How much time is being requested? When we say the jobs are temporary and obviously targeted to be kept within a budget year for the government, the March 31 deadline coincides with the end of the 2010 budget. Obviously that's very important for the government to ensure that we meet our obligations. When I look at projects that have been able to be finished, I find it difficult to say to other communities who have been able to meet the deadline, well, we always intended for there to be flexibility. They might have applied for something else. My town might have applied for money for a project that really does need to be done, but they knew it wasn't doable within that two-year time period, so they said they'd have to forgo that one in favour of a manageable, operational, “we can get this done” project.
On June 15th, 2010. See this statement in context.