Alberta Hansard — 20 March 2007, Afternoon sitting (13:00) (Legislature 26, Session 3)

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Alberta — Debates (Hansard)

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 219 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:00 p.m. Date: 07/03/20 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Let us pray. Grant that we the members of our province’s Legislature fulfill our office with honesty and integrity. May our first concern be for the good of all our people. Let us be guided by our deliberations this day. Amen. Please be seated. head: Introduction of Visitors The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food. Mr. Groeneveld: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today it is a great pleasure to introduce to you and through you someone who is well known to the majority of the members of this Assembly: Mr. Don Tannas, now seated in the Speaker’s gallery. Don was a four-term MLA for Highwood, the constituency I now have the honour of representing. He served his constituents with distinction from 1989 to 2004. In 1993 Don became the first elected Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Legislature, and he served on numerous committees and sat as chairman of various organizations over the years.

Prior to being elected to the Assembly, Don was employed as a teacher and principal for the Foothills sc hool division until 1989, taking a leave of absence from 1969 to 1971 to work with CIDA as a teacher trainer in Uganda. To this day Don has a great empathy for Africa and has visited several times during the intervening years. Now that he is retired, he serves as executive director of the Western Communities Foundation. Also, Don is well known for his charitable work, particularly with the High River Rotary Club, which he continues to pursue. Mr.

Speaker, I’m also very pleased to tell you that Don is a very active member of the Highwood Constituency Association and keeps us right in line. I’m delighted to see Don back in the House, and I now ask that he rise so that all the members may accord him a warm welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Drayton Valley-Calmar. Rev. Abbott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure to rise today and introduce to you and through you to this Assembly an honoured guest seated in your gallery. Julius Yankowsky is also no stranger to this Assembly.

He served as the MLA for the Edmonton-Beverly- Clareview constituency for three terms, from 1993 to 2004. Mr. Yankowsky is presently enjoying his retirement and, of course, is keeping an active volunteering schedule. We’re glad to have him join us today, and I would ask him to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Environment. Mr. Renner: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Legislature a colleague of mine from the Northwest Territo- ries.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Hon. Michael McLeod, who is the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. As you may or may not know, ministers in the North- west Territories are multitalented. Mr. McLeod is also the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, and our relationship goes back to the days when we were colleagues in municipal affairs as well. Accompanying Mr. McLeod is his executive assistant, Mr. Doug Pon. I would ask both gentlemen to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the House. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture. Mr.

Goudreau: Merci, M. le Président. Aujourd’hui j’ai le privilège de présenter en votre nom, à vous et à l’Assemblée, des invités spéciaux venant de la communauté francophone. Ils sont assis dans votre galerie et sont ici pour souligner la Journée internationale de la francophonie ainsi que les Rendez-vous de la francophonie, une célébration nationale annuelle de l’histoire et de la culture française. Je suis heureux de vous présenter en premier lieu les membres exécutifs de l’Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta.

L’association, connue sous l’acronyme ACFA, a son secrétariat provincial à Edmonton et chapeaute plusieurs autres organisations; donc, 14 bureaux régionaux ou cercles locaux à travers la province. Présents parmi nous aujourd’hui sont M. Jean Johnson, président de l’ACFA, et M. Joël Lavoie, directeur général. J’aimerais également vous présenter M. Rhéal Poirier, directeur général de Francophonie jeunesse de l’Alberta, et M. Denis Perreaux, membre exécutif du comité local organisateur des Jeux de la francophonie canadienne, qui auront lieu à Edmonton en 2008.

Les accompagnant pour cette journée spéciale à la Législature est M. Denis Tardif, directeur général du Secrétariat francophone. Je leur demanderais de se lever et être reconnus par l’Assemblée. Je vous invite à vous joindre à moi pour leur souhaiter une bienvenue chaleureuse. Merci, M. le Président. [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today I have the privilege of introducing to you and through you to members of this Assembly a number of guests from the francophone community who are here to commemorate the International Day of the Francophonie as well as Les Rendez-vous de la francophonie, a national two-week celebration of French culture and history. They are seated in the Speaker’s gallery. I am pleased to introduce executive members of the French Canadian Association of Alberta.

