Alberta Hansard — 19 March 1992, Afternoon sitting (15:00) (Legislature 22, Session 4)

19920319

Alberta — Debates (Hansard)

March 19, 1992 Alberta Hansard 1 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Thursday, March 19, 1992 3:00 p.m. Date: 92/03/19 SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Order! All rise, please. [The Clerk read the Royal Proclamation dated February 27, 1992, summoning the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to convene on this date] CLERK: Please be seated. SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Order, order! Mr. Speaker. [Mr. Speaker in the Chair] head: Prayers MR. SPEAKER: Let us pray. The prayer we use is the one that has been used at the Mother of Parliaments at Westminster since the year 1659.

We, Thine unworthy servants here gathered together in Thy name, do humbly beseech Thee to send down Thy heavenly wisdom from above to direct and guide us in all our consider- ations. Amen. Please be seated. head: Entrance of the Lieutenant Governor [The Premier, the Clerk, and the Sergeant-at-Arms left the Chamber to attend the Lieutenant Governor] [The Mace was draped] [The Sergeant-at-Arms knocked on the main doors of the Chamber three times. The Associate Sergeant-at-Arms opened the door, and the Sergeant-at-Arms entered] SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Ladies and gentlemen, all rise, please. Mr.

Speaker, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor is without. MR. SPEAKER: Sergeant-at-Arms, admit His Honour the Lieutenant Governor. [A fanfare of trumpets sounded] [Preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Their Honours the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Gordon Towers, and Mrs. Towers, their party, and the Premier entered the Chamber. His Honour took his place upon the Throne] head: Speech from the Throne HIS HONOUR: Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly: It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Fourth Session of the 22nd Legislature of the province of Alberta.

On behalf of my government I wish to encourage all Albertans to become involved in the celebration of Canada's 125th birthday. I am sure many of us remember the joy of our centennial and the feelings of kinship of the 1988 Winter Olympics. I urge Alber- tans to rekindle those feelings as we embark upon the next phase in our journey in nationhood together. My government, the people of Alberta, and all Canadians face enormous challenges in adapting to the new and ever changing realities our nation and our world offer us.

Governments cannot stop or control change, but together with the people we can have a major influence on our future. These new realities will find us confronting issues more complex than we have ever faced, but difficult problems also provide us with the opportunity for renewal so we can make our world a better place. As we address the new fiscal, economic, environmental, social, and constitutional realities together, my government and Albertans know that the role of government and the role of citizens will continue to change. Co-operation, listening, and consultation are required more than ever.

The instruments of democracy in Alberta and Canada are changing. My government and Albertans must ensure that our instituti ons and actions truly reflect our desires and values. My government stands for Albertans, Alberta, and Canada. My government will provide leader ship, instill confidence, and be loyal to the people it serves. I now outline the directions my government will take. The Economic and Fiscal Reality Stimulating the Alberta economy and jobs for Albertans must be our first priority.

My government has been listening to Albertans and must be candid and realistic about the economic conditions facing Albertans and Canadians. While our province is strong relative to the rest of Canada, Albertans have been hurt by the harsh Canadian recession. Alberta's economy is also being affected by reduced federal government support, increased federal taxation, growing demands on services, an inflated currency, and sharp drops in commodity prices. Confidence is low, and people are worried about their future.

Many Albertans face economic hardship, and my government must provide help at a time when provincial budget revenues have been seriously eroded. Tough choices must be made between fiscal restraint, stimulating our economy to provide jobs, and caring for the less fortunate. We have built a quality of life in Alberta that is among the best but also among the most costly in the world, and my government recognizes we must maintain that quality in education, health care, social services, environmental protection, and other such responsibilities.

By listening to the people, my government knows Albertans recognize that the resources of my government are limited and that they must have realistic expectations with respect to what a government can provide in a fiscally responsible manner. My government is determined to face difficult, longstanding pension problems. Solutions are difficult but necessary. Legisla- tion will be introduced to amend the local authorities, public service, public service manage ment, universities academic, and special forces pension plans.

