Herb Mathisen
Northern News Services
Published Friday, June 13, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Prior to a budget's release, the government gives information to regular MLAs under the condition they don't talk about it.

Paul Delorey, MLA for Hay River North, said when the draft budget is given to MLAs from cabinet, it is done in confidence. Discussing the document before its release is considered a "leak of confidential information," Delorey said.

Although no legislation states MLAs cannot talk about a draft budget, it is a house rule, and with good reason, he said.

"Cabinet could be very wary of releasing future information, if (MLAs are) going to go to the public with it," said Delorey.

Former MLA Charles Dent served on both sides of the house for 16 years. He said there is no requirement for cabinet to release information to regular MLAs before a budget is made public, although it has conventionally been made available. This, he said, is a unique characteristic of consensus-style government.

"Nowhere else do regular members have (access to) that information," said Dent.

In the rest of Canada, opposition members of assemblies have no idea about budget initiatives until the document is tabled in the house, said Dent.

Dent said our system gives territorial MLAs the ability to suggest changes to the budget in committee prior to the budget's release, which is something that no other jurisdiction, other than Nunavut, has the opportunity to do.

"It's got its warts. There's times where it's ugly," said Dent, "but in terms of what I've seen in Canada, I think Nunavut and the NWT have the best system."

In the weeks leading up to the release of the territorial budget, regular MLAs voiced their displeasure with the consultation process - or lack of one - with cabinet in the drafting of the budget.

Ministers firmly backed spending reductions in order to "refocus government."

However, no one was willing to reveal specifics. Three current MLAs told Yellowknifer they could not speak about positions slated for the chopping block, citing "house rules."

One MLA said if he spoke about the draft of the budget, there could be reprisals from ministers during the legislative assembly session for "leaking" the document.

Once a budget is tabled, then anything contained within those main estimates becomes a public document and MLAs are able to speak to them.

Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, scheduled his constituency meeting after the budget was tabled, in order, he felt, to be able to suitably answer his constituents' questions.

In his experience as a regular MLA, Dent said he did experience frustration when he was given information that negatively affected his constituency but had to keep quiet.

However, he said he appreciated the chance to recommend changes before the budget was released.

"Our system is far more inclusive than any other jurisdiction in Canada," said Dent.

But the government does not have to listen to the recommendations made by MLAs, said Dent - something regular MLAs this session have been vocal about.