It is rare that Premier Campbell answers questions in the legislature. Even when he is present, direct questions put to him during question period usually result in a minister rising to his defense as he remains in his seat. The one time when he must endure not just one question, but hours of scrutiny, is when the budget for his office is called for debate. With only five days remaining in the spring session of the legislation, the budget for the Office of the Premier has still not been called. It looks like the government house leader is saving it to the last minute when all government business automatically passes under time allocation before the legislature recesses until October.

Perhaps the government thinks that debate on the eve of the May long weekend, days before the federal election is called, will receive less attention. A monthly meeting promised by Campbell has also been postponed. The last staged cabinet meeting was held on April 2nd. The meetings have turned into "information sessions" with gruel so thin that hardly a paragraph of news coverage follows the event. Nevertheless, the most likely date for the May televised meeting will be Friday, May 21st, after the legislature adjourns and before the long weekend. The government's website says that the next open cabinet meeting has not been scheduled. They are never announced until the day before the meeting. Wouldn't you think that an "open and transparent" government could schedule its public meetings more than 24 hours in advance?