The legislation will follow the release of proposals last July and extensive public consultations over the past year. Agreements with the public service and local authorities pension boards have already been reached. The legislation will establish full funding for future pension costs, retire existing unfunded liability of the plans, improve portability of benefits, and allow employers and employees a greater role in decisions regarding the plans. Members of this Assembly will be asked to increase contributions to their pension plan by 33 percent in order to ensure continued fairness and equity.

Alberta needs a strong economy to support our social programs and maintain our high quality of life. At the same time, my government realizes that it is our high quality of life that makes Alberta an attractive place to live and do business. While new 2 Alberta Hansard March 19, 1992 initiatives are needed to help Al bertans now, we must also build a vision for our future and chart a course towards continued prosperity. Working with business, labour, and community leaders throughout the province, my government has embarked upon a program entitled Toward 2000 Together to ensure our future economic strength.

The cornerstone of the program is listening to the people in order to create a partnership across all sectors to address our province's economic priorities. Toward 2000 Together will allow Albertans to decide their own economic future. My government also recognizes that co-operation between provinces and the federal government is important to our eco- nomic future. By dismantling interprovincial trade barriers and strengthening economic co-operation, my government will encourage the development of a more efficient economic union in Canada to create new business and employment opportunities for Albertans.

My government will listen to and work with Alberta's proces- sors and manufacturers, our farmers, our small businesses and entrepreneurs, and our investors and exporters in order to improve competitiveness. Through new market development initiatives for our agricultural and manufacturing sectors – new manufacturing assistance, looking for more opportunities to privatize government activities, and introducing entrepreneurial education programs – my government will continue to assist business in becoming more productive and diversified.

Recognizing how vital energy is to the health of our provincial economy, my government will continue to listen to and work with our industry in expanding natural gas sales outside Alberta and in conducting a review of our natural resource royalties. My government also recognizes the importance that advanced technology and research play in developing new industries and in helping existing industries be more efficient and competitive.

Through the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, the Alberta Research Council, the Family Life and Substance Abuse Foundation, Alberta Oil Sands Technol ogy and Research Authority, Farming for the Future, and other agencies and initiatives, my government will continue to support the develop- ment of world-class science and technology. Much of Alberta's economic prosperity depends upon interna- tional trade.

My government will work to ensure that Albertans are able to take full advantage of our many trading arrangements, including the free trade agreement, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, and a North American free trade agreement when it is successfully negotiated. My government will also pursue new trading relationships in Asia, the Middle East, South America, and eastern Europe in order to assist business in pursuing new markets for our province's goods and services.

Finally, my government will continue to enhance our international relationships through our foreign offices, trade missions, and our special relationships in Asia and eastern Europe. At the same time, Albertans tell my government and my government believes that business and individuals should not be subject to overregulation and that the private sector, not govern- ment, will determine our ultimate economic su ccess. My government also hears and believes that Albertans are ready to address the new economic realities and that our business sector will continue to prosper.

The Alberta countryside will be clean, vibrant, and productive. Alberta enterprise will continue to be strong and free. The Environmental Reality The environmental realities facing the world require continued commitment from my government and Albertans. In order to find solutions that will balance a strong, sustainable economy and a healthy environment, my government has conducted an extensive listening and consultation process over the past two years to develop new legislation.

This legislation, written by Albertans, should be concluded in this session and will be amongst the most comprehensive and progressive in the world. My government remains committed to assisting individual Albertans to be protectors of our environment. Alberta's waste management, recycling, and education programs have helped our citizens become more aware of their role in protecting and enhancing the environment, and my government will continue to implement and strengthen these programs. Alberta is on the leading edge in developing new environmental technologies and products.

My government will continue to encourage the development, use, and export of technologies and products to benefit Albertans and people around the world. My government recognizes that air, soil, and water do not respect provincial or national boundaries. My government will review the recommendations contained in the report of the Clean Air Strategy for Alberta Advisory Group and take action on implementation in this session. My government will continue, in co-operation with other governments, the private sector, and individual Albertans, to adopt a global approach in addressing the new environmental realities.

