Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Finance reviewed Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1994-95, at its meeting on October 26th, November 2nd and this morning, November 9, 1994. The chairman of the Financial Management Board and his staff were available to answer questions at the November 2, 1994 meeting.

Mr. Chairman, in total, this bill represents an additional appropriation request of more than $72 million for the 1994-95 fiscal year. If this bill is passed, the total voted appropriations for the fiscal year 1994-95 will be approximately $1.25 billion. During the November 2nd meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, committee Members agreed to refer this bill to the House for consideration. As has been the practice, I will speak to the major issues. Members of the committee will have additional comments when then we proceed to the detail of the bill.

The largest capital item in this appropriation bill is a special warrant of slightly more than $17 million. This funding is required to partially offset the funding reduction for social housing imposed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This appropriation also includes approximately $16 million of capital funding, not previously authorized, to carry over funding from the 1993-94 fiscal year to the present year. This will provide funds to complete capital projects started but not finished between 1993-94.

Bill 19 includes two special warrants approved by the Financial Management Board for a total of $20 million of operations and maintenance funding to cover 1994-95 forest fire suppression costs. Committee Members were informed that the Minister responsible for Renewable Resources will be consulting with communities to come up with a plan on how to contain these costs in the future.

Committee Members are concerned that during this time of fiscal restraint, this bill includes a number of requests for funding to support new person years. Funding is requested for a total of 33.5 person years, 14.5 of which are casual positions. Close to $3 million is needed to support these person years.

Higher-than-anticipated costs with social assistance continue to appear as supplementary appropriation requests. Bill 19 includes costs close to $3 million in funding not previously authorized to address a deficiency expected in the social assistance program. The projected deficiency is based on recent expenditure trends and amendments to social assistance earned income allowance. The committee would like to see the Department of Social Services develop and implement more accurate forecasting techniques as soon as possible.

Bill 19 includes more than $1.7 million for implementing the building and learning strategy in pilot communities. Due to the significant investment of public funds in this initiative, committee Members would like to see an assessment of value for money. Committee Members are concerned about a special warrant approved on May 3, 1994 to transfer $500,000 of operations and maintenance funding out of the youth initiatives program and the Department of Social Services. Committee Members believe that the youth initiative program is a valuable one. Bill 19 indicates that this funding is being transferred to finance the Gwich'in work activity and Arctic College northern skills development pilot projects. These pilot projects are apparently being undertaken through the investing in people pilot initiative and the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment.

That concludes my remarks on the Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1994-95. Mahsi, Mr. Chairman.