Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the first time since the Legislative Assembly standing committee structure was changed, the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed the Annual Report of the Auditor General. This task was formerly the duty of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. The new Committee structure allows members of the Government Operations Committee to consider the Auditor General's comments in conjunction with other relevant issues which have been considered by the Committee before, rather than in isolation.

The Standing Committee met to review the report on August 26 and 27, 1996. The first day of meetings was devoted to briefings by the Auditor General's staff and Committee staff on the nature of the public accounts, the auditing process, the review process for the Auditor General's Report, and issues raised in that report. The second day, August 27, was a public meeting at which committee members took the opportunity to discuss the relevant issues with the comptroller general, Mr. Lew Voytilla, and the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. David Ramsden.

A number of important issues arising from the report, as well as issues raised in last year's report, were addressed by committee members. Our report contains seven recommendations for consideration by Members.

Mr. Speaker, with that I would like to move that the Report of the Government Operations Committee on the review of the Report of the Auditor General for the year ended March 31, 1995 be received by the Legislative Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you.