Floyd Roland

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...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As a result of a Liquor Board review or hearing and a fine being put on an establishment, the establishment would have the ability to appeal and could go to court, but because that fine was established under the Liquor Act, it would end up coming back in here and this is where it would show up. If it is the result of a Liquor Board hearing and an establishment gets fined, if they appeal they can go to court and appeal it, but at the end of the day if that ruling holds, because it started under the Liquor Act, this is where the money would show.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I understand that it does cause some hardship to those families that don’t have a lot of funds to use between jobs. We will be working with the departments to ensure that we pick up on that process and improve on it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The avenue that we work with insurance is strictly with our own assets right now, in setting up that environment and covering our assets with the insurance program that we've put up. We would be prepared to work with the Department of Health and Social Services if they were to come forward and ask for some assistance in looking at what options might be out there. Right now they are working internally, and I know that just because of the situation that I'm aware of from my constituency. So it's not from knowledge through the department itself, but I am aware of that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The area the Member is speaking about, reallocations are from within all the departments. They would find money from within areas that they felt they could give up. In our effort to reduce our expenditures as well as knowing that there is demand for increased expenditures, instead of just taking that right out of the budget a lot of that was refocused to what is considered to be higher priority items. So within our Department of Finance, there is little of that because ours is focused on revenues and managing that end of it, but within each department there has been...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the operating results, if you go to 3-20, Liquor Commission revolving fund, operating results under income, the last item, Liquor Licensing Board revenue, that is made up of a couple of things. There is a fee charged to all the licensees and that fee is incorporated there, as well as the fines that occur. Thank you.