The Social Reality By listening to Albertans, my government knows our society is ever changing. The choices facing parents, children, students, the disabled, and seniors become more complex every day. Address- ing the social realities in Alberta requires co-operation from my government and Albertans. My government remains steadfast in its commitment to both maintaining those elements in our society we cherish while helping to influence social renewal. A key to Albertans' quality of life is our health.

My govern- ment believes the future of the health system must to the greatest possible extent be built on the principles of accessibility and universality, principles that Albertans cherish. At the same time, my government must ensure that these principles are implemented more effectively and that increased taxation and expenditure is not the simple solution to health care delivery. My government has consulted with Albertans to define a contemporary role for all sectors in health.

By developing a health research strategy, by implementing a technology assessment process, and by improving the health information system, my government will continue to streamline our health care system for the benefit of all Albertans now and in the future. Educating Albertans remains of primary importance to my government. With a comprehensive agenda for change, as reflected in the Vision for the Nineties document, my government will improve our education system through a greater emphasis on the achievement of results so as to ensure that Alberta students are prepared for the challenges of the next century.

By developing new career and science and technology programs, improving the level of service to students with special needs, developing new strategies for higher education, and renewing our commitment to the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund, my government will respond to the changing educational realities in this province. To respond to the social realities in Alberta, my government must continue to find innovative ways to balance increasing demands and limited resources. My government recognizes the contributions seniors have made and continue to make to our province.

Through a provincial conference on seniors and other initiatives, my government will March 19, 1992 Alberta Hansard 3 renew our commitment to provide for seniors a safe and produc- tive life-style while encouraging them to become fully participant in addressing today's challenges. The safety of Albertans remains a priority for my government. By implementing new traffic sa fety initiatives, workplace safety programs, and continuing an occupational health and safety heritage grant program, my government will encourage Albertans to live safer, healthier lives.

My government is determined to respond to changing needs. New access to information legislation will be introduced to ensure my government's policy of full disclosure of information is protected in law. My government's new plain language policies will make government services and procedures more accessible and more understandable to Albertans. The strength of Alberta society rests on its family-based foundation and in the diversity of our backgrounds.

In addressing the new social realities, my government will continue to assist new immigrants to Alberta in adapting to and contributing to life in our beautiful province. My government will also continue to strengthen the family in Alberta by protecting children in and out of the home, implement- ing new initiatives to prevent family violence, enhancing the cultural and recreational opportunities, and responding to the special concerns of Alberta's aboriginal peoples.

Together, my government and the people of Alberta will face the new social realities and, in so doing, provide a better quality of life and greater opportunity to present and future generations. The Constitutional Reality Albertans and Canadians are facing the most fundamental review of our Constitution since our country was founded. During the Third Session of this Legislature, the Legislature proposed the establishment of a Select Special Committee on Constitutional Reform to listen to Albertans and develop a proposal for Alberta in a new Canada.

The committee has completed its work and has issued its report to this Assembly and Albertans for consideration. The public consultation process the committee embarked upon was the most extensive in our prov- ince's history. My government will not introduce a constitutional amendment to this Assembly without again consulting Albertans. My government will propose legislation in this session that will provide a mechanism to fulfill this commitment.

Throughout the upcoming months, crucial months for the future of our nation, my government will continue to promote the ideals Albertans have expressed to us – unity, equality, and respect – in addressing the constitutional realities in Canada. In the course of the committee's hearings, many recommenda- tions were made with respect to improving the functioning of this Legislature and making it more responsive to the needs and values of Albertans.

My government will propose that a select special committee of the Legislature be established to review how these measures and other reforms might be adopted within the context of our parliamentary system and traditions. My government remains committed, through this Assembly, to assisting Albertans to prosper amidst the new realities and actions I have outlined today.

