Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It is a spending increase cap for an envelope of services. They are basically the services that come under Ms. Cram: education, social assistance, child care services, housing, community infrastructure. It is like a box, and the volume of the box increases by 2% a year. Even in terms of the estimates, you can see that $91 million is equivalent to the 2% increase.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Treasury Board plays a role in implementation and oversight, but the amounts under the framework are part of the government's fiscal plan.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It was the Finance Department of the day.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  You are putting me in a difficult position. This is a budget decision. We are talking about the government's fiscal framework, and that is decided by cabinet. It is a government decision, and it really is linked to the budget and the finance department.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Just by way of information, my colleagues at the finance department have probably explained that this applies to the core funding and that in both past and recent budgets, there has been additional funding for housing and, in the latest 5-year plan, for safe-drinking water, etc.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. Neither the demographic changes nor the inflation rate are reflected in the equation. There is also compensation to the provinces that must be paid. So we do end up working miracles from time to time.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As a general statement, Mr. Chairman, nobody is going to be left without care. Nobody will be stranded. Bills will be paid. Services will be provided, and if money has to be moved, we'll move it. Part of the issue that a community is always interested in is where does money move from one thing to another.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We'll provide you with a written comparison, year-to-year. If you include the budget money, which is being passed by Parliament in the next little while, it will come up to almost exactly the same amount this year as last year.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No. I don't believe that's right, if you add in the budget money for water, and we'd be happy to provide you with a table comparing the two years.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm not sure what you mean by a section 35 agreement.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  These are sunsetting funds for Powley discussions, which were renewed, so they will again show up in supplementary estimates, and I'd be happy to give you a written update on the work on Powley. The OFI also does work on the urban aboriginal strategy.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Russell. I was questioned about this at the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples and by the House Standing Committee on Public Accounts, so I can certainly provide full answers. We are trying to be more diligent in tracking what the obligations are in the agreements and putting some traction under workplans for implementation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  One of the things we've done under the direction of the ministers is to prepare a report to Parliament and to Canada on implementation. They've been tabled in Parliament every few months. I think we'll be headed for another one fairly soon. Perhaps I could ask Christine to give some of the highlights.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'll again turn that over to Ms. Cram, if it's okay. We have a four-part ranking scale, as we've discussed with the committee on more than one occasion in past appearances. We have a pot of money, we have a whole bunch of pressures, and then basically the job every year is to allocate it and try to get as many projects squeezed out every year as possible and not leave any money on the table.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, if you agree, I'd flip the question to Mr. Yeates and perhaps to Christine. Christine Cram is the assistant deputy minister in the area that covers education, social services, water, and a number of topics.