Don Stewart

Thanks, Mr. Chair. My understanding is that it will be repaid over a 15-year period for the contributions we've made to them. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So as the Member would be aware, the estimates are that; they're estimates. As the year goes along, the supplementary reserves are accessed for situations like this. Departments also end up, at the end of the year, with some lapsed funding, and that all gets figured out at the end of the year. Then we'll be able to figure out our cash position and know whether that's going to add to our short-term debt or whether we'll have adequate resources for the year to cover all those expenditures; but if it is beyond the revenues that we had for the year, then that would go on...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. It certainly has to help. I understand the department continues to work with AVENS, though, to look at their broader financial situation. I understand the Member is correct, that they have been having some challenges on the financial side. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think the 10-year agreement that was signed, the framework lays out broad goals to improve early childhood programming in Canada. I think the three-year agreement is related to specific actions that were included in that three-year. I think it is safe to say that there will probably be further discussions on activities that may take place after the first three-year period. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The reserve value, the Member is correct, it is $20 million for 2018-2019. The investments that we have made in the base on some of these items that the Minister noted for Health and Social Services and other areas, we believe that that reserve amount will work, and that we will be able to stay within that amount. Obviously, there are other factors like fires and those sorts of things that we can never be too certain of, and so we will have to keep our eye on that and manage our resources carefully over 2018-2019 to make sure that we are able to meet the financial figures...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is accurate. At the end of the year when we have both the operations and the capital spending, then we will know where our final cash position will end up and whether we need to add that onto the short-term debt. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A couple of the items that are included under the activities that are going on: professional development and training, to support training for licensed childcare centre based early childhood development programs; cultural resource development in distribution to some of the centres; supporting some additional post-secondary training for early childhood workers; scholarships that are provided to support students who are enrolled in early childhood programs; some health and safety funding; and then some additional grabs for equipment and those sorts of things for childcare...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, we'll charge the interest on that short-term debt back to the revolving fund. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, the short-term debt as well as the long-term debt goes under our debt limit, which is $1.3 billion, is the federally imposed debt limit. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the 2017-2018 supplementary reserve will be over-expended by about $7.5 million. That includes, though, a special warrant related to the barges that will be repayable over time, but for the year, it's $7.5 million over the reserve amount. Thank you, Mr. Chair.