Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ve got a few comments here. I’d like to first revert to the discussion that happened the other day with regard to Human Resources and the two unfunded positions which are now included in this interim appropriation. I have no qualm that the particular positions that are being added here are needed. I don’t have any concerns that the individuals that are going to be performing these duties are going to be competent, but I am a little concerned about the process.
I think I’ve understood, in looking at Hansard and listening to the discussions, that these positions were unfunded and that we’re now bringing them into the base so that we can account for them and that they will be recognized as positions that we actually have within the department. But this issue has been going on since 2008, so I am advised. That’s almost four years ago. I just heard the
Minister of Finance state that this budget is to carry on programs and business as it now exists, and I’m hearing a contradiction between what the Minister is telling us on the one hand and what the Minister is telling us on the other, that we now need to add these positions in because we’ve had them before, well now we have to put them into the base. So if we’re going to carry on as we’ve done before and not include sort of things that we haven’t done before, I have to wonder why it is that we are adding these two positions at this point.
The other concern that I have is why can we not wait to show those two positions in the main budget which we’re going to be seeing in May/June. Why is it so urgent that we have such a huge increase in this particular section of the HR budget for this three-month period? So I have some concerns in that regard.
With regard to the ENR section there’s a huge expenditure of ENR in this particular budget and I know most of it is related to contracts which have to be paid 100 percent at the beginning of the year. I think most of it, and the Minister can correct me, but I think most of it is for forest management and forest fire suppression and so on. But I have again difficulty understanding why we are funding so many contracts 100 percent. If it’s an aircraft contract, which I know we do have, why do they have to be paid 100 percent up front? Why are we not paying as we go, so to speak?
I’ll just start with those two departments, Madam Chair, and I think I have another couple questions. Thank you.