Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I too have some problems seeing these large, expenditures, especially capital
expenditures showing up in a supplementary. When we first got to this House, a lot of the communities a lot of the projects in their five year capital plans were cancelled yet this Financial Administration Act clearly states and we were told by the Minister of Finance to the departments if they wanted to develop any infrastructure, it had to be done through the main estimates. Yet we see all these multi-million dollar projects popping up through supplementary appropriations again. Why have these projects not been put forth in regard to the main estimates, through airports?
Other communities are looking at having their airports upgraded, to meet certain national standards, yet we do not have enough money to maintain our airports, yet we are spending $800,000 to develop one airport. Yet there is 50 some odd airports that need just as much attention as this one. Yet all the communities that have airports, have to go through the planning process of the main estimates.
So my point is, Mr. Chairman, why have these projects not gone through the regular loop of the planning process in the five-year capital planning process that every one of us have to go through as Members and all our communities have to go through and priorize what they want in their capital budget, but we do not see how these large ticket items are all of a sudden popping up. Especially regarding giving grants of $1.5 million, upgrading the airports in the $800,000 and yet we are still not out of the woods yet when it comes to our deficit.
We have to keep that in mind when we look at supplementary appropriations. Ensure it is not being abused by this government. My point to the Minister is, has he looked at and why have these projects not gone through the formal process through main estimates?