The association, commonly known as the ACFA, is the provincial umbrella organization representing all francophones, with a provincial secretariat in Edmonton and 14 regional or affiliate chapters across the province. Here today are the president, Mr. Jean Johnson; the executive director, Mr. Joël Lavoie; Mr. Rhéal Poirier, executive director of the Francophone Youth Association of Alberta; and Mr. Denis Perreaux, executive member of the local organizing committee for the National Youth Francophone Games, that will be held in Edmonton in 2008.

Joining them on this special day at the Legisla- ture is the executive director of the Francophone Secretariat, Mr. Denis Tardif. I would ask them to stand to receive the usual warm welcome of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [As submitted] head: Introduction of Guests Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to members of this Assembly five very talented young Alberta students. But before I do, I would just like to provide a bit of background.

Since assuming this portfolio, I’ve visited a number of schools in the province, and without exception at every school I go to, I’ve just

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007220 been incredibly impressed with the artwork of our students. So beginning today, some of that work is going to be displayed in my office in the Legislature, and it’s my hope that soon the walls of my office will be covered with Alberta student artwork and that it then spreads out into the hallway and maybe down even into your offices, Mr. Speaker. I encourage every hon. member to come by our office and enjoy this great artwork.

Today with the Premier we had the pleasure of unveiling the first five pieces of student artwork, including a sketch by one of our grade 6 students of the next hockey superstar, Sidney Crosby, which happens to be hanging in my office over the fireplace. Today I would like to ask the Alberta student artists seated in the gallery to stand as I recognize them. We have Ashley Lougheed from Louis St. Laurent school, Christian Comeau from St. Bonif ace school, Cassiel Pedro and Joshua Dipnarine from Virginia Park school, and Victoria Barnay from Edmonton Christian school.

They are all accompanied by their very, very pr oud parents, their art t eachers, principals, and other family members. I would ask if they would all stand and be recognized and warmly received by this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food. Mr. Groeneveld: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How do I beat an introduction by the Ed. minister? But I think I can do it. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to the members of the Assembly guests from grade 6 of the Heritage Heights school in my Highwood constituency.

This is a new school, just opened this last fall, and a week from Friday the hon. Minister of Education and myself are going to officially open this school, and a beautiful school it is. Let no one in the world say that we don’t have some new schools because we do, and this one’s a great one. Mr. Speaker, the total number of students, I believe, that we have with us today is 39. They did have an enduring trip coming up; I think they got some roads that weren’t great. I would like to introduce their teachers Mrs. Alison Rattai, Mrs. Ada McIvor, Mr. Bill Cunningham, and parents Mr s. Roxanne Gibbard, Mrs.

Cindy Mooney, Mr. Leonard Johnson, Mrs. Debbie Hagel, Mrs. Kristyn Hall, and Mrs. Toni Bouvier, who just happens to be my niece and whom I’m very proud of. She has her daughter Brooklyn with her in that group today. I would please ask them to stand and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Children’s Services. 1:10 Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure today to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly two representatives of the Alberta College of Social Workers.

As I mentioned yesterday, March 18 to 24 is National Social Work Week. The Alberta College of Social Workers does an outstanding job representing the social work profession in Alberta. It advocates for policies, programs, and services that serve the best public interest. Through its membership activitie s the college establishes and maintains standards that promote skilled and ethical social work practice.

I’d like to ask Lori Sigurdson, professional affairs co- ordinator, and Rod Adachi, executive director and registrar of the Alberta College of Social Workers, to rise and accept the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Little Bow. Mr. McFarland: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure today to introduce to you and members of the Assembly a couple of guests that we’ve got up here from Champion, Alberta. Dick and Izzy Ellis have been lifelong residents of the village. They’re very involved with the community, and Dick is heading up the Vulcan waste management authority.

