So now we are dealing with whole numbers. Again, as we just heard, if both appropriations go forward without a hitch and they’re approved, we have just heard that we are right up to the line of the $275 million probably as of today. Once these appropriations get approved, I’m assuming it’s a triggering mechanism and the monkey flips the switch and the bank accounts are withdrawn.

We also heard from the department here today that we would be inching close to the debt limit of the $275 million “near the end of our fiscal year.” Our fiscal year, I believe, does not end until March 31, 2015. So we have already heard today that we are already, by virtue of these appropriations, going to be there and then somehow magically we’re going to have some type of money to play with in our short-term line between now and March 31st .

Can I get some clarification as to if we are at our line today? Basically what we have heard, by what methodology, by what cash flow management system are we going to be paying the bills with, with this government, between now and March 31, 2015? Thank you.

So again we are getting more clarity in terms of where we are with our short-term borrowing, that during the course of daily operations of the government, cash in, cash out, paying our bills, all that kind of stuff, it sounds like we have very little wiggle room on our short-term borrowing, that we are really financing this government on cash surpluses between now and March 31st , which doesn’t leave us a lot of

opportunity to deal with any type of mitigating circumstances should they arise.

Does the government foresee, outside of the normal appropriation program that we have before the House here, do you foresee any mitigating circumstances on the horizon that would put this number dangerously over this $275 million cushion that we have in our Borrowing Act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have captured all the numbers that we think are going to be there between now and the end of March. But as I indicated earlier, in order to err on the side of caution and to make sure that we have enough room to respond and to keep the government operational, we’re going to come forward with a request, through legislation, to increase that amount from $275 million to $300 million. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Next I have on my list Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister, with regards to Junior Kindergarten and the work that needs to be done in some of the educational facilities in the communities. Just hearing from Ms. Bisaro and the response back from the Minister and the Education Minister, are these works and are these some of the special situations we run into when we want to implement infrastructure to support programs and services, something not present but we have done to help the community to implement a program and sometimes it doesn’t work, sometimes according to

text and I believe there is some grey area as to what Mr. Dolynny said is black and white, but sometimes there are areas where you have to look where it can be best suited to support the programs that the communities are asking for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is correct in this case. Building season and the school year got way ahead of the legislative and budgetary process that we run and we are currently in. So the Member is correct. There were commitments made. There was a need to be ready and so the work was, certainly in these instances, done, contrary to what the law of general application for supplementary appropriations and getting approval before you spend the money, in order to meet the program needs, as the Member alluded to. Thank you.

What would be the consequences? Would the onus fall on our government if we said to the educational boards, sorry, we have to follow process here. I guess I’m looking at what would be the consequences if we didn’t do this and follow the process as outlined and agreed by this Assembly as to how do we approve expenditures.

As I indicated, this money is new money. It’s not money coming out of the various school boards. Should the money not be approved, then Education, Culture and Employment would be absorbing that cost from their existing budget.

Okay. Thank you. It’s clear to me and certainly I’m going to lend my support to this supplementary. We know that the challenges have to be given special consideration and some of the issues that we have to work with in our small communities. I have no more issues on this one.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I’ll take that as a comment. Does the Minister have follow-up? Committee, we’re on Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, Education, Culture and Employment, not previously authorized, $764,000.

Total department, not previously authorized, $764,000. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m wondering what incremental cost actually refers to on the implementation of the three-year Education Renewal and Innovation Action Plan.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Lovely.

Thank you, Mr. Lovely. Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Chair, that would be useful. Thank you. I’m sure Social Programs has that information, but that would be useful.

Are we expecting additional requests in subsequent years, I guess, or will those be funded out of the internal budget? Do we know at this point in time?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once the start-up is over, the anticipation is that it would become a part of the regular budgeting process and not necessarily through the supplementary appropriation process.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Committee, we’re on total department, not previously authorized, $764,000.