Province of Alberta The 28th Legislature First Session Alberta Hansard Thursday, November 7, 2013 Issue 67a The Honourable Gene Zwozdesky, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 28th Legislature First Session Zwozdesky, Hon. Gene, Edmonton-Mill Creek (PC), Speaker Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont (PC), Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Jablonski, Mary Anne, Red Deer-North (PC), Deputy Chair of Committees Allen, Mike, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (Ind) Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Anderson, Rob, Airdrie (W), Official Opposition House Leader Anglin, Joe, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre (W), Official Opposition Whip Barnes, Drew, Cypress-Medicine Hat (

W) Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Bhullar, Hon. Manmeet Singh, Calgary-Greenway (PC) Bikman, Gary, Cardston-Taber-Warner (

W) Bilous, Deron, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (ND) Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (AL), Liberal Opposition House Leader Brown, Dr. Neil, QC, Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill (PC) Calahasen, Pearl, Lesser Slave Lake (PC) Campbell, Hon. Robin, West Yellowhead (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Cao, Wayne C.N., Calgary-Fort (PC) Casey, Ron, Banff-Cochrane (PC) Cusanelli, Christine, Calgary-Currie (PC) Dallas, Hon. Cal, Red Deer-South (PC) DeLong, Alana, Calgary-Bow (PC) Denis, Hon. Jonathan, QC, Calgary-Acadia (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Donovan, Ian, Little Bow (

W) Dorward, David C., Edmonton-Gold Bar (PC), Deputy Government Whip Drysdale, Hon. Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC) Eggen, David, Edmonton-Calder (ND), New Democrat Opposition Whip Fawcett, Hon. Kyle, Calgary-Klein (PC) Fenske, Jacquie, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (PC) Forsyth, Heather, Calgary-Fish Creek (

W) Fox, Rodney M., Lacombe-Ponoka (

W) Fraser, Hon. Rick, Calgary-South East (PC) Fritz, Yvonne, Calgary-Cross (PC) Goudreau, Hector G., Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley (PC) Griffiths, Hon. Doug, Battle River-Wainwright (PC) Hale, Jason W., Strathmore-Brooks (

W) Hancock, Hon. Dave, QC, Edmonton-Whitemud (PC), Government House Leader Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (AL) Horne, Hon. Fred, Edmonton-Rutherford (PC) Horner, Hon. Doug, Spruce Grove-St. Albert (PC) Hughes, Hon. Ken, Calgary-West (PC) Jansen, Hon. Sandra, Calgary-North West (PC) Jeneroux, Matt, Edmonton-South West (PC) Johnson, Hon. Jeff, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater (PC) Johnson, Linda, Calgary-Glenmore (PC) Kang, Darshan S., Calgary-McCall (AL), Liberal Opposition Whip Kennedy-Glans, Donna, Calgary-Varsity (PC) Khan, Stephen, St. Albert (PC) Klimchuk, Hon.

Heather, Edmonton-Glenora (PC) Kubinec, Maureen, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock (PC) Lemke, Ken, Stony Plain (PC) Leskiw, Genia, Bonnyville-Cold Lake (PC) Luan, Jason, Calgary-Hawkwood (PC) Lukaszuk, Hon. Thomas A., Edmonton-Castle Downs (PC) Mason, Brian, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (ND), Leader of the New Democrat Opposition McAllister, Bruce, Chestermere-Rocky View (

W) McDonald, Everett, Grande Prairie-Smoky (PC) McIver, Hon. Ric, Calgary-Hays (PC), Deputy Government House Leader McQueen, Hon. Diana, Drayton Valley-Devon (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND), New Democrat Opposition House Leader Oberle, Hon. Frank, Peace River (PC) Olesen, Cathy, Sherwood Park (PC) Olson, Hon. Verlyn, QC, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (PC) Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (PC) Pedersen, Blake, Medicine Hat (

W) Quadri, Sohail, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Quest, Dave, Strathcona-Sherwood Park (PC) Redford, Hon. Alison M., QC, Calgary-Elbow (PC), Premier Rodney, Hon. Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Rowe, Bruce, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (

W) Sandhu, Peter, Edmonton-Manning (Ind) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC) Saskiw, Shayne, Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills (W), Official Opposition Deputy House Leader Scott, Hon. Donald, QC, Fort McMurray-Conklin (PC) Sherman, Dr. Raj, Edmonton-Meadowlark (AL), Leader of the Liberal Opposition Smith, Danielle, Highwood (W), Leader of the Official Opposition Starke, Hon. Dr. Richard, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC) Stier, Pat, Livingstone-Macleod (

W) Strankman, Rick, Drumheller-Stettler (

W) Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (AL) Towle, Kerry, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (W), Official Opposition Deputy Whip VanderBurg, Hon. George, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne (PC) Weadick, Hon. Greg, Lethbridge-West (PC) Webber, Len, Calgary-Foothills (PC) Wilson, Jeff, Calgary-Shaw (

W) Woo-Paw, Hon. Teresa, Calgary-Northern Hills (PC) Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC) Young, Steve, Edmonton-Riverview (PC), Government Whip Party standings: Progressive Conservative: 59 Wildrose: 17 Alberta Liberal: 5 New Democrat: 4 Independent: 2 Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly W.J. David McNeil, Clerk Robert H.

Reynolds, QC, Law Clerk/ Director of Interparliamentary Relations Shannon Dean, Senior Parliamentary Counsel/Director of House Services Stephanie LeBlanc, Parliamentary Counsel and Legal Research Officer Fiona Vance, Sessional Parliamentary Counsel Nancy Robert, Research Officer Philip Massolin, Manager of Research Services Brian G. Hodgson, Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Caughell, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Gordon H. Munk, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Janet Schwegel, Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard

Executive Council Alison Redford Premier, Pres ident of Executive Council Thomas Lukaszuk Deputy Premier, Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education, Ministerial Liaison to the Canadian Forces Manmeet Singh Bhullar Minist er of Service Alberta Robin Campbell Minister of Aboriginal Relations Cal Dallas Minister of Internationa l and Intergovernmental Relations Jonathan Denis Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Wayne Drysdale Minister of Infrastructure Kyle Fawcett Associate Minister of Regional Recovery and Reconstruction for Southwest Alberta Rick Fraser Associate Minister of Regional Recovery and Reconstruction for High River Doug Griffiths Minister of Municipal Affairs Dave Hancock Minister of Human Services Fred Horne Minister of Health Doug Horner President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Ken Hughes Minister of Energy Sandra Jansen Associate Minister of Family and Community Safety Jeff Johnson Minister of Education Heather Klimchuk Minister of Culture Ric McIver Minister of Transportation Diana McQueen Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Frank Oberle Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities Verlyn Olson Minister of Agri culture and Rural Development Dave Rodney Associate Minister of Wellness Donald Scott Associate Minister of Account ability, Transparency and Transformation Richard Starke Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation George VanderBurg Associate Minister of Seniors Greg Weadick Associate Minister of Regional Recovery and Reconstruction for Southeast Alberta Teresa Woo-Paw Associate Minister of Inte rnational and Intergovernmental Relations

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Chair: Mr. Amery Deputy Chair: Mr. Fox Bhardwaj Cao Donovan Dorward Eggen Hehr Luan McDonald Olesen Pastoor Quadri Rogers Rowe Sarich Strankman Xiao Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Chair: Mr. Khan Deputy Chair: Mrs. Jablonski Amery Anderson Casey Dorward Eggen Kubinec Sherman Select Special Chief Electoral Officer Search Committee Chair: Mr. Rogers Deputy Chair: Mr.

Quadri Blakeman Eggen Goudreau Lemke Leskiw McDonald Saskiw Select Special Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee Chair: Mr. Luan Deputy Chair: Mr. Dorward Blakeman Fenske Johnson, L. Kubinec McDonald Notley Saskiw Wilson Young Standing Committee on Families and Communities Chair: Mr. Quest Deputy Chair: Mrs. Forsyth Brown Cusanelli DeLong Fritz Goudreau Jablonski Jeneroux Khan Leskiw Notley Pedersen Swann Towle Wilson Xiao Young Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Chair: Mr. Cao Deputy Chair: Mr.

McDonald Bikman Blakeman Brown DeLong Eggen Leskiw Quadri Rogers Wilson Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Chair: Mr. Zwozdesky Deputy Chair: Mr. Young Casey Forsyth Fritz Kennedy-Glans Mason McDonald Quest Sherman Smith Standing Committee on Private Bills Chair: Mr. Xiao Deputy Chair: Ms L. Johnson Allen Barnes Bhardwaj Brown Cusanelli DeLong Fox Fritz Goudreau Jablonski Leskiw Notley Olesen Rowe Strankman Swann Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Chair: Ms Olesen Deputy Chair: Mr.

Lemke Calahasen Cao Casey Goudreau Hehr Kennedy-Glans Kubinec Luan McAllister Notley Pedersen Quadri Rogers Saskiw Towle Young Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair: Mr. Anderson Deputy Chair: Mr. Dorward Amery Anglin Bilous Donovan Fenske Hale Hehr Jeneroux Khan Luan Pastoor Quadri Quest Sarich Stier Webber Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship Chair: Ms Kennedy-Glans Deputy Chair: Mr. Anglin Allen Barnes Bikman Bilous Blakeman Calahasen Casey Fenske Hale Johnson, L. Khan Kubinec Lemke Sandhu Stier Webber

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2825 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Thursday, November 7, 2013 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Thursday, November 7, 2013 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Let us pray. O, Holy Creator, reaffirm and kindle in our hearts and minds honesty, purity, wisd om, and goodwill toward others that peace may prevail among all nations now and forever. Amen. Please be seated. head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: Hon. members, we have a number of guests, and we’ll start with school groups. Please be as brief as you can that we may get them all in. The hon.

Minister of Energy. Mr. Hughes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to introduce to you and through you to a ll members of the Assembly a group of Alberta Energy staff from the division of oil sands and energy operations, very important operations for us within Alberta. I’m pleased to welcome them to the Legislative Building today as they participate in a public service orientation tour. With that, I’d like to ask them to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, followed by Edmonton-South West. Ms Fenske: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On behalf of the MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, it is my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly the Aspen House seniors’ lodge and Heritage Place seniors’ lodge from Morinville, Alberta. They are here with their program co-ordinator, Mary Benson , and recreation aides Patricia McLelland and Catherine Benson. I would ask that they all rise and receive the traditional warm greeting of this Assembly. Mr. Jeneroux: Mr.

Speaker, it is my pleasure and absolute delight to introduce to you and to all members of the Assembly some of the most passionate, some of the most dedicated, and some of the most zealous students to ever set foot in our fine province. From the mountains to the prairies I challenge all members to find brighter, more intelligent students than those 21 minds that grace our gallery here today. These students are the future. These students are the leaders. These students are the hope. These students are the potential. Quite simply, these students are the students from George P. Nicholson school. Thank you.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two introductions today. I will do the first one on behalf of my hon. colleague the leader of the thir d party. It is my great pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly the Jasper Place high school ELL class . Now, they’re sitting in the members’ gallery, and they’re accompanied by Mrs. Kerry Harvey, who is their instructor.

My dad taught pipe trades at Jasper Place school when I was a kid, and I spent an awful lot of time stealing sugar cubes out of the cafeteria and playing around in the welding booths, so I’m very pleased to see people from Jasper Place here with us today. Please rise and let us give you the warm welcome that we usually do. My second introduction, Mr. Speaker. You will be familiar, of course, with my great pride in the NorQuest College downtown campus in the fabulous constituency of Edmonton-Centre . They are very good about bringing visitors to watch us here in the gallery.

