Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. O'Brien on January 30th, regarding the authority for lease approvals. I wish to inform my colleagues that, under sections 13 and 43 of the Financial Administration Act, a Minister may delegate to a deputy minister or public officer of his department the expenditure or contract authority (signing authority) with monetary limits and conditions to meet the business needs of the position. Copies of the Financial Administration Act are available to the Members and the public.
Further guidelines are given in Financial Administration Manual Directive 802-1 which outlines numerous provisions for the designation of officers and the delegation and application of signing authority. The financial administration guidelines state the financial signing authority limits of a position should not exceed business needs. Therefore it would be normal duty of a public officer to initiate and approve long-term property leases. Later today I will table Financial Administration Manual Directive 802-1. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.