Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance also with regard to the budget address. It was very interesting listening to all the feedback that came in following the budget address yesterday in the media and to hear the Finance Minister being interviewed last night on Northbeat and on CBC this morning, and to hear the people's responses on the budget address. Overall, on balance, it seemed like it wasn't that unfavourable.

But nestled in the budget address, kind of in an inconspicuous place under fiscal strategy, it states in the longer term we will need to...

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. We are on general comments on the departmental estimates for the Department of Finance. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the public record, is it a program and service that’s being delivered by our government on behalf of some of our constituents that is problematic enough that the territorial government would ever consider handing it back to the federal government? Has that been considered or discussed recently? I’m referring to I’m sure what are some of the Premier’s comments which were made out of absolute frustration with the negotiations recently and I just want to know for the record what the status of any considerations might be to just hand the whole thing back to...

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. We spent a lot of time in this Chamber talking about the devolution of powers and authorities to the territorial government and I remember that it wasn’t so many years ago that the Department of Health was devolved from the federal government to the territorial government. Over the years, many other departments and many other responsibilities have come from the federal government to the territorial government.

Mr. Speaker, recently, I had occasion to find out that the deficit from the...

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. I just noticed that I didn't reset the clock at the beginning of Mr. Menicoche's general comments, so you're getting a bonus today. Mr. Roland.

Thank you. At this time, I will ask the committee if they have any general comments on the Department of Finance estimates. Mr. Braden.