If I might be so bold as to ask the 12 visitors along with Mrs. Carol Spence and Ms Brenda Chwyl to please rise and accept our warm welcome to the Assembly. The Speaker: Are there other school or educational groups? Seeing none, let us move on with other guests. Calgary -Fish Creek, please. Mrs. Forsyth: Well, Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I’d like to take the time to introduce to you and through you a very special family who has touched my life. Visiting us today is the Sadownyk family from St. Albert.

You might remember hearing about three - year-old Aleena this summer as she sought funding for treatment of a very rare enzyme disorder. Along with Aleena we have her ver y special, special parents, Laura and Dane, and her brothers, Nathan and Julian. This family has literally stolen the hearts of me, the caucus, and, for that matter, all Albertans. I’m going to ask them to rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice, followed by the Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Alberta’s booming economy has led to significant demands for many Alberta products, and one such product is cement. In fact, in my constituency of beautiful Calgary-Acadia we are home to one of the many cement plants that help build Alberta. I have with me in the House today three solid leaders in the cement industry. They are: Michael McSweeney, president and C EO of the Cement Association of Canada; Justin Arnott, the Cement Association of Canada; and Jonathan Moser, director of environmental and public affairs from Lafarge Canada.

I’d ask that they please stand and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation, followed by Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. Dr. Starke: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my great pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a young man that you heard from a little earlier today at the very well -attended and moving Remembrance Day ceremony that we had in the rotunda. Mr. Evan Whitfield, of the Vermilion-Lloydminster constituency, is a recent graduate of Marwayne high sch ool.

He’s a first -year student at Lakeland College, and he’s also a product of the 4-H public speaking program at the Tulabi Lake 4-H club. Evan presented his very moving poem, Canadian Soldiers, at the ceremony today. The reason I know all of this about Evan is because Evan’s aunt Pat worked side by side with me in my veterinary hospital for nearly 20 years. I’ve known this young man, or of him, pretty much his entire life. I’m extremely proud of him, and I would ask that Evan, who is seated in your gallery, Mr.

Speaker, along with his parents, Pete and Cheryl, rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Fort McMurray -Wood Buffalo, followed by Edmonton-Decore.

2826 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 Mr. Allen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s indeed a great pleasure today to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly someone who is probably the most significant influence in my life. She’s actually a constituent of the hon. Member for Grande Prairie-Smoky . I think it’s important to note that she is not related at all to the Member for Little Bow. She’s an accomplished musician. She is my mentor, my teacher, my disciplinarian, provider of comfort. She’s my biggest supporter, and I’m her biggest fan. She is my mother.

She i s seated in your gallery, and I’d ask that you rise and give her the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. Thank you. I have a second introduction, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great pleasure to rise and introduce to you and through you Rachelle Rebus. I had t he great pleasure of serving on council with Rachelle’s mother, Renée Rebus. Rachelle is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a major in political science and a minor in economics.

She has a keen interest in politics as a whole, and I’m pleased to say that she is quite likely going to join my team as my new constituency assistant in the next couple of weeks. She is also seated in your gallery, and I’d ask that she rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. Mrs. Sarich: Mr. Speak er, it’s my honour and privilege to rise today to introduce to you and through you to all Members of the Legislative Assembly eight representatives from the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex, here today in celebration of the 40th anniversary of this establishe d and purpose -built institution.

The complex serves as a well -known landmark in our capital city, and it is home for a number of long -standing Ukrainian organizations dedicated to the preservation of the many aspects of Ukrainian heritage. 1:40 Mr. Speaker, my guests are seated in the members’ gallery, and I would ask them to please rise as I mention their names and to remain standing: Mr. Ivan N.M. Fedyna, president, board of directors, Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex; Mr. Ihor Krys, president, League of Ukrainian Canadians, Edmonton branch; Mr. Yuri S. Broda, president, Ukrainian Youth Association, CYM, Edmonton branch; Mr.

Harry Prockiw, founding member, past president, Ukrainian Youth Association, CYM, Edmonton branch; Mr. Peter Dackiw, founding member, president, Ukrainian Seniors’ Club; Mrs. Natalka Talanchuk, founding member, past president, League of Ukrainian Canadian Women, Edmonton branch; Mrs. Irene Loszuk, founding member, executive member, League of Ukrainian Canadian Women, Edmonton br anch; and Mrs. Motria Dackiw, founding member, past member, League of Ukrainian Canadian Women, Edmonton branch. I would now ask that the Assembly provide them with the traditional warm welcome.

The Speaker: Bitaemo. [Translation] Welcome. [As submitted] The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder, followed by St. Albert. Mr. Eggen: Well, thanks, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m very pleased to introduce to you and to this Assembly my guests from the Edmonton branch of the National Association of Federal Retirees. Just like many seniors today, my guests are very concerned about the direction of this government on seniors’ issues: lack of affordable housing, long -term care spaces, pension reform, and seniors’ drug coverage.

I would ask my guests to please rise as I call their names and together receive the warm traditional welcome of the Assembly. I have Ross Gillespie , Dave Riffel, Gwen Rutherford, Brian Emdin, Lillian June, Clay Kolstad, Mahir Mansi, Doreen Morton, William Williams, Lorne Berg, Dave McConkey, Larry Sakaluk, and Doris Koshman. If everyone could give them a warm ovation, please. Mr. Khan: Mr. Speaker, it’s great to see people from St. Albert in the gallery, and I’m thrilled to be able to introduce to you and through you another long -time resident of the constit uency of St. Albert, Mr. Larry Matychuk.

For the past seven years Larry Matychuk has been the business manager and financial secretary of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters local 488. Larry began his career as a journeyman plumber having ti ckets in gas and steam fitting as well. He’s been an active member of local 488 for over 40 years; despite his charming good looks you’d never guess. Having recently celebrated 100 years, the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters local 488 is Albe rta’s largest construction union local with over 10,000 members.

In fact, local 488 is one year older than the Legislature Building and local 488 was involved in the construction of this fabulous building all that time ago. I want to thank Larry and all th e hard- working folks involved in local 488 for their efforts in building Alberta and their commitment for training future generations that, too, will be committed to building Alberta. I now ask that Mr. Matychuk rise – he’s in the members’ gallery – and re ceive the warm traditional welcome of my colleagues in the Assembly. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Calgary -Shaw, your guests have not yet arrived.

Let’s go to Lacombe-Ponoka, followed by Calgary-Glenmore. Mr. Fox: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure and great honour today to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly the classiest man that I know, my good friend Captain Craig Paterson. Craig has a BA in sociology, BSc in psychology, BA in history, LLB in law, MA in strate gic studies from the Royal Military College in Kingston and is a captain in the 41 Service Battalion.

Captain Paterson and I share an affinity for history, and I’d like to thank him for compiling the reference material that I used yesterday in my member’s statement. Captain Paterson, please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Glenmore, followed by Banff-Cochrane. Ms L. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise today and introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly individuals who work tirelessly to encourage a love of reading among children and their families .

Steacy Collyer is the executive director with Calgary Reads, an organization that delivers an early literacy initiative to help change the lives of struggling grades 1 and 2 readers and their families. Joining Steacy today is her daughter Kate for her first visit to the Legislature. I would also like to introduce Jonna Grad, the executive director of the Centre for Family Literacy. From the colourful cow bus that travels Alberta to bookmobile -type programs here in Edmonton, Jonna and her team work with Alberta families to achieve every - thing they imagine: improved education, jobs, and health.

These ladies with their volunteers and clients are another example of what makes Alberta great. I would like them now to rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Banff-Cochrane, followed by the Deputy Premier. Mr. Casey: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly Lesley Bannister.

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2827 Lesley was a municipal intern in the beautiful town of Didsbury, but after the last election I was ab le to convince her to move from Didsbury to Canmore, where she is now my constituency assistant. It wasn’t a tough decision, actually, for me; for her, maybe. Lesley does a wonderful job of representing the government in the constituency, and she always does so extremely professionally, proficiently, and always with a smile on her face. She’s a great asset. I’d ask Lesley to rise and please receive the traditional warm welcome of the House. The Speaker: The hon.

Deputy Premier, followed by the Minister of Service Alberta. Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour and a pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a group of fine university students from Campus Alberta schools. These fine yo ung men and women are members of the Council of Alberta University Students, otherwise known as CAUS, a group that I will be gladly meeting with this afternoon and from time to time on an ongoing ba sis. I’d ask them to rise as I call their names. Today in the Legislature are Mr. Conner Brown, Mr. Adam Woods, Mr. Sean Glydon, Mr.

Petros Kusmu, Miss Shuna Talbot, and the executive director of CAUS, Ms Beverly Eastham. I would like to thank them for the work that they do on behalf of all university students in Alberta. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Service Alberta. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s indeed an honour for me today to rise and introduce somebody that helps me work seven days a week, lots of evenings, and meets with my constituents whenever they need, whether it be in their homes or in our office: my constituency assistant, who has now left me to come to Edmonton. He’s also cel ebrating his 25th birthday.

In my tradition in northeast Calgary we like to cause a person a little bit of heck on their birthday, so, Jasjeet, birthday bumps from all 87 Members of this Legislative Assembly. head: Members’ Statements Remembrance Day Dr. Brown: Mr. Speaker, next Monday at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month millions of men, women, and children will pause for a minute or two to remember those who have fallen in war in service of their count ry, only a minute or two from our all too busy lives to think about the ultimate sacrifice made by so many to serve our country and to preserve our freedom and way of life.

The red poppies, which we wear for a couple of weeks each year, remind us of the poem In Flanders Fields by Canadian soldier John McCrae, who spoke of the poppies which blow “between the crosses, row on row.” The poem speaks of a region in Belgium where many Canadians died in World War I. But Flanders is only one of the dozens of regions around the world where young Canadians who died in the flower of their youth lie in soil far from their loved ones and their home and native land. I urge all hon. memb ers and all Albertans to visit these war graves in Europe and Asia and Africa when they travel abroad.

Take time to read the names on the headstones, take time to read the names of the war dead at cenotaphs and memorials in the cities, towns, and villages across our country, and take just one minute to read those names on the memorial plaques in the lobby of this Legislature. Take time to reflect on those names, to remember that these were human beings like us, who had families and loved ones and dreams, who died far too young, and who never had the chance to live the free and fruitful lives which we have enjoyed.

Take time to remember them. 1:50 head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: The Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. First main set of questions. Management Employees Pension Plan Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, yesterday we discovered that the govern- ment behind closed doors has voted to increase the amount taxpayers will contribute to the management employees pension plan. Alberta taxpayers will now be on the hook for annual pension contributions equal to a lmost 22 per cent of management salaries. That means that for ju st one deputy minister taxpayers will pay about $60,000 a year toward their pension.

This is after the Finance minister announced a pl an to dramatically cut pension benefits for workers on the front lines. Doesn’t the Premier care that this kind of hypocrisy is demoralizing our front-line staff? Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s unfortunate that the hon. Leader of the Official Opposition didn’t do her homework once again. First, let’s be clear. Benefits have not increased. Contri- bution rate increases to the mana gement employees pension plan were recommended by their board, which is required by law to ensure the plan is funded enough to fulfill its legal obligations.

