Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, I will move that Bill 2, Interim Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2012-2013, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ve always heard tell that when you’re banging your head against a brick wall the one good thing about it is that it feels so good when you stop.

I appreciate the Member’s concern. We have, as the Member knows, very few new dollars in the budget for alternative energy. We had $60 million. Our fiscal circumstances are such that after the end of this coming month of March that money will be concluded, sunsetted, and we’re now in a position of trying to find some money to continue the many initiatives we have underway in terms of conservation of energy efficiencies...

No, Madam Chair. I just appreciate the Member’s comments.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On a comparative basis if you look across the country, let’s pick one of my favourite provinces just given her size and the magnitude and complexity of the problems they’re dealing with, they’re spending over 45 cents on every dollar on health alone. In this jurisdiction we’re spending about 34 cents of every dollar on health and social services. If you tack on health or tack on all the other social programs, we are spending over 65 cents on every dollar. The growth in social programs is a concern because it limits our ability, but on a comparative basis I would say we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, be read for the third time.

No, no comment there. Thank you.

Madam Chair, we will commit to take a look at making sure we are updated in terms of the work we have done and if there is some full-cost accounting factors that we haven’t quantified. But it comes down to, at this particular juncture, just significant ongoing cost to bring them into the system that is prohibiting us from moving forward because of our fiscal circumstance. Thank you.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is a very small number, as the Minister indicated, of patients making use of this service, and I’m not in a position to have any idea of the circumstance of the patients. Given the small number, we want to be very careful about any kind of discussion of that nature, but I will ask the Minister if he has any idea in terms of this blood service cost, whether we can project further down the road in the coming years so it’s not a supp but is built into the budget. It would tie into the condition of the patients, for the longevity of the patients and those types of...

In our dealings with Mr. Patterson we have come to the clear recognition, as the Member has commented about this, we need to respond as a government. We have polled the departments around the table. We have been acting on that collective advice and recommendations based on all of the aspects, not just ENR’s or not just ITI’s or not just Finance’s.

What I will commit to the Member is I will ask and we will do one more, another review and I will bring the parties around the table, keeping in mind the passionate plea from the Member to be as proactive and supportive as possible. I will commit and...