Mr. Chair, I think the scramble for dollars is what most members of the committee seem to be seized with.
Mr. Burden, as manager of the divestiture program within DFO, how have you...? You're fully aware that this committee is currently engaged in a study on small craft harbours, and that to support the minister requesting funds for this in budget 2008, prior to the budget being tabled, this committee provided an interim report on the status of the small craft harbour program, and specifically included a request or suggestion, if not an expectation, that the government allocate upwards of $700 million over an extended period of time to resolve longstanding issues related to the small craft harbour program. As you're aware, the result or effect of our interim report was that the government decided to allocate just $10 million for a small craft harbour divestiture program.
Should this proceed, and in the scramble for dollars in the interim or short term, DFO will obviously have to allocate funds for this from somewhere within it. Under the system of parliamentary appropriations, we have various votes, and the money will obviously come from the same pot of funds the small craft harbour program comes from—for operations, maintenance, and capital. There is no funding that is.... Parliament does not necessarily approve direct or targeted funding for small craft harbours; what we approve, if I understand this correctly, is specific funding for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to engage in operations, maintenance, and capital projects for capital assets.
So in terms of the lighthouse program, you would actually be using the same pot of money that the department uses, allocates, or references for the small craft harbour program. You would actually draw upon that same pot of money that would be available.
Would you be able to comment on that? Is my understanding and interpretation correct?