Contribution rates will increase proportionately for both employees and employers. In fact, contribution rates have increased for all public-sector pension plans, which is why this government is taking action to ensure the sustainability of these plans going forward into the future. Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, this government doesn’t seem to under- stand the importance of consistenc y. These changes mean that for a senior employee the taxpayer is paying $60,000 a year each and every year towards their pension. That’s enough to hire a nurse or a social worker or a first-year teacher. Albertans are confused.

Why is the minister continuing to lavishly reward managers while tightening up on workers who actually serve Albertans every day on the front lines? Mr. Horner: Well, once again, Mr. Speaker , it is unfortunate. It’s not Albertans that seem to be confused; it’s the opposition. This is a management pension plan that we are actually going to be closing down after we do our changes in 2016. That’s not to say that the plan is not right for its time. It was right for its time, but when this plan was created, there were three contributors for every one pensioner. Today it’s almost equal.

None of the plans are sustainable in their current form at over the long term. That’s why we’re making the changes, not just for the management employees pension plan but for all of the plans, so that those pensions will be there when they need them most. Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, let me repeat. These changes mean that a senior manager will have taxpayers paying $60,000 a year towards their pension. That is more than the average Albertan makes in a year.

I can’t help but notice that at a time when Albertans are feeling the sting of the governm ent’s front-line service cuts, they’ve managed to find an extra $15 million to stuff into the pensions of their senior bureaucr ats. Where is the money coming from?

2828 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 Mr. Horner: You know, Mr. Speaker, this is a little rich coming from the leader who tried to get an $8,000-a-year raise for her favourite MLA not too long ago. Mr. Speaker, let me be very clea r. Benefits have not increased for these members over the benefits that were promised to them before. In fact, the early retire ment provisions for this pension plan are going to be removed. That doesn’t mean that they can’t retire early. They can, but they will have the actuarial cost of that early retirement applied to them.

Any of the members of this plan that would hear this hon. member talk about the fact that they’re getting some sort of ne w benefit after the discussions that we’ve had would recognize that this hon. member has no clue about how a pension works. The Speaker: The hon. Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Second main set of questions. Postsecondary Education Funding Ms Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On February 5 of this year the Premier said, and I quote: we have no more money. Isn’t it amazing how fast money just appears when there’s a leadership vote to survive?

Yesterday out of the blue – or should I say: out of the red? – the Premier managed to cough up about 50 million additional dollars for the postsecondary sector. That is just a third of what they lost in the last budget, and it’s much less than they were originally promised before the last budget. Curious timing, considering the fate of her political future will be voted on in the next two weeks. It must be a coincidence. To the Premier: if this isn’t vote buying, what is it? Ms Redford: Mr.

Speaker, this is the commitment that we made as a government to our partners in postsecondary education, whether they’re students in the gallery today or chairmen of boards of governors or presidents of Ca mpus Alberta. We explained that with a $6 billion drop in revenue we needed to make some tough choices, and our commitment to a knowledge-based economy in the future was that at that first opportunity where we could change that, we would. That’s what th e Deputy Premier did, and we’re glad to be able to do it. Ms Smith: Well, Mr. Speaker, we know this Premier isn’t above raiding the public purse to win a vote.

We all remember her hundred-million-dollar, last-ditch inducement to the teachers’ union during her leadership race. Some might argue that that was the deciding factor in her victory, convincing enough union members to buy a membership to put her over the top. No doubt it’s a scenario she hopes to repeat on November 22. Again to the Premier: why is it that parents an d students and professors have to wait for a threat to her political future before she acts? Ms Redford: You know, Mr.

Speaker, I am really pleased that the Leader of the Opposition brought up the fact that we made a commitment as a government to fund $107 million in education. We kept that promise, and it matt ered for students. As we move forward, the dialogue that we had with students, with presidents, with chairmen of boards of governors about what we needed to do to continue to invest in rese arch and innovation in a knowledge- based economy was exactly the reason that we made the commit- ment that we did. We’re proud of it, and we’re going to keep that commitment every day. Ms Smith: Mr.

Speaker, Albertans aren’t fooled with these crass vote-buying schemes. It doesn’t take a lawyer to read between the lines on this. First, she promis ed postsecondary schools the moon, then she broke her promise, and now, in a desperate attempt to salvage support for her leadership, she’s trying to patch things up with taxpayer handouts. Doesn’t th is Premier care about the poor impression all of this leaves with everyday Albertans? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, that member can be as cynical as she wants, but Albertans are not, and she takes them for fools if she thinks that their votes can be bought.

The fact is that my office had made a commitment to all chairs on July 3 that we would address this issue as soon as we practically could, and we did. Promise made, promise delivered. If she thinks this is about leadership, I should let her know, by the way, that it is two weeks to convention, and over 800 attendees have already registered. The Speaker: Hon. leader, your third main set of questions. Mr. Anderson: Wow. It’s almost like you’ve got senior bureau- crats in your government going to your function. It’s amazing how that works. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Airdrie, your leader has the floor, actually.

Please proceed. Emergency Management Planning Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Premier a very simple question about the absen ce of Alberta’s emergency plan. Rather than answering this simple question, the Premier instead wanted to talk about her government’s supposed success. Perhaps my question was a little too nuanced for the Premier to answer, so let me be direct. When will th e government release the Alberta emergency plan? Mr. Griffiths: Mr. Speaker, there is an Alberta emergency plan, which was put into effect, as evidenced in Slave Lake.

It was put into effect, as evidenced this summer, with the extreme flooding event that we had. It worked so well in conjunction with the local authorities and their local emerge ncy plans that we have managed this disaster that we had this summer comparably better than anybody else in the world, and we get praise endlessly for it. That’s the success of our plan. Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, I’ll table the documents from the minister’s own website that say th at the plan is currently being updated, with an expect ed release in late 2012.

The least he could do is update his own Internet website if he’s not going to release the p lan. A direct question demands a dir ect answer. It’s about protecting our families and communities, not about the government giving itself a pat on the back. The Alberta emergency plan was supposed to be released a year ago. Again to the Premier: when will the government release the Alberta emergency plan? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. Leader of the Opposi- tion is giving herself a pat on the back to suggest that anything that she says is nuanced.

However, I don’t know if it miss ed the hon. member’s attention this summer, but we actually had a natural disaster, the worst natural disaster in Canadian history. It would be naive to think that any emergency management plan that we had in place did not have to be updated and improved based on the experiences that we had this summer. That work is being done. We have a strong group of volunteers and public servants that do that work, and we

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2829 will ensure that there is a plan in place. For her to suggest for a moment that there isn’t today is fearmongering and deceitful. 2:00 Ms Smith: Mr. Speaker, this Premier wasn’t up to her knees in water sandbagging at her local hospital, this Premier wasn’t going door to door in her neighbourhood rescuing pets, and this Premier did not have to talk to parents wondering why they were loaded up on school buses after a local emergency had been called into effect. This is my riding, these are my constituents, and this answer doesn’t cut it. Albertans demand answers.

To the Premier: answer the question. When will the government release the Alberta emer- gency plan? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, that was a disgusting display. [interjections] Mr. Anderson: Point of order. Ms Redford: There are people across southern Alberta . . . The Speaker: Hon. Premier, I hesitate to interrupt, but w e just have to cool things down a little bit here. Everybody take a long, deep breath. It’s Thursday. I understand that. These are emotional issues. I understand that. Let’s avoid any personal attacks in the questions and the answers, please. Hon. Premier, please continue.

Ms Redford: There are people across southern Alberta that were impacted by this flood, and for anyone to stand in this House and think that they are more entitled to be indignant because there are people that are hurting I think is compl etely inappropriate, Mr. Speaker. We as a government were committed this summer to ensuring that the response that was in place helped all Albertans across southern Alberta no matter where they lived, and that’s what we’re committed to. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Airdrie, your point of order was noted at 2:01 in response to the second question from Highwood.

School Construction and Modernization Mr. Hehr: Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly clear that the PC election platform of 2012 was a sham of epic proportions. One of the promises given by the Premier was that her government would build an additional 50 new schools and renovate 70 more over the next four years. The funny thing is that 19 months into her mandate the work hasn’t even begun on most of them. To the Premier: are you ready to admit there is no way – you’ll have 50 new schools and 70 modernizations completed, I repeat completed, not announced, not reannounced, before the 2016 election? Ms Redford: Yes, Mr.

Speaker. Mr. Hehr: Well, Mr. Speaker, this government has only announced 28 new schools and two modernizations. It takes at least three years to build a new school and just as long to renovate one. Madam Premier, with the deepest of respect, why have you wasted 1 9 months and not moved heaven and earth to make sure these schools are being built or modernized in the communities where they’re needed? Simply put, your answer doesn’t ring true. Mr. J. Johnson: Mr.

Speaker, I think many Albertans in many communities are very happy that this is our Premier right now following through on her commitment to announce and build 50 new schools and modernize 70 others. There are approximately 100 school projects that either just recently completed or are under way and announced and, in addition to that, the 30 that we announced in the spring. There are more to come, and there will be more announcements coming just before this calendar year is up. Mr. Hehr: Well, then I’ll try this question to the Minister of Education. Maybe he’ll be more forthright.

Are you saying here today that you will have 50 new schools and 70 modernizations, the ones that the Premier promised in the 2012 document, completed by 2016? Mr. J. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, if I were to predict, I think we’re going to have more schools than that announced and finished within this term. [interjections] They don’t want to listen to the answer.

Speaker’s Ruling Interrupting a Member The Speaker: Hon, minister, hon. members, there’s a long - standing custom at our family table s, as in our communities, as in this Legislature, to not interrupt others when they are speaking, either asking a question or trying to deliver one. A good, solid question has been asked. We’re anticipating a good, solid answer. Mr. Minister, would you care to provide it? School Construction and Modernization (continued) Mr. J. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, we’ve got the largest capital plan in education under way in this province’s history.

There’s no question that the bitumen bubble, some of the financial chall enges, the incredible demands on capital planning over the last four months because of the flood have thrown us a few wrinkles, but, like I said, there are approximately a hundred projects either just com - pleted, under way, or announced, and there are appr oximately 90 more to be announced within the next six to eight months. So stay tuned. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands - Norwood. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, if we’re elected, we’ll make lots of announcements, too. Senate Reform Mr.

Mason: Yesterday the government of Saskatchewan intro- duced a motion to abolish the Senate of Canada, as well repealing legislation that allowed the election of Senate nominees. The Official Opposition, the NDP in Saskatchewan, naturally supported this since we have long called for the abolition of the Senate. Albertans, like other Canadians, have been disgusted by the expense scandal in the unelected and unaccountable Senate. To the Premier: will she follow the lead of Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Legislature and introduce a motion in this Assembly calling for the abolition of the Senate?

Ms Redford: Well, Mr. Speaker, Alberta is proud of its record on Senate reform. We were the first jurisdiction in Canada to have legislation that would demand a triple -E Senate – equal, elected, and effective – and if we had that today, we would have a way to deal with this absolutely terrible behaviour that some Senators have taken on behalf of the public trust that they have. There is right now a proce ss that the Prime Minister has started that

2830 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 involves a reference to the Supreme Court of Canada. We have intervened on that to stand by our position that the Senate as it stands today is not acceptable. Albertans don’t think it is, we don’t trust it, and we want a change. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s clear that there’s no consensus around Senate reform, and given the amending formula of the Constitution of Canada, the kinds of changes the Premier and her estranged cousins in the Wildrose Party are supporting are not going to happen.

