Finance committee  They were calculated using a rather complex model, but looking at the technical changes that we were making to the territorial formula financing program, we made estimates using 2017-18 payments. If we applied these changes, how would those TFF payments change? We found that for Yukon and Northwest Territories, the payments did fall ever so slightly, so the government has proposed to compensate the territories on that basis for the renewal period.

Finance committee  Under the current legislation, the authority to make the payments expires on March 31, 2019, so we have to make a renewal and there's a time limit. It's normal for the program to be renewed every five years.

Finance committee  Thank you. Part 6, division 3 proposes amendments to the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act in two areas. One, it proposes to renew the equalization and territorial formula financing program for the next five years. Second, it proposes to legislate a new reimbursement policy for deductions made from the Canada health transfer with respect to the extra billing and user-charge provisions of the Canada Health Act.

Finance committee  There's nothing in the BIA concerning the borrowing limit. I appreciate your question. The territorial premiers did meet with Minister Morneau last week, and they raised that issue on the borrowing limit. The message back, and the message I would certainly communicate, is that we would welcome proposals from the officials of the territorial governments to present the rationale for what kind of increase they're looking for, and we would take that into consideration.