1. Debate is now getting spicy in the legislature tonight over Bill 68 which "clarifies" the rights of cabinet ministers to speak out on referendum issues as MLAs #ableg
2. NDP says the bill could allow ministers to use their budgets for partisan purposes to influence election outcomes.
Justice MInister Kaycee Madu says that isn't the case. The NDP says the bill is silent on that issue so it should be amended. #ableg
Madu says adding a prohibition on using ministerial office budgets for referendums is redundant because using that money for elections is already not allowed. #ableg
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Watching finance estimates. Minister Travis Toews, under questioning by @SPhillipsAB, said the "historic capital spend" announced yesterday included KXL investment. The pipeline was cancelled by U.S. president in January #ableg
Phillips has been grilling Toews over the KXL deal. UCP MLAs have made two points of order in a row. Both have been denied by chair, UCP MLA David Hanson.
MLA Bilous confirms that these points of order are eating up Phillips' questioning time. The clocks keep running #ableg
Phillips wants to know where the KXL exposure of $1.3 billion is in the actual budget documents.
Toews says there will be "additional clarity" in the year end fiscal report. (which usually comes out in the summer).
He says he is being "fully transparent" with deal. #ableg