Does committee agree that we’ve concluded the Department of Finance?
Agreed.
Page 6, supplementary estimates, Municipal and Community Affairs, operations expenditures, regional operations, not previously authorized, $614,000.
Agreed.
Total department, $614,000.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Municipal and Community Affairs?
Agreed.
Page 7, supplementary estimates, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, program delivery support, not previously authorized, $150,000.
Agreed.
Page 7, supplementary estimates, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health services programs, not previously authorized, $4.37 million.
Agreed.
Total department, $4.52 million.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Health and Social Services?
Agreed.
Page 8, supplementary estimates, Justice, operations expenditures, law enforcement, not previously authorized, $687,000.
Agreed.
Page 8, supplementary estimates, Justice, operations expenditures, legal aid services, not previously authorized, $19,000.
Agreed.
Page 8, supplementary estimates, Justice, operations expenditures, court services, not previously authorized, $153,000.
Agreed.
Page 8, supplementary estimates, Justice, operations expenditures, community justice and corrections, not previously authorized, $46,000.
Agreed.
Total department, $905,000.
Agreed.
Is committee agreed that we have concluded the Department of Justice?
Agreed.
Page 9, supplementary estimates, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, income security, not previously authorized, $1.766 million. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have to express some consternation here. We’ve got $1.766 million additional money required for income assistance and the explanation is because it’s increased utilization of income assistance programs. I do have to say that I’m a little surprised that this wasn’t in the 2010-2011 budget, that the department had to come back for a supp for this amount of money. I know that it’s being explained because of the economic downturn, but a year ago at this time when we were going through the 2010-2011 budget I think we were in the throes of the economic downturn and I don’t believe that, well I do believe that the department ought to have known that they were going to incur increased demand for income assistance. I just have to express my disappointment that the estimates weren’t better done a year ago at this time. I think that the department really ought to have known better. That’s about all I have to say. Really no question there. Just a comment.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. No question but a comment. I’ll go to the Minister for a response or comment.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will carry on under the heavy burden of the Member’s disappointment and we’ll make sure that the Minister of Education is listening carefully to the concern so that next year we can, hopefully, be labouring forward with her approval with a lighter step and a happier heart. Thank you.
How can I respond to that, Mr. Chair, except to say that I think the Minister’s blowing me off and I don’t like it much. Thank you.
Once again, no question. We’ll go back to page 9, supplementary estimates, Education, Culture and Employment, income security, not previously authorized, $1.766 million.
Agreed.
Total department, $1.766 million.
Agreed.
Is committee agreed that we’ve concluded our consideration of Education, Culture and Employment?
Agreed.
Let’s move along to page 10, supplementary estimates, Industry, Tourism and Investment, energy, not previously authorized, negative $800,000.
Agreed.
Economic diversification and business support, $71,000.
Agreed.
Total department, negative $729,000.
Agreed.
Is committee agreed that we’ve concluded our consideration of Industry, Tourism and Investment?
Agreed.
Let’s move along to our next department on page 11, supplementary estimates for Environment and Natural Resources, environment, not previously authorized, negative $650,000. Mr. Bromley.
I just want to find out from the Minister what’s happening with the wind project to cause this delay in expenditure. I assume that this expenditure will be brought forward. Maybe we can get a quick update on what’s happening here. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Kalgutkar.
