Mr. Chairman, early in its mandate this government conveyed to deputy ministers the fact that 46 per cent of their appraisals on the kind of work that they do for this government would be allocated to the financial area. We believe that was saying to deputy ministers, 'We expect you to be financially responsible; and if you are, then you will get better appraisals." So their management skills will be judged 40 per cent on their financial ability.
Mr. Chairman, there were some 20 cases in activities that went over their budgeted amounts in 1987-88; in 1988-89 there were some six activities; in 1989-90 there were five; in 1991 there were seven cases. So we have a fairly good record of where it occurs, how it occurs. If we were to see a trend whereby a deputy minister or department were going over in their activities, then I would have no choice then to bring that to the Financial Management Board and suggest to them that there may be something that should be done with regard to disciplining that particular deputy minister.