Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would defer to my colleague from the Department of Finance on the corporate assets side to lead off, and then perhaps later I could provide some opening remarks on the strategic review, and we could get into that.

Government Operations committee  As you mentioned, we will certainly be reporting the allocations from this $3 billion vote in supplementary estimates along the way. There will be reports of these allocations as well in each quarterly report in June, September, and December.

Government Operations committee  I can't really add too much to what Mr. Wouters said. The projects really are at the departmental level. At this stage we're dealing with the rather large agenda that's in this budget--all the various programs--especially the new programs that require more effort. We can't really get in front of decisions on projects and relay that information at this stage.

Government Operations committee  Perhaps I could start by giving an indication of the scale of infrastructure spending that's already committed. As you know, with the Building Canada fund we're talking about $33 billion over seven years. Over and above that, with this large stimulus plan--it's not entirely infrastructure, but it's a very substantial plan--it will be two years of nearly $40 billion in--

Government Operations committee  We don't have a specific number, again, for the Building Canada fund. There is accelerated activity and we'll have to see what the year-end brings. But that is one program. It is not sufficient, if you wish, to ensure a surplus at the end of this particular fiscal year, if that's the question.

Government Operations committee  Thank you. The normal course of events is that money that is not spent does return to the consolidated revenue fund. There are always, in programs like infrastructure, commitments that are made and indeed spending has not occurred, but a commitment that was made with the province is close to being signed.

Government Operations committee  On the first question, I can't confirm that expected lapse number that you were using for Infrastructure Canada. Could the money have been better spent in 2008-09 or 2009-10? I think that's a good question indeed. The economic situation has certainly deteriorated, and that's since...from the fourth quarter on.

Government Operations committee  Our figures are not the same as yours, I don't think--

Government Operations committee  I think the point you're making is that if there's funding left over in any one year, let's say fiscal year 2008-09, the one we're just ending, can that money be used in 2009-10? The argument in general is no. Money lapses each year. There are possibilities of re-profiling, but those require Department of Finance approval because they do affect the fiscal plan and our deficit numbers, so--

Government Operations committee  If you're focusing on one individual program and saying that a certain portion of that programming would be up front, if indeed it's approved, that's roughly correct. This is really the first instalment on some of the programs we would be bringing out. The program would have to be ready and would have to meet all the tests that we described earlier.

Government Operations committee  You're talking about an existing program on which there has already been some funding provided, and therefore an additional instalment of funding would be available through the central vote. Am I correct?

Government Operations committee  With a new program, of course, there will be terms and conditions for that program. There will be a Treasury Board approval of that program. That's less likely to be ready early than a program that's already currently being used, so it may not work that the funding from April 1 to June 30 would be available for that particular program.

Government Operations committee  But we're talking about a $40 billion program over two years, and this is the $3 billion start-up part of it. So there's a huge amount of more work to be done after that.

Government Operations committee  Yes. Normally in interim supply we ask for three-twelfths to start up. In fact, Parliament typically does approve something in the order of $25 billion of spending before committees go into detail on the plans. Every year we do ask for some increases beyond three-twelfths for certain departments, for certain needs, up to eleven-twelfths.

Government Operations committee  Well, these are for items that are in the budget that has been approved, so—