Mr. Chairman, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2 requests authority for additional appropriations of $22,652,000 for operations expenditures and $1,913,000 for capital investment expenditures. Major items included in this request are as follows:
- $10.2 million for the additional expenses to be incurred as a result of finalization of a collective agreement between the GNWT and the Union of Northern Workers.
- $4 million for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for payments for the negotiated settlement of claims respecting student abuse in the education system.
- $2 million for the Department of Health and Social Services to fund the increases to rates charged by the Capital Health Authority for medical services provided to Northwest Territories residents at Alberta hospitals.
- $1.4 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for the continued development and implementation of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Systems Action Plan.
- $1.3 million for the Department of Health and Social Services for forced growth within the foster care program.
The major request for capital investment expenditures include $2.3 million for the Department of Transportation for the GNWT's share of the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program. Total expenditures under the program will be $9 million over two years, of which 50 percent will be cost shared with the federal government.
Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary document. Thank you.