He’s come up with a wonderful idea on how to dispose of all the waste that we have throughout the counties, and I hope he’s had successful meetings with a couple of the ministers in attending the AAMD and C. I also know that they’re looking forward to a tour that your staff will have for them to see this magnificent historic building. Dick and Izzy, would you please rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Whitecourt-Ste. Anne. Mr. VanderBurg: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m pleased to introduce to you and through you to the members of this Assembly three individuals from the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta, of which I’m very proud to serve as chair. Seated in the members’ gallery today: Mrs. Jean Dreger and Mrs. Diane Caleffi, both of Calgary, both well known to the Calgary caucus members. Both are volunteers who serve tirelessly on this council ensuring that Alberta seniors have an advocate and a place to turn for advice.

Seated with them is Dianne Laird, the manager for the Seniors Advisory Council, my right arm and a very dedicated individual with the Seniors Advisory Council, and I’ll tell you that she’s very, very sharp. I am proud to work with them as their chair, and I’d like to ask them to please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona. Mr. Lougheed: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to introduce to you and through you to the members assembled the authors of the book French Canadians in the Political Life of the Province of Alberta, 1891-2005.

Seated in the gallery are Dr. Ernest Mardon, his son Dr. Austin Mardon, and they’re accompanied by friend Arthur Lau. I would mention also that Austin is a member of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities. They’re seated in the members’ gallery. I’d ask them to please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford. Mr. R. Miller: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I am so very, very proud this afternoon to be able to introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly an absolutely amazing group of young people. I have with me today a grade 5 class from Keheewin elementary school in the south part of Edmonton- Rutherford. These students on their own initiative undertook an exercise to write me with their concerns about global warming and climate change.

As a result of those heartfelt letters, our Leader of the Official Opposition included comments from their letters in his alternate throne speech, and they were here today to share some of their ideas in terms of addressing the issues of global warming and climate change. I’d like to ask all 23 students to rise.

They are accompanied today by a number of adults: Ms Lorraine Boggs, the principal of Keheewin school, which incidentally is celebrating its 25th anniver- sary this year; their grade 5 teacher, Ms Cindy Pang; and teacher helpers Joy Procinsky, Debbie Ainsley, Leslie Clarke, Jeanette McDonald, and Carol Wilson. I would ask them to all please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 221 Mr. Flaherty: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you members of the school of Neil M. Ross, 51 students, two teachers, and five helpers: Mr. Brett Arlinghaus, teacher; Mrs. Cathy Bagdan, teacher; parents Mrs. Cathy Traynor, Mr. Tony Gannon, Mrs. Dianne Hajek, Mr. Ed Karl, and Mr. Daryl Wright. Would they please rise and receive and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands- Norwood. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker.

I’m delighted to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly Dawn Freeman and Karen Mykietka. Dawn and Karen both reside in my riding of Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. They serve as the editor and managing editor of the Rat Creek Press, both since 2004. The Rat Creek Press is a community newspaper that serves north-central Edmonton, including much of Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Their goal is to highlight community news, activities, and recre- ational opportunities as well as local residents and businesses to support the growth of a strong, vibrant, well-connected community.

I would like to thank Dawn and Karen for the important contribu- tion the Rat Creek Press is making in our community, and I would now ask that they rise and receive the warm traditional welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Dr. Pannu: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to the members of this House members of the Council of Alberta University Students, or CAUS. These guests met with the NDP caucus this morning and briefed us on the state of postsecondary education in Alberta today.

They provided us with valuable recommendations, and in our opinion these merit the most serious consideration of the members of this Assembly. I would now ask each of my guests to rise as I call their names and ask my hon. colleagues to hold their applause until each has been introduced.

David Cournoyer, chair of CAUS and VP external of the University of Alberta Students’ Union; Samantha Power, president of the University of Alberta Students’ Union; Emily Wyatt, president of the University of Calgary Students’ Union; Julie Labonté, vice-president external, University of Calgary Students’ Union; Joanne Luu, vice-president administration, University of Lethbridge Students’ Union; Duncan Wojtaszek, executive director of CAUS.

