Thank you. Do we have a concurrence that the committee move to deal with Bill 10 and Bill 11 in that order?

Agreed.

Thank you. I would like to remind Members that it is in your green binder under legislation. I recognize Mr. Todd to speak to this item. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a very brief opening comment, Mr. Chairman. Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, request for authority for additional appropriations of $11,666,234, made up from $11,601,234 for operations and maintenance expenditures and $56,000 for capital expenditures. The additional appropriations will not impact on the per capita deficit for 1996/97 as these appropriations are provided for in the 1996/97 supplementary appropriations reserve. The appropriations includes funding for Health and Social Services projected budget deficit deficiencies, increase costs of the water and sewer service subsidy, WCB premiums for the renewable resource harvesters and a few other minor items. There are also $411,000 in appropriations which are fully offset by revenues. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. I would like to call upon the chairman of the Finance Committee or his designate for the Standing Committee on Government Operations. WCB chairman, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Report on Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, 1996-1997. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Government Operations has completed the review of Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, 1996/97. The authority of the Supplementary Appropriations to cover expenditures in the Department of Health and Social Services in the areas of difficulty continue to be those which have plagued the government in the past, medical travel, out-of-territory hospital costs, and physician services. We hope the health reform currently underway will address some of the areas of difficulty. There is no need for a similar supplementary appropriation in future years. There are also a number of funding transfers to support user-say/user-pay initiatives in community environment efforts. Some Members

have concerns about the supplementary requests for additional funding for the water and sewage subsidy. The Minister has provided us the information on the reason for this request. There may be additional questions from the Members here today. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is satisfied that Bill 10 is ready for discussion for the committee of the whole. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. I would like to take this opportunity to offer Mr. Todd, if he so desires, to bring in the witnesses. Thank you. Do we have concurrence of the committee? Sergeant-At-Arms, seek the witnesses, please. Thank you. Mr. Minister, would you please introduce the witness to the committee.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Such a familiar face, but I have forgotten his name. It is Mr. Lew Voytilla, dynamic Deputy Minister of FMBS.

Thank you. Mr. Voytilla. I would like to open the floor to general comments. We are on page 5, dealing with Bill 10. We will deal with detail on page 5. General comments, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to make a general comment on the Appropriations Bill. Over the past 15 months these bills have come forward. One of the concerns that we had as a group of MLAs was there seems to be quite a few of them. I would like to commend the Minister and the departmental staff that these have slowed down to a trickle. I think it is better management on the financial side as demonstrated by the Department of Finance and the FMBS, Mr. Voytilla and Mr. Todd. Thank you, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you. Further general comments. Detail. On page five, Executive, operations and maintenance, Cabinet Secretariat, not previously authorized, negative $11,000. Agreed?

Agreed.

Thank you. Page six, Executive, operations and maintenance, directorate, not previously authorized, negative $18,000. Human resource management, negative $60,000. Agreed? Try again. Human resource management, not previously authorized, negative $60,000.

Agreed. Negative.

Thank you. Negative. Agreed?

Agreed.

Sorry. Government accounting, not previously authorized, $300,000.

Agreed.

This is different from what I am used to doing. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on the government accounting, $300,000, I guess this is to provide additional funding for the required subsidies under the power subsidy program. The total expenditure for the power subsidy program will be recovered from dividends received by the NWT Power Corporation. Because of the 96/97 appropriation, would that $300,000 be coming out of income generated from 96/97 or the revenues anticipated in the 97/98 budget of the Power Corporation dividend?

Qujannamiik. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Voytilla advised me that we will get the dividends for this expenditure out of next year's proceeds.

Government accounting, not previously authorized, $300,000. Agreed?

Agreed.