Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, if I could just go back to the envelope process. What we decided this year during the budget process was to put groups of departments together who had similar interests. We decided in the Social Envelope Committee that those departments, in all probability, are dealing with the same client. We were looking for some efficiency in that particular envelope because if we got all of those people around the table working together, we felt that there would be some efficiencies and we would be better able to save dollars and service the same clientele and not have any overlap and duplication.

From the Social Envelope Committee, flowed this document that suggested a community wellness fund. It does bring the same kind of cooperation back to the community level and I think that was the purpose of the document; to explain that to the Standing Committee on Finance. So the idea comes from the Social Envelope Committee and it is to work together at the community level for community wellness. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has referred to this as a "fund" or a "plan." There seems to be one important element that is missing; namely, the identification of funds. In the unedited Hansard, they make references to such a fund and raising this money. Can the Minister explain what initiatives the government is taking to identify funding for this plan or this fund? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Management Board has not yet given approval for this initiative to go ahead. The Financial Management Board probably will not make that decision until such time as there is some agreement on where this $3.2 or $3.4 million is going to come from. I have some ideas on that, particularly on that amount of funding. I will be bringing that to the meeting on Tuesday evening, at which, Cabinet is going to discuss this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With that, does the Minister intend to introduce a supplementary appropriation to fund this community action fund if he is successful in convincing his colleagues on the Financial Management Board? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the community wellness fund has yet to be discussed at Cabinet level or at the Financial Management Board level, so if there is agreement that the initiative should proceed, then my question to the Members of that particular board is going to be, where do we get the money from. They are going to say to me, well, what do you suggest. So if there is agreement that the fund is required because FMB says this program is required, and if we can reach agreement on how to raise those funds or where to get that money from then, yes, we would propose bringing that issue back to the floor of this House and amending the budget or department somehow so that it is reflected in the 1995-96 budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is amazing that the government would suggest a plan without providing means for funding it. I recognize that the government is in a very difficult situation trying to balance expenditures and revenues, but I don't think it's appropriate for government to bring up a program without proposing a means of funding it. Can the Minister explain why means of funding the community action fund were not included in the budget? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the program is not in this budget. It is not in the documents before this House. It was a reaction from the social envelope committee to questions about how you are going to deal with these particular issues in communities. It was a way of showing the Standing Committee on Finance a way of addressing these problems. But, certainly, the program hasn't been adopted. It is not in the budget and it is not intended to be delivered at this particular time. Although we know that it is something that a lot of the Members in this House want to have happen, we know that it is something that communities want to have happen, but it is certainly not there at the present time. Until such time as there is agreement on (a), the program; and, (b), where the funding comes from, it will not be brought back to the floor of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.