David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Pat Thomas with the NWTTA.

--Applause

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

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

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the budget process has been going on for sometime. It started last fall when the business plans were presented to the committees of this House. It carried on with presentations of the budgets to the committees and then, finally, it culminates in the budget session in the Legislature. As the Member indicates, we were here for three weeks and, yes, it was the expectation of the government that we are here to work on the budget and we would probably conclude the budget. Mr. Speaker, the Member asks specifically about the Department of Education, Culture and Employment budget. It is within $1 million or $2 million of the amount for the Department of Health and Social Services and, perhaps, the Member would like to check how long it took this Assembly to consider that budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Mr. Speaker, now I have so many questions. I will try to fit them into three supplementary. Could the Minister of Finance agree that education was the last scheduled department for consideration, and that the Department of Education has created a tremendous amount of concern amongst the people of the Western Arctic who have been contacting us as MLAs, unlike other departments of this government at this time? Would the Minister of Finance, in view of the scheduling, not agree, and come clean and tell the public that there was an unanticipated break in the budget session, a one week break? Thank you.

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously there was a break in consideration of the budget as we were not sitting last week and we are here today considering the budget. I had not anticipated there would be a break, and there was. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If there was an unanticipated break, Mr. Speaker, in for one week, the budget session, would the Minister not concur that we would return to

this House to conclude consideration of the budget? Thank you.

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have said previously we are here today to conclude consideration of the budget. I hope we are able to conclude consideration of the budget today, tomorrow or however long it takes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker