Prince Edward Island.

• Author: Johnston, Marian
• Position: Legislative Reports - The Fourth Session of the Sixty-third General Assembly of Prince Edward Island, Canada

The Fourth Session of the Sixty-third General Assembly resumed on April 5, 2011. It had opened on November 12, 2010, and adjourned to the call of the Speaker on December 9, 2010.

Wes Sheridan, Minister of Finance and Municipal Affairs, introduced his budget on April 6, 2011, which contained expenditures of just over $1.53 billion. Total operating revenue for 2011-2012 is projected at nearly $1.49 billion, with provincial own source revenues forecast at $853 million. Health continued to account for the largest share of provincial expenditure at nearly $533 million; followed by Education and Early Childhood Development at $227 million. Revenue measures announced in the budget address included an increase to taxes on tobacco products, and an increase in liquor prices.

On March 28, 2011, Michael Currie resigned as a member of the Legislative Assembly to run as the Conservative candidate for Cardigan in the 2011 Canadian federal election. Mr. Currie had been first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1996. He served as Minister of Transportation and Public Works from 1996-2000, and Minister of Development and Technology from 2000-2007. Following the 2007 provincial general election, Mr. Currie became the Opposition Critic for Telecommunications, Economic Development and Technology; Transportation and Public Works; Energy; and Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour.

Book of Condolences for the People of Japan

Speaker Kathleen Casey arranged for a book of condolences to be opened at Province House for people to leave messages of support for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. "Prince Edward Island and Japan have a special relationship," said Speaker Casey, "and Islanders naturally want to express their feelings of sympathy and friendship to those affected by the disaster." The book of condolences remained at Province House until the end of April when it was forwarded to the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa.

Renovations in the Legislative Chamber

The Legislative Chamber in historic Province House was refurbished this spring, with a fresh coat of paint, keeping a traditional green colour for the walls and introducing a lighter colour for the doors, baseboards and mouldings. The wood rails which delineate the floor of the Chamber and surround the public gallery were restored using traditional faux graining techniques, as were the black marble bases of the columns. One of the most striking changes was an addition to the canopy over the...