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ANALYSIS

Only two months ago, the long-governing Progressive Conservatives were so confident in their ability to secure a 13th consecutive majority government that they presented a budget and then dropped the writ — sending Albertans to the polls before ensuring that their disastrously unpopular fiscal plan was passed by the legislature.

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That means the entire government is now operating on interim supply spending — a temporary measure to keep the cheques rolling in. And the clock is ticking as almost 70 rookie MLAs began orientation in Edmonton on Tuesday. The last of the mounds of shredded documents were carted away and school boards have began complaining about the total confusion surrounding their own budgets, Alberta’s freshmen NDP caucus toured the legislature and received a crash course in the basics of parliamentary procedure.

The budget — which technically began on April 1 — is still in legal limbo. Premier-designate Rachel Notley has suggested that a host of fee increases proposed by former premier Jim Prentice are likely off the books. Albertans won’t have to shell out extra cash for the proposed health care levy, for example. A number of other user fees are also to be rolled back.

But that means the newly elected NDP majority is going to have to pass a significantly revised budget before interim supply spending orders expire on June 30.

A spokesperson for the Finance department said the new government has three options after that in order to keep the lights on; issue special warrants, which can be done with the authority of the government’s still unannounced cabinet; issue new interim spending orders, or present a new budget — both options would require the legislature to sit — tricky considering no one has yet been sworn in.

Former premier Jim Prentice, who quit his seat in Calgary-Foothills right after resigning his position as leader of the PC party on election night, had been spotted regularly only on the golf course — although he made an appearance at Government House on Tuesday morning for meetings.

Meanwhile, several new MLAs are becoming increasingly alarmed by the sheer number of clear plastic bags filled with shredded documents lining the legislature hallways since the outgoing Tories lost.

“After 44 years, you know what these guys are like,” said the Alberta Party’s sole MLA Greg Clark. He said he’s filing freedom of information requests in a bid to halt the swan song of shredders. “I’m worried we’re losing data that — if it’s not scandalous, at least has historical value that we ought to be keeping.”