Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, requests authority for additional appropriation of $6.920 million made up of $2.939 million for operations and maintenance expenditures and $3.981 million for capital expenditures.
The total supplementary appropriations, year to date, do exceed the supplementary appropriation reserve included in the main estimates. The improvement in the 1998/99 revenue forecast has permitted the government to address a few critical needs through these supplementary appropriations. However, our fiscal situation still requires vigilance.
With these additional funding requirements, included in Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, the projection is still for a balanced budget in 1998/99.
The operations and maintenance appropriation requirements includes:
1.$2.8 million to support the recruitment and retention of health and social service providers. This includes $2.4 million for the Department of Health and Social Services and an additional $.4 million for Education, Culture and Employment. The current situation of high vacancies and turnover rates, amongst nursing positions, demands definitive action on the part of the government.
The capital appropriation requirements include:
1.$2 million for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to complete urgent projects. These include: the conversion of the heating systems in school and college facilities in Inuvik resulting from the decommissioning of the high temperature water system; and technical and program upgrades for the Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk.
2.$1.6 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to address urgent capital requirements, including a CAT scanner for the Stanton Regional Health Board; furniture and equipment for the Gjoa Haven Health Centre and various other urgent needs for both western and eastern health boards.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.