One final question, Madam Chair. The Minister of Finance indicated if there should be any savings in design, that money should be transferred to general coffers.

Again, my question to the department Minister is: As a Regular Member, how is one able to track such money going into such coffers? What is the mechanism, Madam Chair?

I am still confused. As a Regular Member, we have the right to follow funds or capital expenditures. Should there be any surplus in a project, how is one able to track that back? We are hearing about lapsed monies. I am a bit confused, Madam Chair. How do we track these so-called savings going back to general coffers?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The year-end accounting will capture all the money across government that has lapsed. One of the specific ways, if there is direction of committee, we could look at a negative supp that would specifically target any funds should they be lapsed on this project. Thank you.

I think that is the clarity I am looking for. No further questions.

Thank you, committee. Public Works and Services, operations expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $4.088 million.

Thank you. Public Works and Services, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $4.085 million.

Agreed. Thank you. Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, directorate, not previously authorized, $63,000.

Program delivery support, not previously authorized, $169,000.

Health services programs, not previously authorized, $1.212 million. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just would like some background on this. I thought that this work had been brought back into the public service fold some time ago. There were some issues early in the 16th and there was quite a review

done. I wonder if I could get the background behind this. It seems like a substantial amount. I don’t know what the total contract is, but this is an area where, obviously, we want the highest standards. When we didn’t have them, our people suffered and our system was not working well. If I could get some background that gives some perspectives on that, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The existing base funding was $2.527 million. The contract amount was $3.069 million. There’s a shortfall of $542,000 and the cost drivers of the increased costs for dietary, housekeeping and laundry services related to the contract. Thank you.

So let’s see, it’s currently $2.5 million and we are adding a little bit more than .5, so something like a 20 percent increase here. When was the last time this was increased?

This Minister, I know, has some history and knowledge about the back and forth between public servants and contracting out these services. I wonder if he could remind me of what that has been and what our current thinking is. Thank you.

My

understanding is that this is basically an accumulated amount, that over the last number of years the costs have been absorbed within the operation. It’s no longer sustainable, hence the request that’s now before this House. Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister’s remarks. Have we done a review on whether we want these services carried out by a contract versus public employees?

Madam Chair, with your indulgence, I would ask the Minister of Health to speak to that program issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister Beaulieu.