I would now ask that they receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: Hon. members, before I call upon the first of six to participate, 18 years ago today, on March 20, 1989, the citizens of the province of Alberta went to the polls. There are three members in this Assembly who were elected for the first time 18 years ago. So let us congratulate the hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater, the hon. Member for Lesser Slave Lake, and the hon. Member for Rocky Mountain House on their 18th anniversary as Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Let us also wish happy birthday today to the hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie Mr. Ducharme: Merci, M. le Président. Aujourd’hui, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la francophonie, c’est un plaisir pour moi de présenter à la Chambre une explication d’un événement canadien qui s’appelle les Rendez-vous de la francophonie. Neuf millions de francophones se rassemblent à la grandeur du Canada sur une base annuelle pour célébrer les Rendez-vous de la francophonie. Cette année les Rendez-vous ont lieu du 9 au 25 mars.

Durant cette période de temps on célèbre les communautés francophones afin de promouvoir la langue et la culture française tant par ses activités sociales et ses célébrations que par sa dimension humaine et communautaire. Les Rendez-vous contribuent à renforcer les liens entre les anglophones et les francophones du Canada et favorisent un plus grand respect entre ces deux communautés de langues officielles. De plus en plus nos municipalités albertaines se joignent aux Rendez-vous en tenant des cérémonies pour reconnaître leur communauté francophone.

Parmi ces municipalités cette année on compte Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Rivière de la Paix, Falher, et Fort McMurray. Félicitations à ces municipalités. Vibrante comme elle l’est, la communauté francophone célèbre sa langue et sa culture tout au cours de l’année par l’entremise de festivals de la chanson, festivals de film, carnavals d’hiver, et j’en passe. J’aimerais profiter de l’occasion pour inviter tous mes collègues à connaître la communauté francophone en participant aux événements qui ont lieu dans leur circonscription pendant l’année.

Merci, M. le Président. [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today on the occasion of the International Day of the Francophonie it is my pleasure to provide the Assembly with information on a wonderful Canadian event called Les Rendez-vous de la francophonie. Nine million francophones get together for the annual Rendez-vous de la francophonie, which runs this year from March 9 to March 25. During that period of time attention is focused on francophone communities, with the idea of promoting French language and culture as much through community and human relations as through social activities and celebrations.

Les Rendez-vous contribute to the reinforcement of links between francophones and anglophones in Canada by fostering greater respect between the two official language communities. More and more of our municipalities are joining in Les Rendez-vous by holding ceremonies to recognize their francophone communities; for example, in Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Peace River, Falher, Fort McMurray. Congratulations to all of them.

Vibrant as they are, francophone communities celebrate their language and culture throughout the year through music and film festivals, winter carnivals, and other celebrations. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all my colleagues to get to know the francophone community and to take in some of these events in their own ridings throughout the year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [As submitted] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. 1:20 Cremona Cribbage Champions Mr. Marz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Cremona Legion cribbage team of Diane Davies, Jack Borton, and Bill and Donna Kidd, who have r ecently won the Alberta-Northwest Territories provincial championship for team cribbage. To achieve this feat, they first had to win tournaments in Cremona, Carstairs, and Cochrane. They will soon be on their way to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they will compete for the national

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007222 championship from April 27 to April 30. I understand that some of them are watching today, and I know this Assembly will join me in cheering them on and wishing them all the very best of luck as they compete for this national championship. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Trojans Girls Wrestling Team Gastroparesis Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Wrestling for recognition. Today I’d like to speak about two types of wrestling events.

While both forms of wrestling matches are fought by individuals, the support they receive in their struggles is dramatically different. The first type of wrestling is the more traditional form of Olympic wrestling, which I had the pleasure of coaching for over 20 years. Therefore, I was extremely pleased to hear of the recent successes of 15 members of the William Aberhart high sc hool Trojans girls wrestling team from the Calgary-Varsity constituency, which I represent. Thirteen of the 15-member team qualified to wrestle at the provincials.

