Wendy Bisaro

That’s an interesting challenge. I guess I would like to know from the Premier what time of day he’s coming up and down the halls, because I tend to be there most mornings. I have another question for the Premier. I’d like to know, relative to all this information, or all these accomplishments, all the work that’s going on that the Premier has referenced, how is that our public and our residents can become aware and be informed about the work of our Strategic Initiatives committees? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Premier in relation to a number of the Strategic Initiatives committees. I spoke in my Member’s statement about my concern for the lack of accomplishments of a number of these committees and the lack of reporting from those committees back to Regular Members. So my first question to the Premier is to try to get some information about one of the Strategic Initiatives committees which is near and dear to the Regular Members’ hearts and where we haven’t seen any accomplishments that I’m aware of. So I’d like to ask the Premier if he could...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will use my statement today to air some frustrations; frustrations with our Executive Council and the behemoth of a bureaucracy that is our government. I find myself believing that even though we’re just over half way through our four-year term, I sense that our Executive Council, our leaders, those presumably taking charge and showing the way, that they’re placing less and less emphasis on working. I already see the downward slide or slowdown that I’m told sets in and immobilizes government in the last year of any Assembly’s life. This is certainly not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hesitate to… Well, I won’t. The information from the Premier is pretty vague. It’s nice that that information is there. It’s nice that the information is in the budget, but our public does not have access to the business plans as we do. What is in the budget really doesn’t reference the activities of the Strategic Initiatives committees, so there really isn’t any way for our public to become aware. The Premier also didn’t indicate where on the government’s huge number of websites this information is located. So I would ask the Premier if he could be a little more...

I guess if there’s that much work that is ongoing and there’s a sheet that’s available, I’m curious why the Premier can’t provide that information to Regular Members on an ongoing basis. I guess I also want to say that if the information that we’re getting is the same information that’s already in the budget and in the business plans, I’m aware of that. I want to know specific actions, specific plans, specific programs that are being undertaken relative to these committees. So I’ll ask the Premier again: are there any specific accomplishments that the Cost of Living Strategic Initiatives...

I hope these impressions of mine are overstated, but even if they are, the Executive Council must take note and do some soul searching. At this point in our term we all need to stop and check our pulse, make sure the heart is still active and beating strongly. Both sides of this House should be working full tilt for the next 20 months. There’s lots we can do if we keep our nose to the wheel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a number of comments and they are general. I am generally pleased with the budget as it has been presented.

I think, as I stated earlier in my Member’s statement today, I approve of the fiscal strategy that we’re following. I think that we did need to maintain our spending in the fiscal year that we’re currently in and I think that we need to maintain that spending over the next fiscal year to try and counteract the effects of the downturn in our economy nationally. I believe that we need to maintain the spending levels over this next fiscal year in order to do...

I thank the Minister for his response. He’s mentioned that there are a number of projects underway and I guess as an aside I have to say that I find it difficult to believe. I know there’s a lot of work that’s required when you investigate a particular program area and I appreciate that the background work is being done, but it’s hard for me to believe that there’s only been one project in the last 12 to 13 months which has come to fruition. But I’d like to know, the Minister has mentioned that there are a number of things in the works and he’s suggested that they’re going to have an impact on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask a few more questions of the Minister responsible for the Executive in relation to the program review office. The Minister mentioned in one of his responses that Regular Members did not take advantage of the opportunity to sit on the Refocusing Government committee and I have to say that I’m dismayed to hear that any sharing of information is contingent upon the fact that Members are not part of that committee, but that shouldn’t be the case, Mr. Speaker. Whether or not there are Regular Members on that committee should not inhibit any sharing of...

The Minister has mentioned the Refocusing Government committee. He also mentioned that the results of the inventory that this office is doing is going to Members. Again, I have to state that very little of that information is getting to Members. I appreciate that a review is coming, that a briefing is coming. I only learned about that this morning. So I’m having a little difficulty that in a year or more we’ve only had one firm report on what this office has been doing. I’d like to know from the Minister why the information is not available to Members on a regular basis and whether or not… Oh...