Thank you, Mr. Zoe. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That concludes the comments of the Standing Committee on Finance with regard to Health and Social Services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Zoe. Is the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services prepared to take the witness stand so we can go into detail? Sergeant-at-Arms, you can assist the Premier with her witnesses. Thank

you. Would Madam Premier please introduce her witnesses to the committee.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Welcome, gentlemen, to committee of the whole. May we have general comments on the Health and Social Services program. The chair recognizes the Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

General Comments

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question for the Minister about her opening statement which I would like to get some clarification on before we proceed with the department. In her opening statement, she refers to a copy of the budget supplement document that summarizes the cooperative efforts that are under way. Mr. Chairman, I know that the Standing Committee on Finance has received a budget supplement document but the documents received by the Standing Committee on Finance are considered confidential. I wasn't aware that other Members of this House have been provided with this information yet. I think in order to consider the departmental budget, this document is essential. I was wondering if that document has been made available to all Members of the House yet.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Mr. Dent.

Mr. Chairman, I do not believe that other Members have copies. Other ordinary Members have told me that they haven't seen the budget supplement document yet. I would suggest that it might be inappropriate for us to proceed until all Members have had a chance to have a look at that document and be prepared to talk about the department with the Minister. I think that it represents a significant course of action that is proposed by not just this department but by all the departments in the social envelope. I think it's important that all Members have that document in hand as part and parcel of budget consideration.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would agree with the Premier that the document should be made available immediately to all Members in the House and would hope that she would do that. Since Members of the committee have had a chance to look at the document, then Members of the committee may be prepared to carry on with general comments but I would strongly recommend that we not go any further than general comments today with this department until all Members have had a chance to look at that document.

Mr. Chairman, one other related issue that I would like some clarification on from the Minister's opening statement; the Minister talks about, in her opening statement, the viability of a community action fund and the need to discuss the means of raising the money for that fund. I'm assuming by that she's implying that it needs to be discussed in this House. Mr. Chairman, I'll just point out that on page 11 of the standing committee report, the committee comment was that we would wait for the government to provide details of how that extra funding would be found before making final comment on the overall government approach to social issues. Whether or not the government is going to provide that sort of direction seems to be called into question by the Minister's opening statement. I was wondering if we could get some clarification as to whether or not the government actually plans to come forward with a plan as to how the funds for that budget supplement will be found. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Before we continue on, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. James MacLatchie, executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada.

---Applause

Thank you. The chair recognizes Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Minister just outlined some possible approaches which have obviously been discarded for finding the funding, and continued on to say that there needs to be some discussion about how that funding might be found. I think it becomes problematic in considering this budget when, for instance, the Standing Committee on Finance was basically assured that we could consider the budget supplement part of the budget. If we don't know yet how it is going to be financed, how can we possibly consider it at the same time as this budget?

The problem becomes, if it is not part of the budget, the whole approach to what we're presenting in a review as ordinary Members, I think will change significantly. I think the budget supplement, as it was presented, represents a significant shift in allocation of dollars and priorities by the government and I think that just to take a look at the budget as it is presented in the budget books, without that supplement and without knowing we have the money for what is proposed in that supplement, really would change the tone of how we would conduct the review.

I guess I need to have some assurance from the Premier. I can understand that there have to be discussions, but I think we need to have some certainty that the government will find some way to make the funds available for that community action plan.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess, for the record then, can the Premier advise the Members of this committee, should we consider the supplement document which has just now been distributed to all Members as part and parcel of the budget for those departments contained in the social envelope?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that leaves us in a difficult situation and I would hope that committee of the whole could be advised, before we go any further in the budget, whether or not there is a commitment by the government to ensure that what we are looking at in the supplementary document is actually part and parcel of the budget.

I don't think, Mr. Chairman, until that question is answered, that we should proceed any further with consideration of the budget. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. We have a motion to report progress. The motion is not debatable, but I don't see a quorum. Therefore, I will sound the bell.

Thank you. We now have a quorum. There is a motion to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I shall rise and report to the Speaker. Before we leave, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Minister for appearing before the committee and thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee. We look forward to seeing the witnesses again. Thank you.