May 4, 1936 (18th Parliament, 1st Session)

Mr. DUNNING:

I wish to thank my right hon. friend and to say by way of explanation that from the accounting point of view the expenditures which are now made and have been made under the authority of the Public Works Construction Act are being transferred to these appropriations as fast as possible. Naturally when that is completed and the authority for these estimates has been given by the house, it will be possible to repeal entirely the Public Works Construction Act. This is just a transition procedure but it does produce the situation to which my right hon. friend referred. In dealing with these estimates we are dealing with amounts which have been authorized by parliament in a different way and in a different form but which are now to be authorized by direct appropriations, following which measures will have to be taken to repeal the former authority. I can assure the house that there certainly will not be double expenditures by virtue of proceeding in this manner.