David Ramsay

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I am quite concerned actually about this, in the fact that other boards that are out there that are operating look to this and they can see the fact that they have been running up operating deficits for a number of years and then by the stroke of a pen, through a supp, their entire accumulated deficit is gone. I think it is a pretty scary precedent to set, Madam Chairperson, that we can allow boards to operate, run up deficits and then come through a supp and get over $2 million to just wipe out the deficit. It doesn’t seem right to me, Madam Chairperson, and I...

Mr. Dent.

That is good. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Minister.

Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. If I could, maybe the Minister of Health and Social Services has those numbers, but I am wondering what the accumulated deficit up to March 31, 2004, in the amount of $1.289 million; what makes up that number and how do we arrive at that number? If the Minister is saying that most of that is accrued ambulance costs, then can the Minister of Health and Social Services or the Finance Minister break that number down for us? Thank you.

Clause 4.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is this something that the department would anticipate occurring on an annual basis going forward, or is this just a one time thing? Thank you.

Mr. Zoe.