P.E.I. legislature closes after just 6 days

The fall session of the P.E.I. legislature closed on Wednesday, after MLAs convened for just six working days.

It's the shortest session recorded, but Premier Robert Ghiz said the government accomplished what ithad to do the passing of the new capital budget.

The last time Ghiz called MLAs back to Province House after an election was for 12 days in 2007. That wasthe shortest session on record since P.E.I. moved to distinct fall and spring sessions in 1997.

Ghiz deflected any criticism on Wednesday about the brief house sitting.

"Most provinces, after an election, it's about arenewal period," Ghiz told reporters. "We really came in for the things that had to be accomplishedthat was electing the Speakerand passing the capital budget."

Liberal MLA and former health minister Carolyn Bertram was unopposed in the vote for Speaker.

Finance Minister Wes Sheridan brought down a new capital budget withexpenditures next year that are expected to be just over $100 million.

That will be about $37 million less than the current year. Sheridangave some hints of troubling times ahead.

"The biggest concern to me right now is benefits and what the stock market has done to that," said Sheridan. "It's going to be a tough time for all jurisdictions as we watch what takes place across the globe."

The opposition Conservatives said they would have liked to stay in the house longer, butthey saidagenda was driven by the Liberals.

"The bottom line is the government has to bring in work. The only piece of work they brought in, besides the capital budget, was a piece of legislation that was already passed in the spring, and it was an amendment to that," said opposition leader Olive Crane.

Four new opposition MLAs got a first taste of the legislature and the dueling nature of question period.

MLA James Aylward said he would have liked more time.

"I would have liked to have had more time to ask many more questions, but I'm happy with what I managed to get out in the short amount of time the government allowed us to be in the house," Aylward said.

Ghiz said the spring session would be more substantial.