In addition, during this session my government will • conclude the environmental protection and enhancement Act, • implement new economic development initiatives to provide opportunities across many economic sectors, • implement recommendations from the report of the Task Force on the Criminal Justice System, • implement a new natural resources management policy, • amend the Election Act, • introduce a new Municipal Government Act that will serve as a model for the 21st century, • implement recommendations from the family and community support services program, • implement plain language policies, • proclaim the Landlord and Tenant Act, • amend the School Act, • introduce legislation to promote greater energy efficiency, • amend the highway traffic and motor transport Acts to enhance traffic safety, and • introduce other legislation, programs, and fiscal measures for consideration and deliberation in this Assembly.

My government is continually seeking to strengthen its working relationship with Albertans. It is essential in order to deal with the realities outlined today. These are not easy times for people or governments. The complex nature of problems brought on by rapid change challenges and tests us daily. Many events are beyond our ability to control, and only by a dedication to listening to each other and working together can we build a partnership that can successfully influence our future. We must be creative together as we move towards the 21st century.

Recognizing these challenging times and difficult choices is a major stride towards addressing them. My government believes that if Albertans are made fully aware of the nature of the challenges before them, they have the capacity and strength to deal with them in effective and creative ways as they continue to reach for the magnificent potential Alberta and Canada promise. In due course you will be presented with budget estimates. Y ou will be asked to authorize the necessary funds for operating services and expenditures and to endorse a program of capital financing for the government of Alberta.

Y ou represent a beautiful province of strength, hope, and promise. And I now leave you to the business of this session, confident that as elected representatives you will in every way fulfill your responsibilities to Albertans. Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, I pray that the blessing of God may rest upon your deliberations. God bless Alberta. God bless Canada. God save the Queen. SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise, please. [Preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Their H onours, their party, and the Premier left the Chamber as a fanfare of trumpets sounded] [Mr.

Speaker took his pl ace in the Chair, and the Mace was uncovered] MR. SPEAKER: Please be seated. head: Introduction of Bills Bill 1 Constitutional Referendum Act MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, I request leave to introduce Bill 1, the Constitutional Referendum Act. 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 this Assembly. Mr.

Speaker, this Bill fulfills my commitment, my government's commitment, contained again in the Speech from the Throne 4 Alberta Hansard March 19, 1992 today, that there will be no Al berta agreement on constitutional change without the people whose Constitution it is being asked for their assessment. Before any resolution to amend the Constitution of Canada can be passed by this Assembly, a referendum must be held, and it will be binding upon this government to implement the results of that referendum. [Leave granted; Bill 1 read a first time] head: Tablings MR.

SPEAKER: Hon. members, I have the honour to table a copy of the speech graciously given by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor. head: Motions MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, I move that the speech of His Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor to this Assembly be taken into consideration tomorrow. [Motion carried] MR. ELZINGA: Mr. Speaker, I move that the Votes and Proceedings of this Assembly be printed, after first having been perused by Mr. Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing thereof and that no person but such as he shall appoint do presume to print the same. [Motion carried] MS McCOY: Mr.

Speaker, I move that select standing commit- tees for the present session of the Legislative Assembly be appointed for the following purposes, of which there are seven: 1. Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing, 2. Public Accounts, 3. Private Bills, 4. Law and Regulations, 5. Public Affairs, 6. the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act, and 7. Legislative Offices. [Motion carried] DR. WEST: Mr.

Speaker, I move that a special committee be appointed, consisting of seven members hereinafter named, the said committee to prepare and report with all convenient speed lists of members to act on the select standing committees ordered by this Assembly: Mr. Day, chairman; Mr. Evans; Ms Calahasen; Dr. Elliott; Mr. Ady; Mr. Fox; and Mrs. Hewes. [Motion carried] [At 3:44 p.m. the Assembly adjourned to Friday at 10 a.m.]

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	19920319
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L22 S4 19920319 1500 01 han.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	607bb243483b9430206d34e0ff868e8c470da5bc

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