Welcome to Nunavut, last of the big spenders

In what’s becoming an annual winter tradition at the Nunavut legislative assembly, MLAs quietly voted last week to approve the spending of $41.2 million that the Government of Nunavut has already spent.

They did this through three special laws called “supplementary appropriations.”

Commissioner Edna Elias gave formal assent to the three bills Feb. 25, at the end of the second session of the third assembly.

The bills give the GN permission to spend money that should have been approved in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 budgets.

In Bill 52, the Department of Education gets permission to spend $1.76 million in 2009-10 that they already spent.

In Bill 53, the Nunavut Housing Corp. gets $15 million in capital money for 2010-11 that they’ve already spent, and the Community and Government Services department gets permission to spend an extra $4.1 million.

In Bill 54, the Department of Health and Social Services, which overspends its budget annually, gets permission to spend $12.1 million for 2010-11 that they’ve already spent.

Like most other provincial and territorial health care budgets in Canada, Nunavut’s health budget always grows faster each year than planners are able to budget for.

In various reports, the Auditor General of Canada has repeatedly chastised the GN for spending large amounts money that MLAs do not approve until after the money is spent.

Bill 52 (2009-10)

1. Education: $1.7 million

2. Economic Development and Transportation: $66,000

Total: $1.766 million

Bill 53 (2010-11)

1. Culture, Language, Elders and Youth: $650,000

2. Community and Government Services: $4.1 million

3. Nunavut Housing Corp.: $15 million

Total: $19.75 million

Bill 54 (2010-11)

1. Finance: $174,000

2.Justice: $2.289 million

3. Culture, Language, Elders and Youth: (650,000)

4.Education: $4 million

5. Health and Social Services: $12.144 million

6. Community and Government Services: $528,000

7. Economic Development and Transportation: $509,000

8. Nunavut Housing Corp.: $2.123 million

9. Nunavut Arctic College: $96,000

Total: $21.213 million