The Receiver General by convention, however, never exercises any degree of discretion over payments to or from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, other than by following whatever directives might exist in relevant statutes and regulations.
The original balance of the fund was created from the consolidated financial resources of whatever revenue and taxation could be lawfully appropriated by the Legislatures of the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
[citation needed] The First Charge, established by Section 103 of the Constitution Act, 1867, is the cost of the actual maintenance of the Consolidated Revenue Fund itself.
In accordance with the Act, the costs of collection, management and receipt of the fund are to be the first charge made to the account.
[citation needed] The Second Charge, as established by Section 104 of the Act, was the annual interest on the provincial debts of the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick just before their union.