Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1 requests authority for operations expenditure appropriations of $25,107,974 and capital investment appropriations of $31,871,000.
The request for operations expenditure funding exceeds the supplementary reserve in the 2001-2002 Main Estimates by $2 million.
Major items included in the operations expenditure request are as follows:
- $6.6 million for programs associated with the Maximizing Northern Employment initiatives. A special warrant was approved for $4 million of this funding to ensure programs were in place for students and new graduates whose schooling ended in April.
- $6.8 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to address forced growth in the health boards, standardized physician contracts, and operating costs of the Yellowknife medical clinics. The 2001-2002 supplementary reserve had included $6 million for forced growth by the department.
- $1.8 million for startup and operating costs associated with the implementation of the Highway Investment Strategy.
- $2 million for required investments related to Mackenzie Valley development projects.
- $1.8 million for the Departments of Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment for the initiatives outlined in the Early Childhood Development Action Plan. A separate supplementary reserve of $2 million was established for these initiatives in the 2001-2002 Main Estimates.
The request for additional investment exceeds the budgeted reserve by $23 million. However, the net impact on the government's accumulated cash position is only $5 million. This is due to:
- Advancing $10.7 million of the cash flow for the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Centre, which was accelerated due to the successful negotiations for the design and construction of the facility; and
- 2000-2001 capital appropriation lapses, which were $7 million higher than estimated.
The additional capital investment includes $17 million in capital carryovers from the 2000-2001 fiscal year. The funding was approved and lapsed in 2000-2001.
Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary appropriation requests. Thank you.