Mr. Chairman, I just have a couple of comments. This is a new process for me. This is the first sup appropriation that I have seen, and I want to echo the comments of my colleague Mr. McLeod, in that it seems to me that many of these expenditures in this supplementary appropriation should have been foreseen, particularly the utility costs. I don’t think it was a surprise to anybody. A year ago I think we should have been able to know that our utility costs were going to increase, and they should have been budgeted for.
There are a couple of other things in here, as well. From what I see in this appropriation, it’s expenses which are necessary, but I again reiterate that they should have been foreseen. I would hope and I’m glad to hear the Premier say that in going forward, our budgets will hopefully be a little more accurate, that we will have fewer supplementary appropriations and that, if I heard him right, they will be for emergent items as opposed to ongoing O&M. I’m glad to hear that.
My belief is that we should budget the way we would in our personal lives for our own household expenses: you set a budget and you spend the money to the budget limit. And when that’s gone, you don’t spend any more.