Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to leave my prepared statement and respond to the Minister of Finance's statement on contracting of former senior managers. First of all, Mr. Speaker, I was one of the people who raised this issue many times in this Assembly and I make no apology for it.

Let us review some of Mr. Todd's statements. He infers that, for example, as deputy minister of Health, an individual would not be privy to information, direction or policy for education or public works. That is bizarre. All senior deputy ministers or assistant deputy ministers meet at senior deputy ministers' meetings and are privy to the direction, policy and focus of this government. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, there is a policy in place and the government did not follow it. Later today, I will ask the Minister about his statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause