Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, that issue has been dealt with. We are not happy with the under coverage, but we are happy that through our own exercise and providing those numbers to Ottawa that we actually increased the coverage and we are not under covered as much. To that extent, we feel we have done what we can. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are a number of avenues that we will take and use to get the information to people and continue to provide them with the information to ensure that they feel that they're getting all that is required to understand our situation. I think that started in a large way yesterday by doing the budget address and highlighting that message to our people in the Territories of the impacts of what this budget means to them. As we go through this process in the next two-and-half weeks, as Members ask questions of departments and ask for the detail, that information then can...

Sorry, Mr. Chairman. I will have Ms. Melhorn respond to that as I wasn't able to catch the full question.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is a small amount of money but it is a start, and we need to start working in that area to help the small communities in our territory start doing some of this land development. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has the detail as to how they will allocate those dollars in a number of the communities. I am sure the Member will be able to get that detail as we go through the budget process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That would show up on page 3-11 under compensation benefits for treasury, as well as there would be some of it included in the other expenses section, as Ms. Melhorn stated, and we will provide that detail. The majority of other expenses adds up to the $2.6 million on page 3-12. But on 3-11, it gives the wages and compensation benefits as highlighted on that page, then there would be some others included in other expenses. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With the cost-sharing initiatives by the federal government, to match those dollars that would be over and above what we have in the budget, then we would have to come forward with a plan and ask for approval of those expenditures. Right now all the money identified in the budget, for example on our capital acquisition plan, is identified for specific projects, and if there is a new program that comes up between now and the end of this fiscal year that would require new money even though it was cost shared, we would have to identify that money and come forward to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As our process works, we would come forward to Cabinet with what we felt was needed and if it was agreed at that point, we would go to committee and see if that is something committee Members agreed to move forward and proceed on that basis. If there is not support for such an intensive review, then those comments would come back to us and we would look at the issue again within Cabinet. But we haven’t gotten to the stage yet of even a proposal. It’s just some work going on to look at areas and how we can begin to tackle this process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will again be going back to the table and looking at all the options we have before us. Right now we’ve highlighted reductions going forward, we’re dealing with the tax initiatives upfront and depending on what happens in our discussions with the federal government, we will once again have to look at all our avenues as a government. Right now, again, we’re highlighting reductions for the two upcoming years of $20 million in each of the two fiscal years going forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $2.030 million is the figure we will be paying this fiscal year. That's our estimate, and again it will be revised when we get the final numbers in June. In previous years, if you look at the 2003-2004 main estimates, there we paid $3.6 million. So that's what we had initially paid, and through this exercise we feel that we will be safe in the area of $2.030 million.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The normal process is the one we are going through now. The departments would highlight their requirements for expenditures, whether it be the O and M side or the capital side. If there are requirements for further funding that is over and above what has been identified in the budget process, then the government would have to come forward through a supplementary and request either more revenues for this particular area within the department, or if it is in fact a reduction come in with a negative supplementary. Again, identifying exactly what area from within the...