The girls’ achievements are the result of their personal commitment and the support of their dedicated coaches, team, schoolmates, and families. In contrast, across this province thousands of Albertans are engaged in a different type of wrestling match. These Albertans are grappling individually with the limited resource support of their second mortgaged families against the debilitating effects of gastroparesis. While gastroparesis, a motility disorder which prevents an individual from properly digesting their food and therefore being constantly on the edge of vomiting, has yet to be cured, it can be managed.

Calgary-Varsity teenage constituents Thomas and Jennifer Keith- Ferris, aged 15 and 17 respectively, along with 23-year-old Krysta Livingstone, a Medicine Hat resident, have had their quality of life returned to them through the implanting of a GES device, a gastric electrical stimulation device, which has been approved federally but not provincially. Because no medical facility exists in Alberta and since the Alberta government does not cover the costs of either the travel or the treatment of this disorder, many families cannot afford the life-restoring implant costs.

Once again I’m calling upon this government to restore and increase funding for motility research, to stand in the corner of the thousands of Albertans wrestling unneces- sarily with the debilitating effects of gastroparesis. Please support the efforts of Dr. Christopher N. Andrews, a gastroneurologist specializing in gastrointestinal motility disorders, based out of the Foothills hospital and associated with the University of Calgary. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fort. Calgary Maple Sugar Festival Mr. Cao: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last weekend there was a very sweet event in Calgary, the annual Maple Sugar Festival, le Festival du sucre d’érable, celebrating the unique Canadian tradition. During the era of the aboriginal people in eastern Canada they would make an incision in the trunk of a maple tree with a tomahawk, and a piece of wood was then inserted, serving as a spout to gather the sweetness of nature. When the people from France learned of this tradition, the tap hole was made with a small axe, and a wooden reed was installed, allowing maple syrup to gather in a wooden container.

Around 1885 the wood reed was replaced by a metal one, and from then on the tap hole was made with the help of a steel gauge. Around 1890 the wooden pails suspended to the tree by a nail made their appearance to gather every drop of the sweetness. So that’s the history part. This Maple Sugar Festival is now part of Canadian culture. I’m very pleased that the celebration of this original eastern Canadian tradition is now in modern times in Alberta, in the far west of Canada. Indeed, it’s now from sea to sea, a mari usque ad mare.

The sweet event in Calgary was offered in an array of lively festivities in an atmosphere of family joie de vivre. I want to commend the event volunteers, performers, and organizers, mainly from francophone groups. J’aimerais remercier les volontaires, les artistes, et les organisa- tions qui montent annuellement cet excellent Festival du sucre d’érable, apprécié par les gens de tout âge. I want to recommend that everybody should attend this festival in Alberta each year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Continuing Care Accommodations Dr. Pannu: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The recent controversy surrounding the Holy Cross long-term care centre in Calgary is a deeply troubling example of the government’s long-standing refusal to deal with substandard care, that is too often provided to our seniors and Albertans with disabilities in this province. Indeed, it shows the devastating impact of creeping privatization in continuing care. Albertans know that the profit motive in long-term care leads to exactly the same results as it does in any other kind of health care service: higher costs and lower quality.

Private operators have a vested interest in keeping down the cost of labour and services in order to maximize profits on their shareholders’ behalf. Perhaps the most pernicious way that the profit motive is being implemented in seniors’ care is the conversion of long-term care facilities to assisted-living centres. This is a growing and serious problem for many Alberta families. Not only are the expectations of care lower in assisted-living centres, but residents can receive essential care services only if they can pay for them out of pocket.

All too often families are forced to pay thousands of dollars per month to maintain respect and quality of life for their aging parents or disabled loved ones. A system-wide shortage of continuing care spaces means that people who should be in long-term care are forced to wait and pay in assisted-living facilities. Meanwhile, long-term care facilities in Grande Prairie, Jasper, and other communities are expected to be closed and replaced by assisted-living lodges, where the same residents will simply have to pay more.