By sticking to the Reform Party policy of 30 years ago, this Premier will only ensure that the Senate will continue in its present form. Why is this Premier supporting a position that ensures the continuation of this unelected, unaccount- able, and corrupt Senate? Mr. Dallas: Well, Mr. Speaker, the hon. member obviously has a very short memory, and the reality of this is that we have provided leadership in Alberta. In fact, today the only Se nators that are elected and accountable to the province of Alberta, to the country of Canada come from Alberta. They’ve been appointed there.

We’re going to work at going to the future as opposed to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it’s clear that Alberta’s two conservative parties are out of touch with Albertans on the Senate corruption scandal, and while two conservative parties is a good idea, Canada does not need two Parliam ents. One is enough. Why won’t the Premier take a principled stand against patronage, corruption, duplication, and waste, stand up for the people of this province, and call for the abolition of the Senate? Mr. Dallas: Mr.

Speaker, of federations like Canad a, there are only three in the world that do not have a second House. In Canada our second House, elected, a second House that would be effective, can adequately and substantially represent provincial and regional interests, so getting this right, doing th e reform, is critically important going forward. We don’t have a system that would serve Canadians and Albertans with a single House. The Speaker: Hon. members, the first five question spots, reserved for leaders, where

preambles are allowed to supplementa ries, have expired. Let’s move on, then, with little or no

preambles hereafter to supplementaries, starting with Edmonton-Manning. Trade with India Mr. Sandhu: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government talks a lot about the importance of increasing trade with China, but no one should forget the opportunities in India. Alberta’s balance of trade with India is far below its potential. We are talking about a country with a middle class of 250 million people and the third- largest economy in the world by purchasing power. My question is to the Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

Does the government have a plan to address this situation and increase our trade with India? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Dallas: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the hon. member. I agree that India has wonderful potential in the context of opportunities for Alberta. In fact, that’s why under our renewed international strategy we’ve put India front and centre in that strategy. We announced that we’re going to be expanding our international network, and – no surprise – we’re going to have an Alberta office in India. That’s job one for this government, access- ing new markets. 2:10 Mr.

Sandhu: My first supplemental to the same minister: what are the sectors and tangible areas where Alberta industry and Alberta products could meet growing demands in India, Mr. Minister? Mr. Dallas: Well, actually, we’ve got a specific region strategy there, Mr. Speaker, so we’re focused in India in particular on oil and gas, on investment attraction. We’ve got agricultural products like wheat and canola, we’ve got partnership opportunities in terms of software and programming, and we’ve also got plenty of opportunities in education and training. Mr.

Sandhu: My third and final question, to the Minister of Energy: given India’s growing demands for energy, when can we expect to see more energy exported from Alberta to India? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hughes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, we know that India is one of those countries that imports about 80 per cent of the energy that it needs and, as a result, is an ideal market for Alberta crude production and bitumen in the future. In fact, what we’ve done, working through the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commis - sion, is help ensure that the TransCanada Energy East pipeline takes place.

We’ve made commitments of bitumen to that. These are big commitments on behalf of the people of Alberta that help ensure the job gets done. The east coast of Canada is the closest to get to India, and that is one of our future markets. We’ll continue to work with India. Management Employees Pension Plan (continued) Mr. Anderson: Mr. Speaker, the hypocrisy and inconsistency of this ancient and stumbling PC government know no bounds. Yesterday we found out that the cabinet just approved a 14 per cent pension raise for senior managers in government.

Meanwhile this same government is undertaking to re duce the pension benefits for the average front -line workers and first responders, who can least afford it. To the Finance minister: can you please explain for me why on earth in a time of deficit and a time of debt, in a time of service cuts and cuts to f ront-line workers’ pensions you would turn around and give government managers a 15 per cent pension increase? Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, I’m going to go a little slower. I did mention this to his leader a little earlier, and maybe this will sink in. First of all, to be clear, benefits have not increased.

We are taking money out of their paycheques so that they can have the benefits that are currently there in the plan. Contribution rate increases to the management employees pension plan were recommended by their board and are required by law to ensure the plan is funded enough to fulfill its legal obligations. The fact that the contribution rates are rising for employees and employers to an unacceptable rate – we agree – is exactly the reason we’re making the changes to the pension plan that we are. I look forward to their support.

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2831 Mr. Anderson: Minister, can you please tell me again? In a time of debt, deficit, service cuts, cuts to front -line pensions, and so forth how can you justify an additional cos t to government of $15 million into the senior government managers’ pension plan? That’s about $60,000 a year total that some of these folks are making. Are you starting to understand why Albertans have lost confidence in your ability to ever get us out of debt, to ever get our finances back on track? Mr. Horner: Mr.

Speaker, I think what I’m starting to hear is that the hon. member refuses to understand how a pension plan works. That’s unfortunate, because the information that he is putting out there and t he insinuation he is putting out there are false. That’s unfortunate, especially coming from a Finance critic, who should understand how this works. When you raise contribution rates, you take money from the employee’s cheque. The benefits did not increase. Therefore, there is no raise to those individuals. Does it cost the pension plan contributors more? Yes. That’s the problem.

That’s what we’re trying to fix with the pension reforms we have. This is a bit frustrating. Mr. Anderson: You know, given that the first thing this govern- ment did after the last election was give themselves an 8 per cent pay raise through a massive increase to their MLA RSP allowance and given that some might take notice that this senior management pay raise surprisingly comes just a couple of weeks before the Premier’s leadership review and given, Mr.

Speaker, that we all know that most pension plans have a 50-50 contribution, this plan that they’re advocating has a two -thirds government, one -third contributor ratio. It is out of line with the private sector. It is out of line, period. You need to fix it. Quit wasting taxpayer money, sir. Mr. Horner: Mr. Speaker, there was a lot of very inaccurate information in there, which is not surprising coming from this hon. member or the Wildrose Alliance Party, who like to throw a lot of inaccurate information out there and then simply say: oh, well, I guess we were wrong.

When you use people like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and their six members to do your research for you, it’s not surprising that you’re going to get this kind of inaccurate information in the House. I will say it again. This is not a raise to the management employee pension program. This is a raise to their contributions to it. They’re not happy about this. They’re a little ticked at me right now for what I’m doing to their plan. [interjections] I’m sure the hon. member will support me in my endeavours when he actually figures out . . .

Speaker’s Ruling Decorum The Speaker: Hon. members, the noise level seems to be creeping up again a little bit. Please keep conversations out of here, or take them out there if you like, and please be reminded to speak to and through the chair. It’s been my observation that when you speak directly across the bow to each other, that’s what gives rise to some of the flurries in here. So let’s avoid those. Calgary-Currie, followed by Chestermere-Rocky View. Flood Recovery Funding for First Nations Ms Cusanelli: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Aboriginal Relations.

Sadly, Siksika First Nation was devastated by the June floods. Yesterday the minister signed an MOU with the chief to rebuild the Nation . This is a federal responsibility. To the minister: why are provincial tax dollars going to fund recovery efforts that are not in provincial jurisdiction? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Campbell: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the member for the question. We all know that this was an unprecedented disaster, and our government is showing true leadership by doing what’s right and by treating First Nations not only as Albertans but, more i mportantly, as people.

I met with the federal minister several times after the disaster hit, and he’s been very supportive of our actions. His department and mine are continuing to work together on this file. I can tell you that our Premier has stated that we’re going to do what’s right. We’re going to get Siksika people back in their homes as quickly as we can. Ms Cusanelli: To the same minister: what do you intend to say to those who believe that Siksika First Nation is getting special treatment? Mr. Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that Siksika First Nation is getting special treatment.

Again, I believe that Siksika First Nation are being treated as people, and they’re getting the same treatment that we would show to any community in this province after the flood hit. Anybody that’s been on First Nations reserves knows that homes are far apart. They don’t have the capacity or the resources that we do in some of our larger communities. This MOU is a partnership with the Nation that we will work with the First Nations to help them and support them as we work together to make sure this community recovers.

Ms Cusanelli: Again to the Minister of Aboriginal Relations: how is this MOU going to help people on the reserve besides providing housing? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Campbell: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve also allo - cated $10 million for the First Nations training to employment program. What we’ve done within our MOU that we signed with Siksika – and we’re working with Morley – is that we’re going to provide opportunities for First Nation contractors to be involved in the rebuilding of their homes.

With the $10 million we’re actually going to train youth, provide them with apprenticeships, whether it be plumbing, electrical, building roofs, whatever, so that they can actually be part of the rebuilding of their homes and also be able to find gainful employment after we’re finished with the recovery. Mr. Speaker, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the Minister of Human Services for the work that his department has done in working with us on this. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Chestermere-Rocky View , followed by Edmonton-Centre. Postsecondary Education Funding (continued) Mr. McAllister: Mr.

Speaker, thank you. The Premier’s vote - buying scheme to woo back support in postsecondary is very transparent. Frankly, it’s too little, and it’s too late. This Premier and her minister swung the axe at the sector in the March budget, and schools have been adjusting their budgets ever since. This was a $50 million rebate to a $150 million cut. To the minister: how does the Premier’s last -minute vote -buying scheme help the hundreds of students already turned away from Alberta post - secondary schools because of your short-sighted decisions? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr.

Speaker, first of all, this is really, really rich coming from that party, that doesn’t even have advanced education

2832 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 in their shadow budget. It’s really rich coming from an opposition that has been and is on the record during estimates of this last budget advocating for deeper cuts into advanced education. If this member would actually bother to show up at my office, sit down one day, and discuss the budget and what is happening with Campus Alberta, he wouldn’t be asking questions like these in the House. 2:20 Mr. McAllister: Mr. Speaker, I might have to wander over and try some of that $11,000 furniture out for myself. The domino effect of the March cuts goes on.

How does the Premier’s last-minute vote -buying sch eme remedy the 30 fewer nurses Medicine Hat College will train this year, the 300 per cent increase in mandatory fees that University of Lethbridge students are paying, or the 20 arts programs at the University of Alberta that have been axed? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr.

Speaker, again, if this member would ever bother to at least send a letter or a memo, I would respond and let him know that on July 3 of this year I had a conversation with all chairs of all postsecondary institutions advising them that when the first opportunity arises, we will do what we can in year to alleviate some of the enrolment pressures that have occurred this year. This is a commitment from July 3. The first opportunity that arose, we did exactly what we promised. Why? Because it is our number one priority. Speaker’s Ruling

Preambles The Speaker: Hon. members, when I asked you to please keep your

preambles little or nonexistent whatsoever, I should have clarified that brief retorts such as we just heard ahead of a supplemental are also a form of supplementary. * So, please, let’s just get to the questions with no interruptions. Let’s get to the answers with no interruptions. Let’s just try something different here. Let’s see how this works. Mr. Anderson: Point of clarification. The Speaker: Hon. member, do you have a point of order? I’ll hear your point of clarification later, please. Let’s go on with the supplementary. Postsecondary Education Funding (continued) Mr. McAllister: All right. Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I think date in question here is actually November 22. Considering how obvious it is that the $50 million rebate will not fix the problem for the original cuts that they created, how are Alberta taxpayers supposed to believe this is anything but another half-baked attempt at savin g the minister’s hide and his boss’s job? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, the date in question is July 3. If this member, again, paid attention to the portfolio that he’s supposed to shadow, he would have known that. That’s when the government made a commitment to postsecondary.

We know that our schools had t o make very difficult decisions because this government had to make very difficult decisions last March, and we know that this opposition wouldn’t want us to have a deficit budget. We did the prudent, fiscally responsible thing, and we did trim some budget s. When the first opportunity for reinvestment arose, we took advantage of it, and we have reinvested. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre , followed by Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. Grant Program Discontinuations Ms Blakeman: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker.

