Bill 211 — Second Session, 20Th Legislature, 33 Elizabeth Ii the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Bill 211 Alberta Economic Council Act (Legislature 20, Session 2)
L20 S2 3577
Alberta — Bills
1984 BILL 211 Second Session, 20th Legislature, 33 Elizabeth II THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA BILL 211 ALBERTA ECONOMIC COUNCIL ACT MR. NOTLEY First Reading Second Reading Committee of the Whole Third Reading Royal Assent
BiU 211 Mr. Notley
Definitions BILL 211 1984 ALBERTA ECONOMIC COUNCIL ACT (Assented to , 1984)
WHEREAS the efficient husbanding and management of the resources of Alberta, material and human, is an essential prerequisite to the long-term growth and prosperity ofthe Province and her people; and
WHEREAS the process of determining the most efficient and effec tive means of pursuing such husbanding and management can be best undertaken in a spirit of dispassionate and impartial inquiry and reflection based on the accumulated experience and wisdom of the people of Alberta; and
WHEREAS it is therefore prudent to establish a mechanism for the gathering and articulation of the accumulated experience and wis dom, and to provide for the bringing to bear of the results of those deliberations on public policy; THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows: 1 In this Act, (a) "Alberta Development Fund" means the Alberta Devel opment Fund established pursuant to
section 2 of the Alberta Development Fund Act; (b) "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Council elected pursuant to
section 4; (c) "Council" means the Alberta Economic Council estab lished pursuant to
section 2; (d) "member" means a member of the Council appointed pursuant to
section 3; (e) "Minister" means the Minister of Economic Develop ment. 1
Alberta Economic Council 2 There is hereby established a council to be known as the' 'Alberta Economic Council". Membership 2(1) Thc Councll shall consist of 30 members.
(2) The members of the Council shall be appointed by the Lieu tenant Govemor in Council and, in making appointments under this section, the Lieuteuant Govemor in Council may solicit recom mendations from groups representing different sectors of the popu lation and shall give due consideration to their recommendations.
(3) Each member of the Council appointed pursuant to subsection (2) shall serve as a member of the Council for a term of 2 years.
(4) No member of the Council may be re-appointed as a member of the Council more than twice. Chairman 4(j) ^j jjjg fl^gj mccting of thc Councll, and once every 2 years thereafter, the members shall elect from among themselves 1 member to serve as Chairman of the Council.
(2) The member elected as Chairman shall serve as Chairman for a term of 2 years.
(3) No member elected as Chairman pursuant to subsection (1) or subsection (4) shall be eligible to be re-elected as Chairman more than twice.
(4) If the position of Chairman of the Council becomes vacant between the normal times set for the election of the Chairman pur suant to subsection (1), the members shall elect from among them selves, at the first opportunity, a member to serve as Chairman of the Council for the time remaining of the vacated term.
(5) If a member elected as Chairman pursuant to subsection (1) or subsection (4) ceases to be a member of the Council during the course of his term as Chairman, then he thereupon ceases to be Chairman of the Council.
(6) If the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Council, then the members of the Council may elect from among themselves an Acting Chairman who shall serve as Chairman for that meeting only.
(7) The Chairman shall, (
a) recommend to the Council the names of persons to be appointed to the Secretariat of the Council; (
b) chair all meetings of the Council; (
c) pursuant to
section 10, call meetings of the Council;
(
d) perform such other duties as may be ordered by the Lieu tenant Govemor in Council. 5( 1) Upon the recommendation of the Chairman, the Council shall appoint not more than 5 and not less than 3 people to comprise the Secretariat of the Council.
(2) Of the people appointed to the Secretariat pursuant to subsec tion (1), the Council shall appoint (a) 1 as President; (b) 1 as Vice-President, Administration; (c) 1 as Vice-President, Research and Policy.
(3) The Council may charge any members of the Secretariat, not appointed to a specific position pursuant to subsection (2), with such duties as the Council may deem fit.
(4) The President appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(a) (
a) shall be responsible for the good management of the affairs of the Council; (
b) may, at the invitation of the Council, make recommend ations for specific projects to be undertaken by the Council, consistent with the duties of the Council set out in this Act.
(5) The Vice-President, Administration appointed pursuant to sub section (2)(b) (
a) shall be responsible for the administration of the work and staff of the Council; (
b) shall report to the President.
(6) The Vice-President, Research and Policy appointed pursuant to
section 2(c) (
a) shall be responsible for ensuring that all research, reports or other undertakings entered into at the direction of the Council are properly conducted and concluded; (
b) shall report to the President.
(7) The Secretariat may, subject to approval by the Council (
a) appoint such employees as are necessary for the proper conduct of the work of the Council; (
b) prescribe the duties of such employees and, subject to the approval of the Provincial Treasurer, prescribe the conditions of their employment.
Dulies of Council 6( 1) It shall be the duty of the Council to advise and recommend to the Minister strategies and policies by which Alberta can achieve the highest possible levels of employment and efficient production to bring about a high and consistent rate of economic growth by which all Albertans may share in rising living standards.