The minister of health should put an immediate halt to any further conversion of long-term care facilities to private, for-profit assisted- living centres. The NDP opposition will continue to push this government to take real action to ensure that Albertans have access to safe, affordable, high-quality continuing care. Guaranteed delivery of safe and high-quality care for our seniors and others in need requires immediate action to improve standards, properly monitor facilities, and end creeping long-term private care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. head: Presenting Petitions The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Edmonton-Calder. Mr. Eggen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table a petition, the first of many, with 88 signatures on it. This petition urges the government of Alberta to “prevent the development of the Sherritt Dodds-Roundhill coal gasification project until the ex- pressed consent of the families . . . in the affected and surrounding areas is obtained” and, furthermore, urges the Alberta government

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 223 to “develop a comprehensive energy plan that uses our abundant energy resources to develop a green and sustainable future.” Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Elsalhy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today again I am rising to table a petition, signed by 80 residents in Edmonton, which reads: We, the undersigned residents of Edmonton, hereby petition the Legislative Assembly to urge the Government of Alberta to complete, as soon as possible, the overpasses and interchanges at the locations where the Anthony Henday Drive (Edmonton Ring Road) intersects Lessard Road, Callingwood Road . . . and Cameron Heights Drive. Thank you. head: Introduction of Bills The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Finance. Bill 22 Alberta Investment Management Corporation Act Dr. Oberg: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I request leave to introduce Bill 22, the Alberta Investment Management Corporation Act. This being a money bill, His H onour the H onourable the Lieutenant Governor, having been informed of the contents of this bill, recommends the same to the Assembly. Mr. Speaker, this bill allows for the separation of Alberta Investment Management from the Department of Finance into a stand-alone provincial Crown corporation.

The legislation also balances operational independence with the highest standards of accountability and transparency. [Motion carried; Bill 22 read a first time] head: 1:30 Oral Question Period The Speaker: First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Municipal Waste-water Infrastructure Assistance Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Premier chal- lenged me to provide evidence that this government has committed millions of dollars to the water transfer from the Red Deer River to the project at Balzac, so I will.

If the Premier checks page 18 of the supplementary supply estimates from just last August, he’ll find a line that commits $4.8 million “to support a project in the Municipal District of Rockyview that includes a horseracing track and an equine centre.” This matter has been extensively debated in this Assembly and approved by a vote of this government over the objections of the opposition. To the Premier: will the Premier now admit that this government has approved millions in spending on this project? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, the hon. leader kept talking about a secret deal.

I said: present the evidence of a secret deal. The supplementary estimates were of course debated here in the House, and it’s no secret. It’s a matter of the record, and he finally found it. The Speaker: The hon. leader. Dr. Taft: All right. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [some applause] Prop him up, guys; prop him up. To the Minister of Agriculture and Food: since this money is under the jurisdiction of his department, how much, if any, of this money does the department plan to spend? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Groeneveld: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

As the Premier said, I’ve been waiting for this question for quite some time. He just hasn’t quite got down to me yet. This came out of a program that’s designed for municipalities, and we’ve had this program for close to nine years now. It’s designed to assist munici- palities with costs for water and waste-water infrastructure. It’s for new projects that benefit our economy and grow our agriculture processing industry. Only municipalities are eligible for this funding. The Speaker: The hon. leader. Dr. Taft: Well, thank you.

So let’s focus in, then, on the specifics of the deal concerning the Balzac water transfer. Again to the Minister of Agriculture and Food. I will assume that there’s more than just a verbal arrangement between the government and Rocky View on this one. Can the minister tell this Assembly and all Albertans: what are the terms of the deal under which this money will be spent? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Groeneveld: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are no specific terms of the deal. This is a program that we’ve had around for nine years, as I’ve said.

