Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from my Member's statement people might think that I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, but before I would turn my questions to him, I have some questions for the Minister of Finance. As everyone knows, Mr. Speaker, we concluded three weeks of consideration of the budget a week ago Friday. We had some times during that when there were some unusual circumstances in the House, whereby we had few members here and we did have an unanticipated break in the budget session for a one week period.
Now we are back, after that one week period, here in the House. So, Mr. Speaker, I was very disappointed on the Friday night after we rose for the week break to come back when I heard the Honourable Minister of Finance being interviewed on the radio on Friday night, making comments about the fact that the education budget had not been passed, and in fact, university students now returning home to look for jobs would probably be delayed, in part, thanks to the Ordinary Members for the budget not being passed and this would not be considered until sometime in May. That was on CJCD radio, Mr. Speaker, that was on Friday night and all day Saturday. I have never heard a piece run so many times, and I perceived it as bullying, badgering and browbeating the Ordinary Members for what happened.
We had good cause and good reason to postpone dealing with the education budget last Friday because we had few Members, we wanted to go home to consult our constituents, and we were pressed for time. We had been here for three weeks and we needed time to do research.
Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister of Finance is, did the Minister of Finance anticipate that we were actually going to consider the $167 million in education last Friday in two hours and walk out of here with a concluded budget? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause