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Premier-designate Rachel Notley will lead her bite-sized cabinet — only 12 McMinisters — into the legislature starting June 11.

It’s a risk, subjecting this crew of newbies to the full glare of a mini-session, with daily question period and debate, and Wildrose already loading up for the next victim.

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But Notley is doing the democratic thing by asking the house for spending approval, rather than falling back on the dubious solution of passing special warrants straight out of secret cabinet meetings.

The NDP government has to approve spending somehow (all money authority expires June 30) and the “interim supply” method is by far the most desirable, because it requires debate and full opposition scrutiny.

That spending will be rolled into a full budget in the fall. Notley said she needs the time to craft a full NDP budget.

Again, it’s hard to see what else she can do, because it’s impossible to grind out a $40-billion Alberta budget like a barbecue sausage.