The honourable Member is seeking consent to proceed to second reading of Bill 30. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Amittuq, that Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Workers' Compensation Act to increase the year's maximum insurable remuneration from $40,000 to $47,500. Thank you.

Your motion is in order, Mr. Patterson. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 30 has had second reading.

---Applause

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. Item 18, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 9-12(2), Strength at Two Levels; Tabled Document 10-12(2), Reshaping Northern Government; Motion 6-12(2), Discussion on Sobriety Clause in Contribution Agreements; Committee Report 1012(2), Special Committee on Constitutional Reform Report on the Multilateral Conferences on the Constitution; Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act; Bill 28, An Act Respecting Interim Appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1993, No. 2; Bill 29, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93; Ministers' Statement 71-12(2), Federal Funding, Social Housing, NWT, with Mr. Arvaluk in the chair.

The committee will now come to order. Consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 9-12(2), Strength at Two Levels; Tabled Document 10-12(2), Reshaping Northern Government; Motion 6-12(2), Discussion on Sobriety Clause in Contribution Agreements; Committee Report 10-12(2), Special Committee on Constitutional Reform Report on the Multilateral Conference on the Constitution; Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act; Bill 28, An Act Respecting Interim Appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1993, No. 2; Bill 29, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93; Ministers' Statement 71-12(2), Federal Funding, Social Housing, NWT. What is the committee's wish? Mr. Todd.

Mr. Chairman, if we could proceed with Bills 28 and 29.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Bills 28 and 29; what is the committee's wish?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. We will have a quick break before we proceed. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

The committee is now back to order, ladies and gentlemen. I am having a little technical problem with my microphone here, but hopefully the carburetor will be fixed and I will have it going properly.

Bill 28, Interim Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1992-93

Mr. Pollard, your introduction to Bill 28.

Mr. Chairman, I would respectfully request the presence of Mr. Lew Voytilla, secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you.

Is that agreeable to the rest of the Members?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Mr. Pollard, for the record, would you like to introduce your witness?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have sifting on my immediate right Mr. Lew Voytilla, secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Welcome to the committee. Proceed, Mr. Pollard.

Minister's Opening Remarks

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Interim Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1992-93 provides the authority for the government to continue operations from August 1 to the earlier of 1) October 31, 1992 or 2) the date the Legislative Assembly approves the main appropriation act for operations and maintenance expenditures for 1992-93. Once the main appropriation act is approved, the interim authority ceases to have effect. The Interim Appropriation Act is intended to provide the minimum appropriation authority required to maintain operations from August I to October 31 this year. The interim appropriation calculations are based on the revised 1991-92 budget and include no allowance for inflationary or volume growth from last year.

Mr. Chairman, Members have previously expressed concerns that the 1991-92 budget levels upon which the interim appropriation is based resulted in a large deficit last year, and to continue to use the 1991-92 budget as a base will result in a large deficit again in 1992-93. This concern, Mr. Chairman, has been addressed. The main appropriation act has been prepared by the Financial Management Board and has been submitted to the standing committee on finance for review. To ensure the expenditure targets established in this main appropriation act are not exceeded this year, department managers have been instructed to manage their operations within the limitations of the main appropriation act. For those areas where the budget will be declining below 1991-92 levels, managers will take the necessary action to achieve the lower expenditure level.

Mr. Chairman, the Interim Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1992-93 does include several appropriation requests and special warrants that are over and above the 1991-92 budget levels. These are adjustments that have been necessary for operational reasons and have been fully disclosed and discussed with the standing committee on finance. The special warrants are shown clearly in the information document accompanying the bill, and for the information of Members, I will identify the additional appropriation requirements that are included in the interim appropriation amounts. These are: in Municipal and Community Affairs, an additional $167,000 and one person year to establish a portion of the joint emergency preparedness program that is funded by the federal government; in Health, the inclusion of $68,000 to fund the 1992-93 costs of a two-year community birthing pilot project in Rankin Inlet; in Social Services, the inclusion of $75,000 to fund a family violence shelter in Inuvik; in Economic Development and Tourism, $500,000 to carry over Economic Development Agreement funding for a business services centre project in Hay River that was previously committed by the federal and territorial governments; in Social Services and Education, offsetting increases and decreases to reflect the transfer of the funding associated with the Canada NWT Employability Enhancement Accord from Social Services to Education.

That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, Mr. Todd.

Comments From The Standing Committee On Finance

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee on finance reviewed this bill during its meeting in Yellowknife the week of June 9 to 12. Once again, the committee was pleased that the Minister of Finance and his officials appeared before the committee to answer our questions. Members are aware that this bill is presented as a result of an agreement to delay our comprehensive review of the 1992-93 main estimates until later this summer to allow cabinet the time to implement significant changes to the way we do government. As a result, the committee does not have a great deal of comment on the bill.

Although generally supportive of this interim appropriation, the committee remains concerned about Its ability to affect the budget for this year. With the passage of this bill, this Assembly will have approved some 60 per cent of the current year's budget without having reviewed the main estimates.

Mr. Chairman, the standing committee on finance is pleased with the level of co-operation that has been shown to date by the Minister of Finance in providing the information we need to perform a thorough examination of the 1992-93 main, estimates.

---Applause

Thank you. Nevertheless, the committee expects that the following information -- now do not get carried away -- will be provided to us prior to our review of the budget: 1) GNWT contract listing for the year ending March 31, 1992; 2) GNWT salary listings for the year ending March 31, 1992; 3) GNWT response to the recommendations of the finance committee on finance reports dated February 18, 1991, and February 27, 1992; action on government standards, purchasing and the leasing strategy; phase two plan for the reshaping of northern government; the strategic planning workshop with the cabinet, which was a recommendation of the standing committee on finance; action plan on the legal aid program; financial statements for the year ending May 31, 1992; key result indicators by department and agency; five-year capital plan and, Mr. Allooloo, an educational strategy; the housing strategy; the Northwest Territories Power Corporation corporate strategy and the 1992-93 O and M budgets for the Workers' Compensation Board and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Mr. Chairman, as has been past practice of our committee, individual Members may have comments or questions on specific items of this bill. The standing committee on finance agreed on June 11 to recommend this bill to the House for consideration. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Todd. General comments. General comments.

Clause by clause.

An honourable Member is suggesting clause by clause. Is the committee agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Legislative Assembly, Total O and M, Agreed

Interim Appropriation, No. 2, 1992-93. Page 3, Legislative Assembly, not previously authorized, $1,550,000. Agreed?