Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the May meetings of the Public Accounts Committee, the Comptroller General indicated that an attempt would be made to provide the standing committee with financial statements earlier than has been done in the past.

Mr. Speaker, preliminary 1992-93 financial statements were provided to the committee on Friday, September 10, 1993, in preparation for the meetings which commenced the following Monday. Although the committee was pleased to receive this critical information early in the cycle, Members noted that this did not provide enough time for our staff to prepare for the committee and for translation. A detailed, formal presentation of the 1992-93 financial statements was given to the committee on Thursday, September 16, 1993. The committee, Mr. Speaker, found this presentation beneficial and informative.

The Comptroller General, Mr. Speaker, also undertook to investigate ways and means of presenting the public accounts in plain language -- language understandable to the average layman. The committee recognizes, however, in this undertaking, care must be taken to ensure that the public accounts meet the necessary accounting standards.

Departmental Commitment To The Public Accounts Process

In terms of the Departmental commitment to the public accounts process, Mr. Speaker, the committee noted that while most departments were represented at the May 1993 meetings by the deputy ministers, a few departments were represented by assistant deputy ministers. The committee would like to emphasize the importance of having deputy ministers, who are ultimately accountable for the administration of their departments, present at meetings of the Public Accounts Committee.

Changes To The Financial Administration Act

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Financial Act has been changed effective April 1992, to raise the level of accountability away from the smaller level of activities to a departmental level. The rationale behind the change is to give the Deputy Minister more authority over the spending and revenues of their particular departments and to hold them accountable for significant variances where they overspend their entire departmental budget.

Mr. Speaker, at our May meetings, the Auditor General's Office announced that, due to these changes in the Financial Administration Act, this would probably be the final year for which they would be commenting on overexpenditures at the activity level. Overexpenditures will be brought to the attention of the Assembly through the Audit Report, only if the department over expends its total budget. However, the Public Accounts Committee announced that it will continue to monitor at the activity level, where overexpenditures occur. The committee feels, given past experience, that it is important that the committee and the public be able to determine where large overexpenditures are occurring at the activity level of reporting.

The information required to monitor at the activity level will continue to be available in schedule two of the public accounts and the Auditor General indicated that his office would provide assistance to the Public Accounts Committee to look into any specific expenditures at the activity level.

Section Three: Issues And Concerns

Mr. Speaker, during our public hearings in May of 1993, the committee discussed various issues raised by the Auditor General with senior departmental officials. At these meetings, the committee requested additional information about these issues from many of the departmental officials who appeared before the committee. In September, the committee reviewed the departmental information submissions, discussed the issues further and prepared this report.

Mr. Speaker, the third section of the committee report provides a detailed summary of the issues and concerns raised and discussed and presents the committee's comments.

Motion To Receive And Adopt Committee Report 6-12(4), Carried

Mr. Speaker, that concludes my presentation of the committee's report. I, therefore move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that the report of the

Standing Committee on Public Accounts be received and adopted. Thank you.