Caroline Wawzonek

Thank you, Madam Chair. I realize this is frustrating, but I would like to suggest to the Member that this is an opportunity for us to get it right and that, by going through this process as an Assembly right now, this is an opportunity to look at the fiscal policy that we do develop going forward and ensure that we are not back in this situation. In some ways, I'd say, this can be an opportunity for all of us.

As far as the immediate situation as to what would happen should the short-term borrowing limit not be increased, it certainly does create a situation where we are not being fiscally...

I do, Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar and Mr. Jamie Koe.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Similar to taxes, it is an ongoing obligation to pay. We would be certainly subject to changes in year-over-year mill rates as would any other property assessment. Essentially, it is a tax owing and will be due year over year, subject to a new assessment.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is no intention at this time to make any reductions of any sort, and it is our hope that that will not be needed in the course of this administration, if possible. We are right at the beginning of a new government, right at the beginning of a new administration, and we simply want to do our best to be fiscally responsible in a way that is transparent. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, I am pleased to say that all three of us came to the same number. It is approximately $300 million.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We have only really just begun the internal process of looking at what the fiscal framework and fiscal policy will be, going forward. I can say, quite honestly, it is not an overt intention by any stretch to maintain a higher short-term borrowing policy or short-term borrowing limit. I am also cognizant that there seems a trend only ever upwards, and so, while I can't say what the final number will be now, the entirety of that number is still under discussion and evaluation. The intent is to look at the totality of what is happening and get a better handle on it and...

Mr. Speaker, back in February of 2018, there was a framework developed to evaluate the program. That was more, I think, in terms of evaluating the success of the program as a whole as opposed to the individual success. I am sure the Member will appreciate, and, as he has already alluded to in his opening, the individual successes on a program like this will depend a lot on how exactly one measures not only recidivism but obviously the reducing of severity of violence and the frequency of violence, so it is a very complex thing to measure, and the success of one individual may differ from the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is an appeal mechanism. To my limited knowledge, and I will just verify it, I don't know that the government has made use of that appeal mechanism. To the knowledge of the witnesses present, Madam Chair, that is not something that is generally done. This is a policy whereby the primary principal of the policy is to provide fair compensation for municipal services to the various community governments. I imagine there would be some hesitancy in general by most departments to challenge an assessment that we are part of creating.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The simple answer is that the health authorities have limited and challenged capacity to pay the money back. That is the reason for which the Department of Finance is working with them in order to try to ensure that their own internal fiscal frameworks are as responsible, going forward, as possible.

There are a number of initiatives underway currently, partnered between Finance and the health authority, to this purpose, one example of which is the "towards a better future" initiative. That is something that has been organized between the health department and health...