STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES
COMITÉ PERMANENT DES BUDGETS DES DÉPENSES
Tuesday 27 May 2003 Mardi 27 mai 2003
Tuesday 27 May 2003 Mardi 27 mai 2003
The committee met at 1548 in room 228.
COMMITTEE BUSINESS
The Chair (Mr Gerard Kennedy): Welcome, members, to the first session of the estimates committee for this session. As you know, we're here at the first meeting --
Interjection.
The Chair: I beg your pardon?
Mr Ted Chudleigh (Halton): I was just welcoming the Chair.
The Chair: Thank you, Mr Chudleigh.
We're also mindful that this meeting has a very specific purpose: basically the selection of ministries. Just for the benefit of all members, I understand you've got a copy of the standing order that lays out what needs to be done. Each of the three parties will select one or two ministries, in two rounds, beginning with the official opposition, followed by the third party and then the government.
In the first round, the official opposition can select one or two ministries, for a total of 15 hours. If they select one, then that ministry is reviewed for 15 hours. If they select two, then it's a combined maximum of 15 hours, with the division as indicated by the official opposition. It works the same way for each of the two rounds for each of the parties. The ministries that have not been selected are deemed to have been reported back to the House.
I think everybody is aware that this committee has the unique function of looking into the details of the spending plans of the government. I'm sure they will take that charge seriously as they go about making their choices here today, as these are the only ministries we get to look at in that detail.
The ministries are all deemed to be concurred in the House by the third week of November this year, at which time we make a report on what we've selected and what we've considered.
Without further ado, I would like to turn to the representatives of each of the parties and ask them which ministries they would like to select in the first round. I'll begin with the official opposition.
Mr Steve Peters (Elgin-Middlesex-London): Finance, five hours; Education, 10.
The Chair: And for the third party, Mr Prue.
Mr Michael Prue (Beaches-East York): Energy, for 15 hours.
The Chair: And for the government?
Mr Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka): Training, Colleges and Universities.
The Chair: For what number of hours?
Mr Miller: Three hours.
The Chair: You have a second selection for 12.
Mr John O'Toole (Durham): The second selection is Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation.
The Chair: For 12?
Mr O'Toole: Three hours for the Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation.
The Chair: I just want to be clear. You can make two selections. The total amount is 15 hours. You can divide them any way you want between the two ministries, but they have to add up to 15.
Mr Chudleigh: Half and half.
Mr O'Toole: OK, we'll have half and half.
The Chair: So 7.5 and 7.5?
Mr Chudleigh: Sure.
The Chair: So the government is indicating 7.5 hours for Colleges and Universities and 7.5 hours for EOI.
Mr Chudleigh: Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation.
The Chair: Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation, with apologies to the minister.
Interjection.
The Chair: I'm advised by the clerk that the wording is such that it says "not more than 15 hours." If you only wanted to use six of your 15 hours, you would be able to do that. I don't want to give you a misdirection in that respect.
Interjection.
The Chair: But on revision, you'd like it to be 7.5 and 7.5.
We now have the second round of selections, and it starts again with the official opposition.
Mr Peters: Agriculture and Health; 7.5 for each, please.
The Chair: OK, Agriculture and the Ministry of Health -- in that order?
Mr Peters: Correct.
The Chair: Each for 7.5 hours. OK.
Mr Prue for the third party.
Mr Prue: Municipal Affairs for 7.5 hours; and Community, Family and Children's Services for 7.5 hours.
The Chair: Now to the government party.
Mr Frank Mazzilli (London-Fanshawe): For the second round, I'd certainly like to call before us Consumer and Business Services for 7.5 hours.
The Chair: And the second selection by the government party?
Mr Chudleigh: Citizenship, 7.5 hours. I'm looking forward to having a go at them, I can tell you.
The Chair: I want to thank all members for their submissions today.
Mr Peters: Before the meeting is adjourned, could we check and see that all questions from the previous estimates have been answered? It seems to me there may be some outstanding issues from the Premier's Office. I could be wrong.
Mr Mazzilli: That report has been tabled.
The Chair: We will ask the researcher to reconcile if answers have been received. As you may know, it's a matter of --
Mr Peters: I'd just like to ensure that everything has been answered.
The Chair: We would normally give the ministries time to prepare, so our first meeting would be next Tuesday.
Mr O'Toole: Unless, of course, there's an election.
The Chair: The government members may wish to share some information or insight about that, but we will not sit if the House is not.
Thanks very much.
The committee adjourned at 1554.
CONTENTS
Tuesday 27 May 2003
Committee business E-3
STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES
Chair / Président
Mr Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park L)
Vice-Chair / Vice-Président
Mr Alvin Curling (Scarborough-Rouge River L)
Mr Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay / Timmins-Baie James ND)
Mr Ted Chudleigh (Halton PC)
Mr Alvin Curling (Scarborough-Rouge River L)
Mr Gerard Kennedy (Parkdale-High Park L)
Mr Frank Mazzilli (London-Fanshawe PC)
Mr Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka PC)
Mr John O'Toole (Durham PC)
Mr Steve Peters (Elgin-Middlesex-London L)
Substitutions / Membres remplaçants
Mr Michael Prue (Beaches-East York ND)
Clerk / Greffier
Mr Trevor Day
Staff / Personnel
Ms Anne Marzalik, research officer
Research and Information Services