Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a number of general comments and then I will have questions when I get to each department.

In looking at the big picture, what we are presented with here, I certainly I have to say I have questions about the way that we do our budgeting. I have certainly said it before; I am sure I will say it again. Many of these expenses that are included in this supplementary appropriation, in my mind, are expenses which we could have or should have predicted. Certainly some of them are extraordinary, but I think we tend to underestimate when we estimate our expenses. There is...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Aumond.

We are agreed. Okay. Employee services, not previously authorized, $617,000. Mr. Dolynny.

Thanks to the Minister for the explanation. I heard an awful lot of we can and we could and we might and some things that are recognized that we have to do. There’s a lot of if we do this and if we do that. I guess my question is, we recognize, I think, as Members that there are things that must be done. The Minister has elaborated on quite a number of things that need to be done. For Stanton and for the Beaufort-Delta authorities, we know that their budgets need to be amended and need to be changed. My question was more to are we doing that. What are we doing? When are we going to have it...

I have to ask the Premier to repeat his answer. I understood him to say, in the answer to my question, that information was given to Social Programs in December 2011, so I’m really confused now. Did we get information in 2010 in the previous Assembly or did we get information in December 2011 in this particular Assembly? I am still on Social Programs and I have no recollection of getting anything in December 2011 either.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. We did receive this document. I’m not sure, but I think Mr. Dolynny was asking if this perhaps could be made public, this information. Would you like to clarify, Mr. Dolynny?

Okay, we are agreed. Total department, not previously authorized, negative $257,000.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I am sure that there are employees who enjoy a paid week at Christmas. We all would, I am sure. I would like to ask my last question to the Minister. If there has not ever been an evaluation done, I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to consider doing a review or an evaluation and look at the benefit or the lack of benefit of keeping offices open over Christmas, whether it be every second day or every day except for stat holidays, half staff, full staff. Would he look at that kind of an evaluation or review? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. Dolynny.