact, the federal cuts went ahead.

Although there was not a specific notification at the time of the warrant approval, there had been an alert provided earlier. Generally, the Member is quite right, it is the agreement between the standing committee and the Minister of Finance, that any special warrant over half a million dollars of formal notification will be provided.

Thank you. General comments? Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Madam Government Leader.

Mr. Chairman, I know the intent of the Minister of Finance, and certainly we made that undertaking and certainly we are committed to the arrangement that has been made. We intend to be more precise, hopefully this type of situation does not continue to happen to us, but we are committed to that original arrangement.

Thank you. General comments? It is agreed with the committee that we get into detail? Agreed?