During the committee's review of the FMBS's 2003-2004 draft main estimates, the government's corporate capital planning process, CCP, remained a primary concern for most committee members. Committee issues that arose from its continued consideration of the CCP included:

1. The primary rating criteria, the foundation of the CCP, places a primary and secondary priority on people and assets respectively. This results in more capital funding allocated for more developed and populous communities. A number of Members commented that if this criterion remains unchanged, small communities may never see any significant funding or improvements to their infrastructure.
2. The evaluation process for the CCP is conducted by the Capital Review Committee, which is comprised exclusively of deputy ministers. The committee stated that while the decision-making process has been transferred to the deputy ministers, it is the Ministers who are ultimately accountable to the residents of the Northwest Territories.
3. A more equitable approach that incorporates an improved and more equitable distribution of capital funding to small communities must be implemented.
4. Committee members noted cost overruns in large projects have been funded at the expense of other projects.
5. In most small communities, government capital expenditures are often the sole source of economic development.

Committee members recalled that at the end of the review of the 2003-2006 business plans, the Premier at a meeting with AOC agreed to review the CCP process, taking into consideration the concerns of the Regular Members. AOC informed the Premier that it would like to comment on any proposed changes to the CCP prior to the introduction of the government's draft 2003-2004 main estimates in February of 2003. To date, neither standing committee has received correspondence or briefings on proposed changes to the current CCP from the government.