Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 12/99) - It was Finance Minister Charles Dent's turn in the legislative hot seat Monday, facing questions, and criticism over his handling of the budget debate on education.

MLAs Jake Ootes and Jane Groenewegen said they took exception to Dent's recent comments to CJCD radio that he was disappointed the budget debate had not been wrapped up when the assembly adjourned on Friday, April 30.

They said Dent unjustly laid the blame for the unresolved budget, and failure to approve financing for the Working Together student employment program, on the assembly's regular members.

"I perceived it as bullying, badgering and browbeating the ordinary members for what happened," Groenewegen said.

"Did the finance minister anticipate we were actually going to consider the $167 million in education last Friday in two hours and walk out of here with a concluded budget?"

"I can't answer on behalf of the assembly," Dent replied, "but I can say it was the government's expectation we would come back (today) after concluding the budget."

Dent said the $1 million Working Together program affects hundreds of students returning North for the summer, but can't be funded until the budget is approved.

Ootes, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, criticized the government for not having included the funding in the interim budget that is currently being used to run the territory.

"It seems to me this sort of program should have been planned out well ahead of time," he said.

"When did he think we were going to pass the budget?...We may be sitting here until June before we pass this budget -- does that mean we do not have a program. We can't be dictated by that fact."

Ootes was eventually ruled out of order by Speaker Sam Gargan, who said the MLA's comments had become too personal -- not the only time this occurred during the course of the day.

Speaking during the break, Groenewegen said education had been a major topic at her Hay River constituency meeting Thursday night. She said that like her constituents, she questions the government's argument that it is too late too add money to the education budget.

"They say it can't be added to but that's inconsistent with what they do in practice," she said. "How can they come out and announce these multi-million dollar initiatives that aren't in the budget?...Where do they find these resources when they need them or when they want them, or when they want to find them?"

Nevertheless, Groenewegen said that with the budget being so necessary there was no chance it would be rejected outright and would likely be settled this week.

But at the end of the session, both Ootes and Groenewegen tabled letters calling for more consideration of the education issue, and more funding.