Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Bill 29, Interim Appropriation Act April 1st to June 30, 1995, is required as the Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96. It is still under review by committee of the whole and will not be completed by April 1, 1995.

Mr. Chairman, the government requires interim appropriation authority by April 1, 1995 to allow expenditures to be made for continuing operations in accordance with the requirements of the Financial Administration Act.

The purpose of the Interim Appropriation Act is to obtain approval for appropriation authority for normal government operations for the first three months of the 1995-96 fiscal year, as well as the full value of contracts that must be entered into during the three-month period. In accordance with the Financial Administration Act, the full amount payable under these contracts during 1995-96 must be charged to an appropriation when the contract is signed.

The appropriation authority provided for in the Interim Appropriation Act will cease to have effect once the 1995-96 Appropriation Act, No. 2, comes into force. Mr. Chairman, I'm prepared to review the details of the interim appropriation and either answer Members' questions or refer them to the Ministers responsible.