(2) In particular, it shall be the duty of the Council: (
a) to assess regularly, on a systematic and comprehensive basis, the medium-term and long-term prospects ofthe economy, and to compare the prospects with the potentialities of growth, strengthening and diversification of the provincial economy; (
b) to recommend what govemment policies, in the opinion of the Council, will best help to realise the potentialities of growth, strengthening and diversification ofthe provincial econ omy; (
c) to consider means of strengthening and improving Alberta's extra-provincial financial trade position; (
d) to study means of decreasing foreign participation in the ownership, control and management of economic enterprises in Alberta; (
e) to study how economic growth, technological change and other factors may affect employment and income in Alberta as a whole, in particular areas of Alberta, and in particular sectors of the provincial economy; (
f) to study and recommend to the Minister specific plans for production and investment in economic enterprises in Alberta that will best contribute to a high and consistent rate of economic growth, and govemment policies that would best foster those plans; (
g) to study and make recommendations to the Minister with regard to how provincial economic policies can best foster the balanced economic development of all areas of Alberta; (
h) to investigate and evaluate particular projects of major significance for the expansion of economic activities in Alberta, whether or not such projects may involve direct governmental participation, and to make recommendations to the Minister con ceming those projects that in the opinion of the Council will contribute to the growth, strengthening or diversification ofthe provincial economy.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Council to prepare an annual eval uation of the Alberta Development Fund, which shall include (
a) an assessment of the degree to which the operations of Division I: Debt Investment have contributed to
Further duties of the Council (
i) the ability of individual Albertans to better their stand ard of living, and (ii) the ability of other Canadian jurisdictions to meet their own goals; (
b) an assessment of the degree to which the operations of Division II: Equity Investment have contributed to the strength ening and diversification of the Alberta economy; (
c) recommendations with regard to how the Development Fund may be better employed to meet the objects set for it under the Alberta Development Fund Act.
(3) The Council shall forward the annual evaluation of the Alberta Development Fund prepared pursuant to subsection (2) to (
a) the Minister; (
b) every member of the Legislative Assembly; (
c) any other person who, in accordance with the regulations, has requested a copy of the annual evaluation. 7 The Council may, (
a) conduct social or economic studies in any area considered by the Council to be of concem; (
b) cause to be published such studies and reports as are prepared by or for the Council; (
c) co-operate and maintain liaison with the Economic Council of Canada and bodies in other jursidictions corresponding to the Council; (
d) conduct public hearings into any matter or subject as it may deem necessary for the proper discharge of its duties under this
section or under
section 6; (
e) conduct seminars and conferences for the purpose of cre ating an awareness and public understanding of provincial social and economic issues; (
f) create such committees as it considers desirable for the proper discharging of its duties; (
g) undertake such other duties as are assigned to it by the Lieutenant Govemor in Council.
Technical and special advisers Salaries and expenses 8 On the recommendation of the Secretariat, the Council may engage, on a temporary basis or for any period of not more than 2 years, the services of persons having technical or specialized knowl edge of any matter relating to the work of the Council in the per formance of its duties under this Act, and with the approval of the Provincial Treasurer may fix and pay the remuneration of such per sons providing that money has been appropriated to that purpose by the Legislature. 9(1) The Chairman of the Council and each of the members of the Secretariat shall be paid such salaries and expenses as are fixed by the Lieutenant Govemor in Council.
(2) The Chairman and members of the Secretariat shall devote the whole of their working time to the performance of their duties under this Act.
(3) The members of the Council, other than the Chairman and the members of the Secretariat, shall serve without remuneration, but are entitled to be paid reasonable travelling and living expenses while absent from their ordinary place of residence in the course of their duties.
(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), a member of the Council other than the Chairman may, for a period during which he performs, with the approval of the Council, any duties on behalf of the Council in addition to his ordinary duties as a member of the Council, be paid such remuneration therefor as may be authorized by the Lieutenant Govemor in Council.
(5) The payments provided for in this
section shall be conditional upon money having been appropriated to that purpose by the Leg islature. Meetings of the '|0( 1) Thc Couucll shall meet not less than 6 times in every cal-Council endar year and at least once every 90 days.
(2) The Council may meet in such places and at such times as it deems fit. (3) 20 members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of a meeting.
(4) Any questions put during the course of a meeting of the Council shall be decided by simple majority of the members present and voting. 11 One or more vacancies in the membership of the Council does not impair the right of the remainder to act. 12(1) The Council may contract and sue and be sued in its own name. Vacancy Power 10 contract and sue
(2) The members of the Council are not personally liable upon any contract made by the Council. SI " °^ ^ ^ ^^^ expenses incurred by the Council in carrying out its objec tives and duties shall be paid out of money appropriated to that purpose by the Legislature. Regulations 14 xhc Licutcnant Govemor in Council may make regulations (
a) goveming the procedure to be followed, and fee to be paid, if any, by any person requesting a copy of the annual evaluation of the Alberta Development Fund prepared by the Council pursuant to
section 6(3), but no such fee shall exceed $5; (
b) establishing salaries and expenses to be paid to (
i) the Chairman of the Council, and (ii) the members of the Secretariat; (
c) providing for the payment to members of the Council of legitimate expenses incurred by the members during the dis charge of their normal duties as members; (
d) establishing the rates of remuneration to be paid to mem bers of the Council who perform additional duties for the Council pursuant to