For reasons I will never understand, in the last budget the grant-matching community spirit program and the summer temporary employment program, or STEP, were both eliminated. It was an uppercut followed by a kidney punch to the not -for-profit societies and organizations in Alberta. To the Minister of Culture – or not. How about the Deputy Premier, then? Given that together these programs were under $23 million, what benefit was gained by the government in cutting this .006 per cent of the budget? Was it worth it? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, I guess, Mr. Speaker, the simple answer would be: $23 million.

But the lengthy answer is that those were not easy decisions, as I responded to the other member. The fact is that we were staring at a $6 billion gap in revenue, and the fact is that the STEP program, as valuable as it was to students and not - for-profit entities, at a time when we actually have full employ - ment in this province and 4.3 per cent unemployment, was a program that was considered for eliminat ion at that point in time because we knew that students would not find it difficult to find summer jobs in a job market like this. Ms Blakeman: Well, back to the Deputy Premier.

Now, I know that this government didn’t consult their own backbenchers before they cut STEP or community spirit or they wouldn’t have done it, so whose brilliant idea was this? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure how their caucus works, although one can draw conclusions just by watching them, but this caucus works in unison. As a matter of fact, any decisions of such import as the elimination of a very important program are not only discussed in cabinet but are discussed with the entire caucus. So, yes, our caucus members are consulted, and we also consult our constituents. Ms Blakeman: I doubt that.

Mr. Speaker, given that the community spirit was the only nonrestricted grant available for government, how does t he government foresee these organizations moving forward with only strings-attached allocated funding? How do they pay for developing talent, retaining staff, maintaining infrastructure, building new infrastructure? Mr. Lukaszuk: This member brings up a very valid point, that the STEP program was an important program, and all of the other programs were important programs. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have been in our budget to begin with.

But in a time of financial restraint, unfortunately, the difference between being an opposi - tion member, who can advocate for everything any time or all the time and never be held accountable, is that government has to make difficult decisions. When an opportunity arises, and if we can reinvest in some of those programs, we definitely would consider doing it, but we have to do the right thing at the right time. They, unfortunately, never have to face that test. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, followed by Calgary-Shaw. *See page 2841, left column, paragraph 2

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2833 School Board Finances Mr. Bilous: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In her broken- promises budget the Premier chose not to invest in Alberta’s students. She promised a 2 per cent increase but failed to deliver. Students are paying the price with outrageous class sizes and are being robbed of the essential support staff. Now this PC government has forced school boards to drain $90 million from reserve funds, contrary to the Auditor General’s advice.

To the Minister of Education: can you tell the House how many school districts will run deficits this year because of your refusal to invest in our students? Mr. J. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, this government is investing in students, and through this Premier we’re investing in communities and families. We’re building this province through the school projects that we talked about briefly. What this member doesn’t point out with respect to our school boards is the financial health of our school boards.

I know the Auditor General pointed out that the accumulated operating reserves have decreased by $90 mill ion over the last five years, since 2007. What he didn’t say is that between 2005 and 2007 those same reserves went up by $200 million. Mr. Bilous: Mr.

Speaker, given that at least 41 school boards, or two-thirds of all districts, are being forced by this PC government to run deficits this year and given that this will drain another $63 million from our schools and given that Calgary Catholic has already told the minister that using savings to fund operations is not sustainable, will the minister stop the s pin and admit that he is forcing boards into the red to make up for the Premier’s broken promises to students? Mr. J. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member’s comments are simply not factual.

The health of Alberta’s school boards in terms of their reserves is significant. As a matter of fact, the total reserves across the province are about $600 million. We have about $600 million sitting in the bank accounts of school boards across the province, and we’re looking at borrowing money to build schools. Those s chool boards were warned by previous ministers, as far back as Minister Liepert in about 2006, that they needed to stop accumulating so much reserve.

If the financial health of this province in terms of school boards was as dire as this member says, those school reserves would not have built up by about a quarter of a billion dollars in the last six years. Mr. Bilous: Start delivering stable, predictable funding, and they won’t need that cushion. Mr.

Speaker, given that the minister’s assertion in the House that $300 million was added to education funding has been contra- dicted by his own spokesperson, by the budget documents, and by everyone that knows how to count and given that the minister has contradicted the Auditor General by forcing the boards to use their reserve funds to stop the bleeding, why is the minister raiding school boards to cover up this PC government’s broken-promises budget? Mr. J. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, the school boards in Alberta are among the best funded on the entire continent.

The reserves have been built up over the last five or six years. As I’ve said, the allegations that the member makes are not accurate in terms of the increase to the budget. I didn’t say it is $300 million; I said it’s going to be $300 million. We made a c ommitment when we did the budget that we would be funding additional enrolment. Every student that walks into the classroom this year that was in the classroom last year will get the same funding that they got last year, and those incremental enrolments ar e going to add more money to the system. We’ll know those numbers shortly. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary -Shaw, followed by St. Albert. Children and Youth in Care Mr. Wilson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the passion that we all share for our kids in care. They often come from backgrounds of tragedy or maltreatment, and that’s why I hope the Minister of Human Services is taking a close look at the Child and Youth Advocate report, that sheds some light on some troubling trends under this government. Over the past five years the number of children under the age of 10 living at staffed facilities remains unchanged.

These kids will face inherent barriers to their own development living at these facilities. Can the minister tell us why we are not seeing these numbers go down across the province? Mr. Oberle: Mr. Speaker, I’ve not had the time personally to review the Child and Youth Advocate’s report. I’d be glad to take that question under advisement. I do know that the overall number of children in care has decreased, and the minister is working very hard on that. But I’m going to take that question under advisement. 2:30 Mr. Wilson: I was referring to staff facilities, associate minister.

Considering that the Child and Youth Advocate makes it clear in the report that the government is contravening its own legisla - tion for how our young children are being placed, can the minister explain why the government is not acting in line with its own rules and regulations? Mr. Oberle: Mr. Speaker, I’m aware that the member is asking about staff facilities. That’s one component of care that we provide for children. As I said, I’ll take these questions under advisement for the Minister of Human Services. Mr. Wilson: Very effective day at question period, Mr. Speaker.

Given that youth are coming into care with heightened mental health challenges and are facing extensive wait times for mental health services due to extremely limited programming, what is this ministry going to do to make sure that our children who require this essential service receive the help and care that they so desperately require? Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, our government takes mental health and addiction services for children and youth very seriously.

We have currently $9.2 million in grants to key government agencies and not-for-profit groups to support mental health, to provide addi - tional support, in fact, following the floods in June. We work very closely with the ministries of Human Services and Education to offer a large number of mental health programs, including enhanced 24-hour health care workers in emergency departments and mental health crisis intervention services for children and youth.

I could go on with the list of partners, the multiple and very significant partners we have in this endeavour, and we’ll be continuing to expand those efforts in the future. The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert, followed by Strathmore-Brooks.

2834 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 Pipeline Construction Mr. Khan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recent developments have illustrated the dangers of transporting energy resources by rail. In light of major and in some cases deadly accidents involving the transportation of oil by rail, we need to ensure that our energy gets to market using the safest and most efficient means possible. My question is to the hon. Minister of Energy. What efforts are being made to ensure that our energy will access new and existing markets in a way that is most efficient and least harmful to the population?

The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hughes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, we all know that rail is a very important method to get products to market, both energy and other products. Of course, the largest challenge in front of us and the greatest opportunity for Alberta is to ensure that we build pipelines: pipelines that go east, pipelines that go south, pipelines that go west. Where can I start? It’s in all directions that we can possibly send oil to markets, to get it to tidewater.

These pipelines are safe, they’re reliable, they move huge volumes of oil, and this will be a big help to the province of Alberta to help ensure that we get world price for our products, every barrel. Mr. Khan: Thank you, minister. To the Deputy Premier and Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education: if we’re building these pipelines, what measures are we taking to ensure that Alberta has a skilled labour force available to build and maintain this potential pipeline infrastructure? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, actually, today is a good day to ask that question for two reasons.

One, we will have the chairs of all postsecondary institutions signing off on mandate letters, which clearly will speak to the fact that we need to develop the workforce in this province a nd the skill sets that will be required to build these pipelines. I recall that you introduced someone in the gallery who is also pivotal and very much relevant to the building trades and the construction that needs to happen in this province. The developm ent of the skills and the development of the workforce has to be one of our priorities to make sure that we have a safe way of moving oil and other products to seaports. Mr.

Khan: Thank you, Deputy Premier. My second supplemental question is to the hon. M inister of Finance. What could Alberta’s potential revenues be if pipelines to the east, west, and Gulf coast were to exist today? In other words, if Alberta’s energy differential were to disappear due to the construction of pipelines to the east, west, and south coasts, how different would Alberta’s revenue picture look? Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, the revenue that Alberta generates is based on the price that producers receive here, and our royalty is based on that.

Everyone in this House will remember that the differential that we had in the summer and fall of last year moving forward was above $40 a barrel. When you consider a 2-million - barrrels-per-day production, that adds up pretty quickly. I should say that over the first half of this year the diff erential did narrow in a bit, and we’re seeing some benefit from that, but this morning that differential was $40 off the WTI price, $50 off the Brent price. The math could even be done by the hon. members opposite. It’s easy to understand that we’re losing a substantial amount of revenue from the royalty.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathmore-Brooks, followed by Strathcona-Sherwood Park. Orphan Well Fund Levy Mr. Hale: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government through the licensee liability rating program has increased the amount of secure deposits needed for oil and gas operators to put into the orphan well fund. While the intentions of the LLR program are good, the dras tic increase in the required deposit is threatening to put many of the 400 junior producers out of business. Industry experts are saying that many won’t survive these punishing fees.

My question is: does the minister realize that his ill-consulted program is going to suck the lifeblood out of junior oil and gas companies, affecting the economy, royalties, and jobs? Mr. Hughes: Mr. Speaker, that’s a fairly dramatic overstatement of reality. I would say that the LLR program undertaken by the Alberta Energy Re gulator is an important element of ensuring in the long term that wells are appropriately abandoned, that they are appropriately dealt with, and that companies meet their obligations to the citizens of Alberta.

Now, there are many factors that are affecting the economic health of the industry today, and the LLR is far from the most important one affecting them. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Hale: Talk to the 400 companies that are going to go broke. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the industry experts are saying that the new rules are depressing the market for oil and gas assets and given that some of the companies have already gone into receivership because of these rules, when can we expect concrete measures to be taken that will address the f laws in this licensee liability program? Mr. Hughes: Well, Mr.

Speaker, clearly, I’ve been very alive to the concern that has been raised by many of these small producers. My colleagues the hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity as well as the Deputy Premier just in the last couple of weeks when I, in fact, wasn’t available, met with – we have been working with industry to help ensure that we have a very pragmatic and practical response to the challenges that they face. Many companies are facing a very difficult time. The primary factor that is affecting their economic health is the fact that prices are too low.

We need access to markets to get our products out of Alberta, both natural gas and oil. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Hale: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wel l, given that two of those companies that met with the Deputy Premier in the last couple of weeks contacted me this morning – it doesn’t look like they’re getting much help – and that many of these companies are going broke now and given that in many cases the companies have been issued an unreasonably short period of time to issue these payments to the Alberta Energy Regulator, will the minister admit that this heavy -handed, top-gun approach is not working and commit to working with these companies one on one to ensure that they don’t go broke? Mr. Hughes: Well, Mr.

