Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): I believe there are some committee changes that the member for Gimli would like to move first, as well as the member for Point Douglas. So I defer to them.

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): I move, seconded by the member for Charleswood (Mrs. Driedger), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs be amended as follows: the member for Portage la Prairie (Mr. Faurschou) for the member for Arthur-Virden (Mr. Downey); the member for River Heights (Mr. Radcliffe) for the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau).

Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs be amended as follows: the member for Crescentwood (Mr. Sale) for the member for Transcona (Mr. Reid), for Monday, June 7, 1999, for 10 a.m.

Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, I believe this morning we waived Private Members' hour, so I will be moving that we go into Estimates. Before I do that, I understand that both the Minister of Health (Mr. Stefanson) and the member for Kildonan (Mr. Chomiak), the Health critic, would like to be able to adjourn that committee at 5:45 to accommodate public functions that they have to be at tonight.

So before I move the motion, I would ask if we would give leave to allow the section of the Committee of Supply meeting in the Chamber to adjourn at 5:45 to accommodate both the minister and the critic.

Madam Speaker: Is there unanimous consent of the House to permit the section of Supply for Health to adjourn prior to the regular adjournment time? [agreed]

Mr. Praznik: I would now move, seconded by the honourable Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship (Mrs. Vodrey), that Madam Speaker do now leave the Chair and that this House resolve itself into a committee to consider of the Supply to be granted to Her Most Gracious Majesty.

Mr. Chairperson (Gerry McAlpine): Order, please. Will the Committee of Supply please come to order. This afternoon this section of the Committee of Supply meeting in Room 254 will resume consideration of the Estimates of the Department of Education and Training. When the committee last sat, it had been considering item 16.6. Support for Post-Secondary Education (d) Post-Secondary Strategic Initiatives Fund, on page 55 of the Estimates book. Shall the item pass?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Education and Training): Mr. Chairman, on page 89 of the 1999-2000 Department of Education and Training Supplementary Information for Legislative Review, the amount of $2,275,000 for Professional Services, under Other Expenditures, is comprised of $7,600 for professional fees included within the 16.4. (a) Schools Finance (2) Other Expenditures, and $2,267,400 included in 16.4. (a) Schools Finance (3) Property Assessment on page 50 of the 1999 Manitoba Estimates of Expenditures.

With regard to this matter, I am tabling a document which I think clears up the matter.

Mr. Chairperson: 16.6. Support for Post-Secondary Education (d) Post-Secondary Strategic Initiatives Fund $1,300,000–pass.

16.6.(e) Access Programs $6,484,700–pass.

16.6.(f) Student Financial Assistance (1) Salaries and Employee Benefits $1,482,400–pass; (2) Other Expenditures $665,200–pass; (3) Loans and Bursaries $8,692,200–pass; (4) Interest Relief $1,433,500–pass; (5) Debt Reduction $763,500–pass; (6) Scholarship and Bursaries Initiative $5,000,000–pass; (7) Manitoba Learning Tax Credit $15,000,000–pass.

Resolution 16.6: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $325,953,300 for Education and Training, Support for Post-Secondary Education, for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

The next item is 16.7. Capital Grants (a) School Divisions $27,437,300–pass; (b) Universities $10,940,000–pass; (c) Community Colleges $2,245,600–pass; (d) Less: Recoverable from Capital Initiatives (1) School Divisions ($2,500,000) and (2) Universities ($2,000,000).

Resolution 16.7: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $36,122,900 for Education and Training, Capital Grants, for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

16.8. Amortization of Capital Assets $1,787,300–pass.

Resolution 16.8: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $1,787,300 for Education and Training, Amortization of Capital Assets, for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

The last item to be considered in the Estimates of Education and Training is 1.(a) Minister's Salary $27,000.

* (1440)

Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Mr. Chairman, I think it is an appropriate time to thank the minister and his staff for their long hours, the staff in particular, and to also thank the minister for the comparatively civil way in which these Estimates have been conducted. I appreciated the civil manner in which it was dealt with. Thank you.

Mr. McCrae: Rather than risk any retraction of what the honourable member has said, I think I will just say thank you very much.

Mr. Chairperson: I thank the honourable minister, and we thank all members of the committee.

The last item to be considered for the Estimates of the Department of Education and Training is the Minister's Salary at $27,000–pass.

Resolution 16.1: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $4,635,300 for Education and Training for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

This completes the Estimates of the Department of Education and Training. We will now proceed to the next departmental Estimates.

What is the will of the committee? Are we going to recess for a few minutes? [agreed]

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