Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues. I received a perfect example of such waste a few weeks ago. It was a lovely colour report — of minimal value — many pages long and one sided printing; 30 pages of charts, one chart to a page. Several tables using three or four pages would have provided the same information at a fraction of the cost. I really had to wonder what value that report had for me.

NTPC’s board must be told that only after they have clearly demonstrated that all avenues for cost saving have been explored will they be allowed to consider power rate increases for its...

Maybe it’s me this afternoon, but I’m having a really hard time understanding what the Premier is meaning. Perhaps I could ask him to give me a hypothetical example of a change that would be considered regionalization of our services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Premier. I mentioned in my Member’s statement the other day that the Premier has a couple of times talked about regionalization of government. Yesterday — and I’m working from unedited Hansard from yesterday — he said that we have “initiatives that we have yet to kick off, which is the regionalization of government operations.” I would like to ask the Premier what is meant by that statement.

We’ve heard about this review for some time now. I had understood, though, when it was originally put forward, that it was going to be well underway at this point. It sounds now as though it’s going to be some time before we get anywhere. From the Premier’s last answer, it sounds as though the terms of reference are not out there. Can I ask when we might expect the results of this particular review?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister. I guess I would like to suggest that perhaps his perception of how fair things are is not the same as what’s over here and not the same as my own. If there is a per capita cost to the projects within individual communities, it certainly isn’t even. I would like to suggest that there needs to be a better opportunity for Members to feel that the distribution is even.

I’d like to ask the Minister, as a last question.... I understand that individual years certainly can vary from one year to the next or that amounts can vary per community from...

I thank the Minister for his comments. It’s always wonderful when both sides of the House are on the same page.

I mentioned in my statement that Members on this side of the House have indicated a concern with equal sharing of dollars and so on. There has also been expressed over the last several months a need for Members to have input into the Capital Plan, a need for Members to get a project on the list. I’d like to ask the Minister what he intends to do to enable Members to get a project on the list. We need a new process, because the current one isn’t working.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues. Our capital infrastructure plan should not be set in stone from one year to the next. If necessary, projects should be dropped or added. For the deletion of projects that are in the 2008–09 capital budget but not in the ’09–10 budget, I saw and heard little evidence of valid reasons for the deletion. Members should be given information on deletions as part of the substantiation package accompanying any Capital Estimates document.

I appreciate this opportunity to provide my comments to the Finance Minister. I hope he takes these comments as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, October 24, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on October 24, 2008, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 4, 2009.

And further, that any time prior to February 4, 2009, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and...

The Minister mentioned a number of actions that are currently in place to try and determine an equitable distribution of dollars and projects. Again, I say there is certainly a perception that that is not operating as efficiently as it should, or certainly it’s not to the satisfaction of Members on this side of the House.

I guess I would like to know from the Minister what actions or what things are currently in place. What do they currently do when they are looking at projects? What do they do to try and ensure that it’s a fair distribution?

Thank you. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance, and I would like to thank him again for the opportunity to tell him what he should be doing.

I’d like to ask a question of the Minister relative to the changes to this year’s plan and the opportunity or the possibility of an evaluation. I’d like to know if the Minister can advise the House, and me in particular, of any plans he has to evaluate this new budget process.