Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you all for joining us today.
My first question is a little more technical and it leads me to reflect seriously on the usefulness of the interim estimates. This new tool was supposed to be put in place so that the main estimates, which have to be submitted soon, are better tailored to the budget statement that was brought down a few weeks ago now.
In vote 1 for the Department of Finance, you are asking for $23.8 million, or about one quarter of what is required for the year. The same goes for the other departments.
Still in vote 1, at the very end, you talk about the “authority to enter into commitments not exceeding $95,355,613 in the fiscal year for the purposes of this vote”. “This vote” is asking for $23.8 million.
Why are you asking for the authority to enter into commitments not exceeding $95 million or so? Why did you not just include that in the vote? Why are you going about it this way?