Speaker, the hon. member is picking up a consistent theme, one which I have heard and which my colleagues have heard, and that is that this is one more challenge for many small producers. We have to keep our eye on the ball. We have to protect Albertans in the long haul in addition to having a strong economy today. We’re listening to individual companies. We’re

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2835 working with them. The Alberta Energy Regulator is working with industry to try and ensure that these companies are dealt with fairly and appropriately and that we also keep an eye on the long -term health of Albertans. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona -Sherwood Park , followed by Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Land Titles Registry Mr. Quest: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has discussed privatizing the land titles registry as part of a results - based budgeting review of 800 programs. Many of my constit - uents have been against this idea.

They don’t understand how it will impact th em in the long run or how it may or may not make the registry more efficient. My question is for the Minister of Service Alberta. I appreciate the results -based budgeting process. Is there a larger issue here that’s driving the potential privatization of our registry? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The broader issue is quite simple.

The fact is that when government is going to make significant investments in redoing IT systems or redoing systems, period, the prudent thing to do is to ask tough questions and see if there are better ways of doing things. The prudent thing to do is to see if there are other models that are perhaps adding more service value for the citizens of Alberta. We enjoy the lowest taxes in North America, and the way to do that is to make sure that we are offering innovative, smart services to make sure Albertans have the best services possible. 2:40 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Quest: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My first supplemental to the same minister: given that land titles registries have been privatized in the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, what are the advantages and the disadvantages from an Alberta perspective to potentially privatizing our registry? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, the member should note that Saskatchewan and British Columbia also have privatized, if you want to call it that, systems. In fact, we’re the only ones in western Canada currently that have the type of system we have today.

Alberta is a world leader when it comes to the land titles system. Some may call it the gold standard. We intend on making sure that we continue to have this standard of accuracy, of protection of land titles, of control over costs as well as ensuring delivery standards. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Quest: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I think we do have the gold standard when it comes to registry. Again to the same min ister: how can you assure us that the privacy of Albertans will be protected if the registry were to be privatized? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The way that we ensure that privacy is protected is that government is always the custodian of the information, maintains ownership of all the information, protects all the information, assures all the infor - mation, guarantees service standards, and controls costs. We have the gold standard today, but we want to be the gold s tandard tomorrow, so we need to look at places like Australia, where everything is done electronically and even banks offer the transfer of funds directly through electronic format so that the consumer at the end of the day benefits.

The Speaker: Hon. members, just before we go on with the next order of business – that concludes question period – could I have unanimous consent to revert briefly to Introduction of Guests? [Unanimous consent granted] head: Introduction of Guests (continued) The Speaker: Thank you. Let’s go with Calgary-Shaw, please. Mr. Wilson: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an incredibly special and proud moment for me. It’s truly a pleasure to rise today and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly two of the most important people in my life, my beautiful wife, Sally; and my son, Jude.

I can honestly say that I am here because of Sally. Not only was she my campaign manager, but as all of us MLAs know, without the support of a loving spouse at home, it make s this job very difficult, and I can say without a doubt that she is truly amazing in that sense. The reason I wanted to pursue politics is because of my son. I wanted to make sure that this province is just as fine a place for him to live, grow up, work, play, and raise a family as it is for me, so I’m here for him and for my family.

I’ve got to say that he loves being in this building, and I thank you all so much for the opportunity to share it with you. I would ask them to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: Thank you. Hon. members, in 20 seconds from now we will proceed with the next item of business from the Clerk. head: Members’ Statements (continued) The Speaker: Hon. members, I’m advised that Calgary -Buffalo was up next for a member’s statement. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre in his place, perhaps. Ms Blakeman: Sure. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker.

I’m happy to deliver this private member’s statement on behalf of my colleague the hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. School Construction and Modernization Ms Blakeman: In the 2012 Tory election platform promises were given by this government to build 50 new schools and modernize 70 more. Now, let me be clear here. This is not projects. It’s not portables. It’s n ot extra windows or replacing a few doors. It’s entire schools. The trouble is that instead of getting busy fulfilling this promise, the government sat on its hands and didn’t use its muscle to build these schools.

It is common knowledge that even if we co mplete these 50 schools and 70 modernization projects, we will still be significantly behind the curve on being able to house the ever -growing number of youngsters who need to be educated in this great province.

2836 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 By 2020 we will have an additional 119,000 kids in our school system. Right now we already have children crammed into every nook and cranny of the schools. They’re spilling into libraries, gymnasiums, and even staff rooms. The government could be addressing this problem by undertaking traditional b uilding methods and traditional financing methods. With deficit financing government can get busy building and renovating these schools that our children need. This traditional method is more financially viable than looking for P3 financing to build these schools. Here’s how.

The cost of capital P3 financing is higher than conventional bond insurance by the province. Governments can borrow money more cheaply than P3 debt financing. The second negative aspect of P3 financing and the real reason why this government finds it so attractive is that they disguise the financial condition of the province. The debt and equity servicing obligations associated with P3 finances are accounted for differently. The liabilities of P3-funded schools do not immediately appear on the government’s balance sheet.

Accordingly, the cost of P3-financed schools is simply spread out over a three -year period and a great way to hide debt. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Speaker’s Ruling Interrupting a Member The Speaker: Hon. membe rs, there’s a long -standing tradition where we . . . [interjection] Hon. Member for Airdrie, I have the floor at the moment, please. Hon. Member for St. Albert, I have the floor. Thank you. Hon. members here on the government side, during a private member’s statement you’ve been reminded before to please not interrupt, and the same goes for members on this side in the opposition.

It’s just a common courtesy to let people state their particular views, and that’s the long-standing tradition. I wish we could abide by it more reverently. Let me go to Edmonton-Decore, followed by Calgary-Glenmore. Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex 40th Anniversary Mrs. Sarich: Mr. Speaker, it is a tremendous honour and privilege to rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex, a known landmark in the heart of the Edmonton-Decore constituency.

We are reminded that buildings and structures built in the past provide a footnote to our histories, for our forefathers laid down the foundation, they built for the future, and we have been the beneficiaries of their gifts to the community. In that spirit, to the legacy of the many founding members who were immigrants and some who even lived through the Holodomor, the famine genocide of Ukraine, 1932- 33, the promise of the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex was realized through their vision, firm determination, and strength to respond.

The vital ingredients of this complex include providing a domivka, which means home, for the preservation and development of Ukrainian heritage, culture, language, history, and music activities central to the people and government institutions. It is a place where you will find long -standing, successful, and generational organizations such as the Ukrainian Youth Associ - ation o f Canada, CYM, Edmonton branch; the Verkhovyna Ukrainian Song and Dance Ensemble; the League of Ukrainian Canadians, Edmonton branch; and the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women, Edmonton branch.

From ambitious beginnings and with a confident eye on the future the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex has hosted with great pride innumerable local, national, and international visitors, dignitaries, community concerts, speakers, and banquets. When we recall the opening of the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex on November 13, 1973, by the distinguished company of the late Premier Peter Lougheed and many others, without question it remains a vital and integral part of Ukrainian community life in Edmonton.

I would like to commend the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex board and others from the past, present, and into the future for their unwavering commitment to better the lives of Ukrainians. I salute your efforts, and with admiration I thank you for adding immeasurably to our city, province, and country. Congratulations. God bless. The Speaker: Thank you. The hon. Member for Calgary -Glenmore, followed by Calgary- Fish Creek. 2:50 Calgary Reads Ms L. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today 1 in 4 young readers are behind their peers in literacy and learning skills by the end of g rade 1.

Readers who are not on track by the third grade face many challenges as they struggle to catch up. Calgary Reads is an early literacy initiative that uses trained volunteer tutors to work one -on-one with struggling readers from kindergarten to gra de 2. Calgary Reads is taking real steps to change the lives of children who experience literacy difficulties and through its programs promotes the importance of language as a building block to lifelong learning. Through early reading children can develop their own imagi - nations.

It is here where they also begin the process of telling the stories that will eventually shape their own lives, the lives of their families, and the hearts of their communities. This is why I am humbled today by this opportunity to bring awareness to Calgary Reads and to their vital and thoughtful community work. So far, Mr. Speaker, Calgary Reads has donated more than a thousand children’s books to over 80 schools, and they have close to 1,200 team members, who have collectively worked around 16,000 volunteer hours.

Along with the patronage of our Premier Calgary Reads has established partnerships with over 50 different community and business organizations. Calgary Reads is selflessly making sure that our children succeed. This is why I ask my colleagues today to take their Calgary Reads pledge card and read along: I pledge to read every day that I eat, to read alone, to read aloud, to read always, and to share the joy of reading with a child. Dr. Seuss once wrote, “Today is gone. Today was fun.

Tomorrow is another one,” and so with this spirit I applaud Calgary Reads for encouraging the imaginations that will shape the communities of tomorrow, and for enriching the lives of our children and building a brighter Alberta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fish Creek, followed by Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. Aleena Sadownyk Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The story of little Aleena Sadownyk, from St. Albert, is truly an extraordinary one. In April she was diagnosed with MPS6, a rare enzyme deficiency disease that occurs in newborn babies.

With the disease left untreated, Aleena would be vulnerable to life -threatening complications. Though a cure does not exist, a treatment does. The treatment has

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2837 successfully treated seven other Canadian children in neighbour - ing provinces. For months the Sadownyk family attempted to raise little Aleena’s case with the government but were met with barrier after barrier. They talked to the Alberta rare disease funding program but were denied and waited desperately to hear from the short - term exceptional drug therapy program for news. Every day without treatment meant another day of anxiety and uncertainty.

But with the help of the Isaac Foundation and the leadership of Andrew McFadyen all Albertans began to hear and take up Aleena’s case. And, Mr. Speaker, they would not take no for an answer. After mounting public pressure Alberta Health finally made the decision that should have been made months earlier, and they approved her funding. It’s a reminder that we owe it to all Albertans to make sure that their health care system is there for them when rare diseases strike and extremely expensive treatments are th eir only hope. We can, we must do better.

I’d like to update you on how little Aleena is doing after her first treatments. She’s eating better. She has energy now. One afternoon while Dad was running some errands, they got into a conversation. He was trying to explain to her what energy was and why she didn’t need to rest as often. A little while later Aleena said: Dad, I feel like I can dance now. In a broken voice her dad told her that she can dance, and he looks forward to doing it together. It’s a reminder for us to take a moment to celebrate life. To Aleena: dance on, little one. Dance on. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Fort McMurray -Wood Buffalo. Fort McMurray Air Service Mr. Allen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to rise and congratulate the Fort McMurray Airport for being granted official status as a port of entry into Canada. The status was established as of October 7, 2013, by the Canada Border Services Agency. This is great news for the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo and a huge step forward for the Fort McMurray Airport as it enters into a new era of air travel in the region.

This announcement means that residents can access more direct services into the U.S. such as the daily nonstop flights into Denver and Mexico th at are already under way. It also means that YMM can look at other destinations internationally for nonstop service. The Wood Buffalo region is experiencing unprecedented growth, and the rising numbers mean a sharp increase in the need for services and infrastructure in the region. The growth is also trans - lated into YMM becoming the fastest growing airport in Canada. It is now the country’s 15th busiest airport.

