Debates of June 6, 2006 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Notices of motion. Before I go on, Members, I would like to draw your attention to the gallery to former a Speaker, Mr. David Searle, in the House.

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I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have Bill 1, Bill 2 and Committee Report 4-15(5). What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to consider Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4 and Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Is committee agreed?

Agreed.

Agreed. Then we will do that after a brief break.

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I will call Committee of the Whole back to order. As indicated before the break, we said we were going to deal with Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2005-2006. I would like to ask Minister Roland if he would like to make opening comments. Minister Roland.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to introduce Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2005-2006. This bill requests authority for additional appropriations of $850,000 for operations expenditures for departmental over-expenditures in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

The request is being made to comply with the authorization process for over-expenditures of appropriations as provided for in the Financial Administration Act. Details of the over-expenditures are as follows:

$620,000 for the Department of Justice, which represents the over-expenditure resulting from higher than anticipated costs in corrections and court services.

$230,000 for the Department of Transportation, which represents the over-expenditure resulting from higher than anticipated costs due to the unseasonably warm winter. The above-normal temperatures required additional maintenance on airport runways and winter roads.

That concludes my opening remarks. I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Do you wish to bring in witnesses?

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

I would ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort Mr. Roland’s witnesses to the table.

Mr. Roland, could you please introduce your witness, for the record?

Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today I have the secretary to the FMB, Mr. Mark Cleveland. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Roland. Committee members, general comments.

Detail.

Not seeing any general comments and since committee has agreed, then we will go to clause-by-clause review of the bill. If I can direct committee’s attention, then, to page 5, Justice, operations expenditures, not previously authorized, community justice and corrections, $620,000, total department, $620,000.

Agreed.

Thank you. Department of Transportation, operations expenditures, not previously authorized, airports, $230,000; total department, $230,000.

Agreed.

Thank you. Now back to the various clauses. Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2005-2006, to the schedule on page 4, part 1, vote 1, operations expenditures, total supplementary appropriation for operations expenditures, $850,000; total supplementary appropriation, $850,000.

Agreed.

Thank you. Now back to the clauses. Clause 1.

Agreed.

Thank you. Clause 2.

Agreed.

Clause 3.

Agreed.

Clause 4.

Agreed.

Clause 5.

Agreed.

Clause 6.

Agreed.

Clause 7.

Agreed.

We are on page 2 of Bill 1, preamble to the clauses.

Agreed.

Thank you. To the bill as a whole.

Agreed.

Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With the committee’s indulgence, I wonder if I can ask a question on Transportation. With the $230,000 with respect to ice road maintenance, from what I recall, the ice roads didn’t last half as long as they were supposed to last last year. I am wondering why the over-expenditure of $230,000.

Does committee agree that we can return to the detail?

Agreed.

Thank you, committee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The over-expenditure of $230,000 within the Department of Transportation, as I stated in my opening comments, was due to the fact that we had an unseasonably warm winter, which the department on a normal basis would have budgeted for salt materials and materials for runways to keep them clear, as well as keep the runways safer for planes landing as well. For winter roads, it took more maintenance to keep them operating as long as they did and that was the reason for the over-expenditure. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I can understand that, but didn’t we save any money on the winter ice road maintenance because of the short winter ice road season? Isn’t there some kind of a balance? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.