Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in this particular supplementary appropriation, there are a number of areas and departments that have addressed some of their increases in the area of higher costs of energy and fuel for departments specifically. I would like some information as we go through this because it does go across pretty well all departments that have put in for increases. There are examples of the amount of increase they are looking for and I will question when they get to the specific areas how they came up with their numbers.
Mr. Chairman, I say this because I am aware that in the previous budget, the government did include increases to departments to cover increased energy cost, fuel cost being one of the main areas. We have heard the Minister in this House state a number of times how, in fact, the fuel costs have been dropping. So I question at this time in our fiscal plan or in the year, when we are just getting into the beginning of the winter season, that we are already putting in for higher costs of heating fuel when I do not think we have actually entered into that season. Is this going ahead and guesstimating we will be in some problems here?
Tied to that, Mr. Chairman, is the fact that through POL -- the Public Works department, petroleum products division -- in a number of communities, they are on a system where the prices are fixed because the contract is let over a number of years and they do not change, that I am aware of. The only changes that would come out of those communities would be one that is imposed by this government to try to make up any shortfall that would be seen in their revolving fund, which has been in a number of years previous, they have gone up a number of times to try to make up that difference.
Specifically to this supplementary appropriation, again a number of departments have put in for forced growth or are in that area of requiring new dollars. Hopefully, we will have some explanation as we go through the specifics here. I find it is hard at this time, unless they can come up with some reasons as to why at this time of year they are going for an increase in heating supplies, fuel particularly.
Part of the areas they have come back with for information is it is an increase in energy costs as well. Again, knowing that in the smaller communities, fuel is purchased in bulk and locked in for a number of years, I find it hard to try to put the numbers together as to why we are having to deal with each of these at this point. Why would they not be coming in closer to the end of this fiscal year in that sense? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.