It recorded its busiest year in 2012, seeing over 957,000 passengers. In 2013 the airport expects to serve 1.2 million passengers. An expansion is currently under way for the new terminal, set to open in June of 2014. The achievement of the port designation makes it easier for YMM to woo airline carriers. It connects our bitumen reserves to the rest of the world. This summer in anticipation of the great announcement United Express launched a daily scheduled service to Denver. As well, Sunwing has launched flights direct to Mexico.

This will foster opportunities for business growth in industries lik e energy and tourism. For residents all over northern Alberta it is now possible to fly from home, eliminating the need to drive to Edmonton to secure great flight deals. It means that we are open for business to the world. I’d like to congratulate the te am at the Fort McMurray Airport Authority, led by CEO Scott Clements, for their hard work, guaranteeing quality service to thousands of passengers. This bold, forward-thinking collaboration will elevate the quality of life for residents in the region.

Thank you. head: Notices of Motions The Speaker: The hon. deputy House leader for the Official Opposition. Mr. Saskiw: Yes. I have the requisite copies for the Standing Order 15(2) point of privilege, and I will distribute that to the pages. The Speaker: Thank you. head: Introduction of Bills The Speaker: The hon. Associate Minister of Wellness. Bill 33 Tobacco Reduction Amendment Act, 2013 Mr. Rodney: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I request leave to introduce Bill 33, Tobacco Reduction Amendment Act, 2013.

The amendments include prohibiting the furnishing of tobacco products to minors, prohibiting the smoking of tobaccolike products for water pipes in public, prohibiting smoking in cars with children present, legislating a minimum number of products per package for certain tobacco products, and consolidating existing tobacco legislation. These amendments, Mr. Speaker, will protect youth, will impro ve the health of Albertans, and will make Alberta a leader in tobacco control. Every Albertan, especially our youth, should be able to enjoy a life free of preventable tobacco-related disease and death.

It is indeed an honour for me to move first reading of Bill 33. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Motion carried; Bill 33 read a first time] The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice and Solicitor General. Bill 38 Statutes Amendment Act, 2013, No. 2 Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to request leave to introduce Bill 38, Statutes Amendment Act, 2013, No. 2. This being a money bill, His Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor, having been informed of the contents of this bill, recommends the same to the Assembly. This bill makes minor amendments to update several pieces of legislation, Mr.

Speaker, to ensure that Albertans continue to be well served. Making these amendments and modernizations will also help ensure that Alberta’s legislation is consistent and clear. This bill includes am endments to the Alberta Personal Property Bill of Rights Act, the Civil Enforcement Act, the Court of Appeal Act, the Court of Queen’s Bench Act, the Dower Act, the Family Law Act, the Fatal Accidents Act, the Judicature Act, the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act, the Police Act, the Provincial Court Act, the Recording of Evidence Act, and lastly, the Special Areas Act. Mr.

Speaker, many of the proposed amendments are required to ensure that each piece of legislation is accurate and up to date. While some of the amendments may simply catch up legislation

2838 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 that was already in practice, other amendments are proposed to increase efficiency. I’ll pass the requisite number of bills to the Clerk. Thank you. [Motion carried; Bill 38 read a first time] The Speaker: Hon. members, the Deputy Government House Leader’s eye has caught my attention. Given that it’s 3 o’clock, did you wish to ask for something at this point? Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to ask unanimous consent of the Assembly to waive rule 7(7).

The Speaker: Hon. members, unanimous consent is being requested so that we might complete the Routine under the standing order cited. [Unanimous consent granted] 3:00 head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: I believe the hon. associate minister for persons with disabilities has a tabling or two or three. Okay. Please proceed. Mr. Oberle: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I rise, and it’s an honour to rise. You will realize from my comments yesterday on Bill 41 that the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities is an organization that I hold very near and dear to my heart.

I work closely with them and, with their expanded and rejuvenated mandate, will do so even more closely in the comin g year. I’m very pleased to rise today to table the requisite number of copies of their annual report. In addition, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Member for Edmonton- Rutherford, the hon. Minister of Health, I’m pleased to rise today and table the requisite number of copies of the annual report of the College of Physicians & Surgeons.

The report helps to highlight the great work the college is doing to enhance the health and well - being of Albertans across our province, and for this, on behalf of the hon. minister, I extend the Legislature’s sincerest thanks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. President of Treasury Board, followed by the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Mr. Horner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am pleased to table the r equired number of copies of the second annual results - based budgeting report to Albertans. This is a report on progress that we’ve made.

The report lists key findings and recommend - ations that came out of the review of over 150 programs and services in cycle 1. Earlier this year we announced that the process would be accelerated to complete all three cycles in less than three years. Many of the recommendations in this report have begun to be implemented, including decisions made in Budget 2013. Others will require further approval by government and will be reflected in Budget 2014 and beyond. Cycle 2 reviews are under way and nearing completion by the end of this year.

Cycle 3 will begin in February 2014, with final reports due in November of 2014. Once all three cycles are complete, every one of the government’s programs and services will have been examined to find deficiencies, identify areas of improvement, and ensure that we are delivering results. Then we’ll do it all over again, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Ms Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to table the requisite copies of the page where the Alberta emergency plan ought to be, with the key points of what that plan ought to include and the note that “the plan is currently being updated with an expected release in late 2012.” Anyone who is interested in receiving this will have to go to the tabling because – I’ll compli- ment the minister; it only took two days of questioning for his staff to finally update the website – it’s no longer available on the website, but it will be available through the library. Thank you. The Speaker: Hon.

Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities, did you have a third tabling? No? Thank you. Let us go on to the Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation, followed by Edmonton-Calder. Dr. Starke: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to table the requisite number of copies of two documents, the first being the annual report of the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation, and that annual report was submitted October 15, 2013. My second tabling, Mr. Speaker, is the 2012 annual report of Travel Alberta, and it’s dated October 28, 2013.

We just learned, actually today, that Travel Alberta has been named one of the top 50 small and medium -sized employers in Canada by Profit Gu ide magazine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder – did you have a tabling as well? – followed by Lac La Biche-St. Paul -Two Hills. Mr. Bilous: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll do the tabling in the Member for Edmonton-Calder’s stead, with your approval. The Speaker: Please proceed. Mr.

Bilous: Today I’m tabling a poster promoting a tribute concert for the late James Nishima, a veteran concert promoter and DJ from Lethbridge, who passed away this August. Better known by his stage name, DJ Booda, James was a trailblazer in southern Alberta’s music scene. Through his tenacity he brought renowned hip hop and rock acts like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube to Lethbridge, putting his town on the international urban music map. In recognition of his contribution to Alberta’s music culture I’m tabling this promotional poster for a benefit show for James’s family to be held on November 8. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul -Two Hills, followed by Lacombe-Ponoka. Mr. Saskiw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the requisite copies of a document, dated November 6, which is the tweet from a reporter with respect to the injection of $50 million into the advanced education budget. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lacombe-Ponoka. Mr. Fox: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have seven tablings today. The first one is the reference material that was compiled by Captain Craig Paterson on the Battle of Ortona.

The next six are e-mails that I received in my office in regard to the conditions of the highways in central Alberta just after the recent snowfall and how the maintenance on the highways was not done during that snowfall.

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2839 The first is from Ms Gail Estell about highway 12 between Lacombe and Stettler. The next one is from Vicky Peterson on highways 50 and 12 and around the Alix area. The next one came to my website from Brenda Snopek on the recent snowfall on highway 12 around Lacombe. The next one is from Mr. Ken Oliphant on highways 12 and 2A between Lacombe and Red Deer. The next one is from Lea Redekopp on highway 12 between Clive and Lacombe. The last one is an update from Vicky Peterson on the bad highway conditions as they persisted beyond Sunday and Monday.

I would hope that the Minister of Transportation reads these tablings and takes action with the company that was contracted to do the maintenance. The Speaker: Thank you. Are there others? No. Permit me to do two tablings quickly, Mr. Clerk. The first tabling is with respect to a report I’ve just received. It is pursuant to

section 63(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act,

section 95(1) of th e Health Information Act, and

section 44(1) of the Personal In formation Protection Act. In tabling these items with the Assembly, I have the requisite number of copies here of the annual report of the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta for the period April 1, 2012, through March 31, 2013. I have one additional tabling, and that is for early consideration. In that respect, I have a letter I wish to table with you dated November 5, 2013, from the Member for Calgary-Currie request- ing that Bill 206 be given early consideration to proceed directly to third reading when it passes Committee of the Whole.

Hon. members, I note that this bill has not yet been reported out of Committee of the Whole, and there are still 68 minutes remain- ing for that consideration. If this bill does complete consideration successfully at Committee of the Whole on Monday, November 18, it is the chair’s view that in order for this bill to proceed to third reading, I would suggest that unanimous consent of the House be required so as to not unduly prejudice other members in the progress of their private members’ bills. I may have more to say on this come Monday, November 18, but let that stand as an advisory for the moment. Hon.

Member for Edmonton-Centre, you have a tabling? Ms Blakeman: I do, sir. I apologize. I couldn’t catch your eye previously. I have two tablings. The first is a tabling with informa- tion back to me in response to my request of the Alberta Wilderness Association around their comments on Bill 31, to establish AEMERA, and I with permission table this. Secondly, an additional report from the fabulous Edmonton- Centre constituency office, directed towards you, Mr. Speaker, and the House. This is a report on form letters that I’ve received from individuals who are concerned with cuts to the universities.

They are from Michael Chevalier, Jim Franks, Robin Willey, and Bernardo Avila Pires. They have a number of concerns with the cuts to postsecondary education in the 2013 budget. Thank you. head: Tablings to the Clerk The Clerk: I wish to advise the House that the following documents were deposited with the office of the Clerk: on behalf of the hon. Mr. Horne, Minister of Health, responses to written questions 14, 15, 26, and 27, as ked for by Dr. Swann on March 18, 2013.

Written Question 14: “As of March 31, 2012, what proportion of continuing care beds were provided by Alberta Health Services, not-for-profit agencies, and for-profit agencies respectively?” Written Question 15: “How many community treatment orders were issued under

section 9.1 of the Mental Health Act between January 1, 2010, and March 31, 2012? 3:10 Written Question 26: “For each of the fiscal years 2009-2010 to 2011-2012, what was the average health care funding per resident per day for long-term care, and what was the average health care funding per resident per day for designated supportive living for 2011-2012?” Written Question 27: “As of March 31, 2010, March 31, 2011, and March 31, 2012, what were th e total number of acute-care hospital beds in Alberta that were unoccupied due to limited availability of operational funding?” On behalf of the hon. Mr.

Drysda le, Minister of Infrastructure, return to order of the Assembly MR 4, asked for by Mr. Hehr on March 18, 2013, copies of all communications between Alberta school boards and the Ministry of Infrastructure regarding com- plaints concerning P3 school design. On behalf of hon. Mr. Johnson, Minister of Education, school jurisdictions’ audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2012, sections 1, 2, and 3. The Speaker: Hon. members, we have one point of order, one point of clarification, and a point of privilege. We’ll deal with them in that order. Hon. Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills.

Point of Order Parliamentary Language Mr. Saskiw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise according to Standing Order 23(h), (i), and (j). What occurred in this question period is that in response to a question fro m the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Premier herself used the word “deceitful” in describing the Leader of the Official Opposition. I won’t belabour the exchange. It was a very passionate exchange, but of course in this Chamber, despite passions ar ising and very spirited debates, one has to maintain control of the language one uses, particularly, I believe, as the Premier of this pr ovince.

