Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated there is a possibility the WCB may split and Nunavut would have its' own WCB. Does the Minister sincerely believe that Nunavut can support its' own WCB? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Well in the analysis that are being done right now and as I say sensitive discussions that are underway, that will have to be a critical component of it, is the affordability issue. At this time I have not seen any documentation to say otherwise. The Workers Compensation Board, I will be making a comment on that later on this week, is a pretty impressive organization. It has done a darn good job in terms of its obligations to injured workers and to employers and I think later on this week I will make a comment about how even its current performance is. It has outperformed itself, in a way. So in terms, is there a fiscal capability? I think that is the issue you are asking to have two new Workers Compensation Boards, east and west. To date, to say is that there? I honestly could not answer you. I believe it is but these discussions are currently underway. The negotiations are sensitive and it will be critical that when it comes across my desk, Mr. O'Brien, I want it to be critical that there be an affordability component to it. When that comes across my desk, I will share it with yourself and my colleagues in the House. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, falling in the same line of thought regarding division and the Power Corp., and the WCB. Mr. Speaker, recently I attended a meeting in Winnipeg regarding a possible road linkage and power grid between Churchill and the Kivalliviq region. It is my understanding there is approximately $500,000 has been put into a research fund to study these two issues. There is also a joint committee that is working between Manitoba and the GNWT to come up with some possible options regarding this.

My question, Mr. Speaker, is can the Minister update us as to what is the status of these discussions with this joint working group? Thank you.

That is a new question. I will rule it out of order. Oral questions, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question follows on my earlier Member's statement. Will the Premier be directing the FMBS to review the recorded excess surplus and use this to follow up on the motion to rebate the Department of Education, as passed in this House in June? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is fully aware, this summer has been a hard summer on forest fires. The Minister of Finance is still working on balancing the budget of this government and hopefully we will get a surplus. We have taken the Member's motion in this Legislative Assembly seriously. We know that we would like to invest more dollars in education and health but we have to make sure they are there first. Once we find that out, then we will move ahead. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the financial report that was tabled according to Sub-section 51(3) The Financial Administration Act in August. When would the Premier know what the actual surplus is so he can actually rebate said department? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Yes thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well I am optimistic that we may have a small surplus. I want to remind my honourable colleague that we still have got an accumulated deficit that I am sure he will support getting rid of. We still have an enormous pay equity issue out there that is significant, which I am sure he supports. Certainly, our intention as the Premier has said, that should we and when we determine what an appropriate surplus, if we do have a surplus, and I will report to the House as quickly as I can, we would take into due consideration the overall fiscal framework of the government, the needs and priorities as has been explained by Members of this House and Cabinet and allocate dollars accordingly. At this time, I wish I was in a position to announce today, this is what the surplus will be. I am not, but I do have, and I am sure my colleague is well aware of it, enormous fiscal issues still looming. Hopefully, we will be able to do this, if not in October, certainly in November. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the annual surplus is actually a net of the provision for pay equity. So I do not know why he is bringing that up. Mr. Speaker, my supplemental question to the Premier or the Finance Minister is, will they be actually involving the Ordinary Members of this House in the allocation of said surplus, because last year when they actually had a surplus of $4 million in RWED, we were not identified until after the fact. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

As my grandmother used to say to me, a penny wise, a pound foolish. I am not prepared to spend money right now that I do not see. Until such time as I am comfortable and confident there is going to be a surplus, that we can assign to the priorities we have heard in this House, and we have heard with the public and the advocacy groups out there, I am not in a position to determine that today. While we have banked $25 million on the pay equity retroactive side, that issue still has not been concluded. I would like to remind Mr. Picco, since he made reference to it. We still have as the Premier said, somewhere around, I think we spent close to $11 or $12 million in the fire suppression this year that was not budgeted for, which is no fault of anybody's. Massive problems in housing, health care problems, education, et cetera. So we will, when I am clear, if there is a surplus, we will use due process to determine, to some extent, where that money, should there be any, go. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am at a little disadvantage because of the reporting structure of government on what is actually the surplus. I can only go on the Financial Administration Act and the Comptroller General's Report, which according to the Finance Administration Act, has to be forecasted and tabled. So my question then to the Minister, following up on the surplus of this government or if there is a surplus is. Indeed, according to the Comptroller General there was and is, can the Minister actually inform us then, on the surplus. Is the result of the surplus because of increased money to us from the federal government because of our formula financing grant? Is that the case? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

There is a possibility and I am cautious about it because we still do not have an agreement with the provincial jurisdictions and I think my colleague will understand that we may get a one-time, some additional dollars from the federal government, because of population statistics, growth. It requires the concurrence of not only the territories, it also requires the concurrence of provincial jurisdictions. I do not know at this time to what degree that will be, if any. When I do, I will ensure that due process takes place and this House will be informed. Thank you.

Oral questions, Mr. Roland.