I would like to ask the Minister now, we do pay the salary out of public funds, could the Minister undertake to provide Members with how much the president of the NWTTA makes per annum? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We don't pay the president's salary, we just deal with the administration of it. We made a decision to pay the NWTTA president as a matter that is left up to the NWTTA and those constituents.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to make it clear that I am not trying to hold the Minister accountable for this salary. But, I do note that the monies are reported in our main estimates, they are public monies paid for through the collective agreement and I would just like to ask the Minister if he would ask, or beg, or request, or demand, that the NWTTA tell us what salary they have allocated for the president.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, just for the information of the honourable Member, the actual pay for the president's salary, if you look at 1993-94 was $119,000.

Mr. Patterson.

Do I understand that the Minister will get the information provided?

Mr. Nerysoo.

It is just for clarification. It is salary, benefits, whatever is included. I will request the information. Whether or not I receive it from the NWTTA, it is up to them to make that decision.

Thanks very much, Mr. Nerysoo. Mr. Patterson, are you done? Total department, we can go back to the beginning, programs summary, operations and maintenance total O and M, $221.403. Agreed.

We have agreed that this department is concluded. Thank you very much, Mr. Nerysoo, also to Mr. Devitt and to Mr. Gerein, for your very helpful assistance.

On the list of items that Mr. Dent gave us at the beginning, we are now scheduled to go to Bill 29.

Agreed.

---Agreed

In your books, it is Bill 29, under tab 29. Interim Appropriation Act, April 1 - June 30, 1995. Mr. Pollard, you will be introducing this bill, so maybe you would like to make opening comments.

Minister's Introductory Remarks

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.

Since this is an interim bill, would the Minister like to deal with this from his chair or from the witness stand?

I would like to bring in a witness, if I may, Mr. Chairman.

Is that all right with Members? Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you conduct the witness to the table.

The way we deal with this bill is to go through the detail first but, Mr. Pollard, before that, maybe you could introduce your witness.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have with me, Mr. Lew Voytilla, secretary to the Financial Management Board. Thank you.

General comments on Bill 29. Are you ready to go into detail on this bill?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Line By Line

Legislative Assembly

On page one of the interim appropriation are the amounts requested. It is under tab 29 and we will go into the detail amounts beginning on page 1 at the end of that bill.

Legislative Assembly, total Legislative Assembly, $4.388 million.