You’re held to a higher standard. I’d like to refer the Speaker to page 144 of Beauchesne’s, sixth edition, paragraph 489. This states which words have been ruled to constitute unparliamentary langua ge. In there, at the bottom of the page, you will see the word “deceive,” and that’s from the Debates, March 22, 1977. If you follow along there, the word “deceived” is also included as unparliamentary language. If one looks up the definition of deceitfu l, it says: given to cheating or deceiving, deliberately misleading, deceptive, and the synonym is dishonest.

Those statements al so have been ruled to be unparliamentary, Mr. Speaker. This is the clearest of cases on a point of order. The language that the Premier used is specifically outlined in here. Now, I know that there’s often wiggle room if one looks at the way the person said it or how it was espoused. This was not the case. She deliberately said this. She did not take it back in her statement whatsoever. Mr.

Speaker, I’m going to suggest that in this instance, particularly with the Premier, the leader of our province, she has to be held to a high standard or, at least, the basic standard of a Member of this Legislative Asse mbly. I’m going to suggest that

2840 Alberta Hansard November 7, 2013 because of that, because of the clear precedent in this case, this is a no-brainer. This is not a close call. There should be no clarifica - tion. There should be an absolute apology and withdrawal of that remark. I’m going to suggest that this is a litmus statement. If this is not a point of order that requires a member to withdraw a statement, I’m going to suggest that there should never be a point of order in this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Deputy Premier. Mr. Lukaszuk: Thank you.

I always enjoy it when members find the courage to challenge the Speaker, but I always caution: do it at your own peril. Mr.

Speaker, what the Premier was referring to was the Leader of the Official Opposition’s conduct outside of this House and her interaction with constituents and stakeholders and her practice, not just on one occasion, that she engages in actually quite frequently, of providing them with information that is not exactly reflective of what is happening or what the government is doing or what the government’s intentions are and leading them to a conclusion which would definitely not be a correct one. Mr.

Speaker, the Premier did not make any comments about the statements of the Leader of the Official Opposition here in the Chamber, but she clearly was saying that when that member goes outside and deals with Albertans, she provides them with information so selective, so misl eading that they end up drawing conclusions that are not reflective of what actually is happening in government or in the province, particularly in matters of, literally, life and death, as we’re dealing with the flood and the remedies after the flood, restoring Albertans’ lives to order. What I will do, Mr.

Speaker, because I know this member is working hard to earn his additional $8,000, is withdraw on behalf of our Premier the word “deceitful” and replace it with “misleading.” The Speaker: Hon. members, let me cut this off here, please. I think we understand the intention that is being sought here. Let me just take you back in the history of the proceedings today. It’s best we have them. We did have a fairly testy exchange between the Leader of the Offi cial Opposition and the Premier, and it did get personal, unfortunately, from both perspectives, in my view. Let me read you what occurred.

The Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition stood at approximately 2:01 p.m. this afternoon and said: Mr. Speaker, this Premier wasn’t up to her knees in water sandbagging at her local hospital, this Premier wasn’t going door to door in her neighbourhood rescuing pets, and this Premier did not have to talk to parents wondering why they were loaded up on school buses af ter a local emergency had been called into effect. This is my riding, these are my constituents, and this answer doesn’t cut it. Albertans demand answers. To the Premier: answer the question.

When will the government release the Alberta emergency plan? At that point the Premier rose and said, “Mr. Speaker, that was a disgusting display.” The Member for Airdrie then rose and said, “Point of order.” The Premier started to go on and say, “There are people across southern Alberta . . .” Then I rose and interrupted the Premier and indicated that we should avoid any personal attacks in the questions and answers, please, and that I hesitated to interrupt and so on. In that particular exchange at the time that the point of order was raised, the word “deceit” does not appear in the Blues.

However, I do believe that I heard the word “deceit” or “deceiving” or “deceitful” or something rooted in that word used either earl ier or shortly thereafter, and I want to make a comment on that point if you’ll indulge me for a moment. The hon. Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul -Two Hills is quite correct in having cited Beauchesne’s, sixth edition, 489, where the word “deceive” and derivatives thereto are listed as having been ruled unparliamentary. However, if you flip over to Beauchesne’s 490, the next page, it says that the word “deceive” has been ruled parliamentary.

So it depends on tone, timbre, context, and so on, and I will rev iew those Blues. However, suffice it to say that sufficient clarification has been made in that respect. I want to comment, finally, on what it is that gives rise to these matters taking up so much of our time, frankly, ever since our 28th Legislature sta rted, back in May or June of last year. I will cite for you, again, House of Commons Procedure and Practice , second edition, 2009. It’s one of my favourite books, truly, because it lays out very clearly items such as the one before us.

If you need a copy of this, please talk to your caucuses, get a copy, and refresh your memory on things like unparliamentary language, which is the subject of the point of order, as referenced on page 618. It says: The proceedings of the House are based on a long -standing tradition of respect for the integrity of all Members. Thus, the use of offensive, provocative or threatening language in the House is strictly forbidden. Personal attacks, insults and obscenities are not in order. It goes on, and I won’t read all of it for you because I have done that for your pleasure on a few occasions before.

But what it does do is that it sets up our own standing orders, Standing Order 23(h), (i), and (j), for example, wherein we say:

(23) A Member will be called to order by the Speaker if, in the Speaker’s opinion, that Member . . . (

h) makes allegations against another Member; (

i) imputes false or unavowed motives to another Member; (

j) uses abusive or insulting language of a nature likely to create disorder. And it goes on. 3:20 The p oint of the exercise here, ladies and gentlemen, good, honest members, is that any time and every time you get personal in this House, you’re going to have that kind of a reaction from someone.

Whether it’s from the government side to the opposition side o r the opposition side to the government members’ side, you’re going to get it every time, which is why I have risen on numerous occasions to ask you to please elevate your debate, elevate your questions, elevate your answers to the highest level of decorum possible. Do not focus on personalities. Do not focus on persons per se. Focus on policy. Focus on issues. Focus on services. Focus on programs. That is what holding the government to account is all about.

Hon. members on the government side, in responding, in retorting, try to observe the same respect in return. I’ll tell you what happens in this House, hon. members, every time. You get as good as you give and vice versa. If you’re going to continue with this vein of personal shots one way and the other, I suspect you’re going to continue to hear more from me in that respect, to the point where I’m not sure what we will accomplish at the end of the day on any given day. So please be reminded. That’s the clarification on that particular point. We’ve heard from both sides. We know what’s intended.

I hope you will take to heart the words I’ve just read to you again and again.

November 7, 2013 Alberta Hansard 2841 Point of Order Clarification The Speaker: Let us move on to a point of clarification. Before we hear what the matter is, I want to clarify something on my own, which might help. At approximately 2:21 p.m. this afternoon I stood again, and I said, “Hon. members, when I asked you to please keep your

preambles little or nonexistent whatsoever, I should’ve clarified that brief retorts such as we just heard ahead of a supplementary are also a form of supplementary,” and I meant to say, “are also a form of

preamble.” * That was the clarification I wished to make. Then I go on and say: please, no questions; no interjections. Even as I was speakin g those words, I confess that I was being interjected upon and lost my train of thought momen- tarily. I’ll do what I can to try and maintain that train of thought better when we come back in a week and a half. Thank you. Hon. Member for Lac La Biche- St. Paul-Two Hills, you had a point of clarification as well. Mr. Saskiw: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really do appreciate the withdrawal that the Deputy Premier put forward. With respect to the clarification, the clarification is on

preambles. I know that there is precedent in Beauchesne’s that talks about the fact that supplemental questions often require no

preambles, but I would suggest that if you look at other jurisdictions in this country, other provinces in Canada,

preambles are often used. That quick retort is used. We have a time limit. It’s 35 seconds. You know, we’d like to know whether the quick retort is allowed. It’s seemingly allowed in other jurisdictions, all but Alberta. The Speaker: Hon. members, does anyone from this side wish to entertain this as well? Let me just make the clarification since it was addressed to me. It’s a very good question. In fact, I discussed this matter with our table officers this morning, prior to coming in here. I’ve been doing my review, as I do every night, of how proceedings went, both in the afternoon and the evening.

I always make notes. This won’t make a lot of sense to you, but, as you can see, I do make notes of everything that you do, that you say, the interruptions you make, the comments I make, an d then I review them at night. On many occasions I watch the full nine yards, as it were, on the replayed televised aspect. I’ve noted a lot of things over the time.

The local guideline that we have – it’s not so much a rule, but it’s a guideline – amongst the Government House Leader and deputy House leaders and the opposition House leaders and their deputies is to allow 35 seconds for a question, be it a main question or be it the two supplemental questions. Equally so, it’s the guideline that minis ters responding on behalf of the Crown have 35 seconds as well. But it also says very clearly that supplemental questions should not be preceded with a

preamble. I mentioned these words, “should not,” last year. I’ll bet I mentioned them five, six, seven, eight, 10 times because “should not” is one of those grey areas. Hon. Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul -Two Hills, you make a very valid point, and I’m going to throw it back to the people who created the guideline to see if we can just tighten that up somehow so that it’s more clearly enunciated and at the same time take a look at the 35-second rule. Today we left at least five or six members at the altar who had questions they would have liked to ask.

If we coul d tighten up the questions and the answers, we could allow more members to get up. It’s just pure mathematical sense. Now, with respect to

preambles I have two comments to make here. First of all, I did say very clearly on several occasions that after the first five question spots we ought not engage in any

preambles to supplementaries so that more people could get up. That would be adhering to the rule of “should not.” I’m perfectly willing to give the leeway, as I have done, to the first five question spots because there is a little cut and thrust that has to go on here, and sometimes opposition leaders wish to take that liberty, and frankly I would like to see that continued. I could just as easily short-circuit that as well, which I would like not to do. With respect to retorts, this is the discussion I had with table officers this morning because I watched, I looked, and I recorded.

I heard a retort from Chestermere-Rocky View today to his first supplementary, something to do with furniture. I heard re torts today from the Member for Calgary -Shaw in both his first and second ones. I’m sure I heard some over here as well from some of the government members, but typically government members don’t do that kind of retorting because they’re answering ques - tions, at least the members of the Crown are. Nonetheless, the rules apply equally to all of you.

I bear no malice towards the names of constituent represen - tatives that I just mentioned, but we do need to clarify whether or not we’re going to allow these re torts. The Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills is quite right. Different jurisdictions have different ways of doing this. You should also know that different jurisdictions don’t have a 50-minute question period at all. Some have just several minutes of questions. That’s all. They don’t go on for nearly an hour, like we do. So there are things to weigh out on both sides of the equation.

Nonetheless, the retorts: I would really appreciate it if you would please consider them to be a form of

preamble an d not use them. They just take up time, and then inevitably it baits someone into something. I understand the game. I fully understand the game in this House. There are games that sometimes get played, unfortunately, on both sides. If we could just remember those points of admonition, I would really be grateful to you, and I’ll bet you would be much better in your feelings as well. Let us move on, then, to the point of privilege. Mr. Saskiw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s some fascinating reading you have at night. Privilege Obstructing a Member in Performance of Duty Mr.

Saskiw: Last week I stood in this Chamber on a point of privilege, which can be found on page 2528 of the Alberta Hansard from October 29, 2013. Today I stand on a similar point of privilege, where I submit that the government has acted in contempt of parliament and therefore has prevented me and my colleagues of the Legislative Assembly from properly doing our jobs. Yesterday morning select reporters were given paper c