Mr. Chairman, each department was asked to identify their controllable and non-controllable expenditures. They each did that. Then they were asked to identify 10 percent of their controllable budget. I don't think that we could be any fairer than that in asking everybody to use the same percentage amount. We pay the managers in each of these departments a lot of good money to be able to manage their departments. So they have to, all across government, tell us where they feel that they could make the cost reduction and still be able to manage their department effectively. So it is difficult for any of us here, since we don't manage those departments, to tell them exactly how they should do their job. I don't know exactly what the budget is. I'm assuming that they wouldn't have given this amount of money if they didn't feel it was manageable, and that's what they're paid to do. Thank you.
Joe Handley on Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
In the Legislative Assembly on June 12th, 2003. See this statement in context.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 12th, 2003
Page 1032
See context to find out what was said next.