Mr. Chairman. I would like to know when did I as a Member have a say in exactly what these expenditures are? As far as I am concerned, from my riding, I practically received zilch in this budget, I do not see it here, yet he says that I had input into this budget. I do not believe I was involved in the drafting of this budget. A lot of these issues came out after the fact, and then we come here we find out that we cannot change anything? What is the purpose of our involvement if he states that basically we are the ones that were involved in drafting this? I do not believe that we were.
Debates of Feb. 10th, 1997
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
It is a question in regards to what role we have in regards to the process of this document being put together?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 512
John Todd Keewatin Central
It is beyond me, Mr. Chairman, what the honourable Member is talking about. Absolutely beyond me. We have spent eight months going through this budget through a variety of committees. We have gone through it in committee on numerous occasions. My colleague is a co-chair
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Todd. For the benefit of Members, the questions from Mr. Krutko are not really directed towards program summary or department summary, Executive. They are actually directed to the overall budget and the process for making changes to the budget. I would have thought that the proper time to do that would have been at the budget response. However, I am advised that Ordinary Members do not have the power to add to the budget. Cabinet puts forward all expenditures. Ordinary Members, committee of the whole can make recommendations to Cabinet, but that is all they are, they are recommendations. I believe last year, the Clerk explained to us that in order to give Cabinet direction it would have to be a motion in the House. At this point in time we are only making recommendations to Cabinet. If Members do not mind I would like to return now to department summary of the Executive and I will entertain questions to the overall Executive budget. Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Just in response to the remarks by Mr. Todd in regards to having input, I believe that there has been reports put forth in the last couple of days and also one today in regards to the seniors' fuel subsidy that we have been dealing with for the last year. It has come out of reports which were tabled in this House last year, and yet we are dealing with these reports being tabled again, where a lot of these are concerns by committees, yet they do not show up in the budget. If that is our input into the budget, what is?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Krutko, I have to rule you out of order. That is nothing to do with the subject Executive department summary. Generally, there are no questions on program summary. You have to ask the questions when you get to the activities sections, so therefore I call again, total operations and maintenance, $53,445,000. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
The Chair Vince Steen
The committee agrees. Consideration of the department's estimates is concluded.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, maybe you can explain to us again exactly what the purpose of this whole process is in regards to having input into the budget review, since you said you cannot change it. What can we do then?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Although this is off the subject, I will let Mr. Todd respond.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The honourable colleague can make recommendations to change, as he has done. The government would then respond. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. I think for the benefit of the Members and for clarification purposes, I will ask the Clerk if he can help clarify to Mr. Krutko's question.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The authority for, with regards to estimates of this Legislature, a committee, Members have the right, have the ability, and the authority, by motion, to reduce or delete any estimate that is in front of the committee for consideration. If there is to be any increase to any of the estimates that is before the committee, that can only be done and be offered by a motion to amend the main bill, which is Bill 8 in this case, by the government. The government are the only ones that can increase the estimates before the committee, but Members do have the authority, by motion of the House, to reduce or delete any estimates in front of you. Any recommendations, the committee can make recommendations for increases or moving money around within the estimates, but that can only be a recommendation to the Cabinet, and the Cabinet would then duly consider it and can come forward with an amendment to the bill, if that is the wish of the Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 513
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What assurances do we have, what is the process to ensure that they are considering looking at it or if they took care of the, say there was a motion passed for an increase, how do we know that those things have been taken care of, or if they have not been? Is there a way to monitor that?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 514
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Krutko, I think that Mr. Todd already explained the process, that Cabinet will consider recommendations and that is where it sits. I believe Mr. Hamilton also explained the other half of it, in regards to reducing or removing expenditures in the budget, but he also explained how to add to the bill in the House. I do not know what you are looking for here, what more information you are looking for at this point? Mr. Krutko.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 514