Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

WHEREAS a fundamental responsibility of the Legislative Assembly is that of appropriation of public money to permit the functioning of government of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS Northwest Territories Act and Financial Administration Act states that an appropriation bill shall be submitted to the legislative assembly for each fiscal year;

AND WHEREAS the Financial Administration Act provides that the Appropriation Bill be based on the votes and items of expenditure set out in the estimates by Vote 1 - Operations and Maintenance, and Vote 2 - Capital. Expenditures are presented separately in the estimates.

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly has absolute legislative control at the vote and item level as provided by section 29 and 30 of the Financial Administration Act.

AND WHEREAS the provisions of the Financial Administration Act require that no change be made without the Legislative Assembly's approval by way of supplementary appropriations bill process;

AND WHEREAS the Financial Management Board has the authority to transfer appropriations and establish capital projects within certain restrictions;

AND WHEREAS decisions on expenditures must be made in light of the fiscal position of the Government of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories has a community- based capital planning process;

AND WHEREAS the main thrust of the capital planning process is to involve Members of the Legislative Assembly, municipalities and community groups;

AND WHEREAS there has been a lack of communication between the Ministers and members of the Standing Committees, regarding changes to the capital plan;

AND WHEREAS economic circumstances presently dictate that capital transfers between activities which have previously been common, should no longer be viewed as acceptable or appropriate;

NOW THEREFORE, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife North, that the Executive Council be required to develop and adopt a policy prior to November 1, 1996, that ensures that any new capital project over $250,000, not identified in the capital estimates for the fiscal year, except those necessary to address an emergency situation, not proceed without prior consultation with the affected Members and the appropriate standing committee;

AND FURTHER, that the policy include a process whereby appropriate consultation occur with the affected member and standing committee on issues relating to the transfer and deferral of capital projects;

AND FURTHER, that the Executive Council provide the standing committees on a quarterly basis, any changes and adjustments to the capital appropriations in a fiscal year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.