Kevin Yarr

New security measures will be in place next fall when the P.E.I. government unveils its next capital budget.

This comes after the Speaker Buck Watts chastised government for leaks this past fall, which provided budget details to the P.E.I. Liberal Party.

P.E.I. Speaker scolds Legislative Assembly over budget leaks

Speaker Buck Watts chastised the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Wednesday regarding leaked confidential budget information which ended up in tweets from the governing Liberal party and in a newspaper ad for the party's candidate in the District 11 byelection.

Speaker Buck Watts is challenging the Opposition's claims that he partook in partisan political activity.

Buck Watts 

Speaker Buck Watts says a number of matters must be reviewed by government 'to ensure that dignity and respect for this place during the budget process is maintained.' 

Premier Wade MacLauchlan said the next capital budget will be under the same security measures as the operating budget, which is released in the spring.

"There are various steps that are built in there to ensure that any of the documents are released in a timely fashion," said MacLauchlan.

P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan on Compass

"There are lockups for those who need to have briefings or have access to the documents in advance of the presentation of the budget."

One of the concerns expressed by the speaker was that copies of the last capital budget provided to government MLAs did not include a letter advising the budget was a confidential document.

Copies provided to opposition MLAs did include that notice.

MacLauchlan&nbsp;said the lockup protocols will apply to anyone provided access to the budget before it is tabled, including MLAs.

Before P.E.I. Finance Minister Allen Roach delivered the capital budget in November, there will people outside the legislature who knew what was in it.

MacLauchlan clamps down on P.E.I. budget leaks

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