They qualified for the program, so when they get their proper approvals, the money will be forwarded to them. At this particular time the money hasn’t been forwarded to them because all the systems are not a go yet. The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Racing Entertainment Centre Project Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A freedom of information request to the Department of Infrastructure and Transportation has informed us that there are 1,800 pages of documents relating to the Balzac water transfer in this department’s files – 1,800 pages in one department. None of those have been made available to us at this point, but they indicate that a lot of work has been undertaken by this government on this water transfer. To the Minister of Infrastruc- ture and Transportation: given the intense public interest in this issue, will the minister make the 1,800 pages of the documents public, or does he intend for them to remain secret? Mr.

Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, I don’t know anything about the 1,800 pages. I do know that there have been some applications for water that my predecessor had actually rejected and said that they didn’t meet the criteria. I don’t know exactly why the person that runs FOIP in the department wouldn’t – if there is some reason that we cannot give the information out because it implicates a third party that wants to say, “We don’t want that information out there,” that’s up to whatever the rules are in FOIP on whether or not they give out those. The Speaker: The hon. leader.

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007224 Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suggest that the minister does his homework a little more extensively. Thank you. A simple, straightforward question to the minister: exactly what has been done by the Department of Infrastructure and Transporta- tion on the water transfer to Balzac? Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, as I stated yesterday, as far as I know, there have been no deals done. I know that we had an application from the MD of Rocky View. It didn’t meet the criteria, and it was turned down.

Other stuff that was done, I will tell you – I shouldn’t say that; I do know of another thing that happened. Ivanhoe Cambridge has been working with our department on whether or not they can have access into the property. Our department is doing their due diligence and making sure that all safety is adhered to. They’re talking about interchanges and things like that, and the experts in our department have to do their due diligence and see whether or not it can be done. The Speaker: The hon. leader. Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This time to the Minister of Environment. Please just answer the question.

Given the minister’s detailed knowledge of and support for the project at Balzac, did this government review the memorandum of agreement between the MD of Rocky View and the developers before it was signed? Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated many times before, the responsibility for reviewing the information is borne by officials within my department. I expect my officials to review all relevant information before they come up with a final recommendation, which has not taken place at this point. The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View.

Environmental Policy Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great pleasure today to ask some questions that were inspired by the grade 5 class of Keheewin school in Edmonton-Rutherford. They’re here in the members’ gallery. In a series of letters expressing their concern about the environment, the emotions and concern and conviction that was displayed by these letters remind us through these children of the reason why we must work together to put the environment first.

To the Minister of Environment on behalf of Lindsay from Keheewin school concerned about waste: when will we see a provincial blue box program to promote recycling? Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s a good question. The issue comes down to the role that government plays in encouraging people to take issues regarding recycling seriously. At this point in time the government continues to support municipa lities in both financial form and from an expertise perspective in encouraging further development of recycling programs.

A province-wide program, frankly, I think is not that practical because it needs to be co- ordinated at the local level by municipalities. The Speaker: The hon. member. Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Emma and other students expressed great concern about deforestation, especially in our northern forests, saying, I quote: without trees we can’t breathe, and without trees all the carbon dioxide will stay in the air; clear-cutting causes more water pollution and higher costs for water treatment.

To the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development: can the minister tell us if he will stop clear-cutting practices in Alberta? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Renner: Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’ll take that question on behalf of the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. There are very clear plans in place in the province of Alberta with respect to forestry to ensure that we do not compromise in any way the watershed system that is so dependent upon our forests.

I can assure the hon. member and the student who asked the question that issues related to water and the watershed are paramount in decisions regarding forest management. The Speaker: The hon. member. Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another issue discussed by the students today with our members is that we need to stop burning so much coal and fossil fuels and encourage more solar, wind, and other renewable energies. To the Minister of Energy: can the minister tell us why we do not give the same incentives to renewable energy that we give to the fossil fuel industry? Mr. Knight: Mr.

Speaker, the fact of the matter is that there are very good incentives in the province of Alberta for all energy projects, including renewable and, we’re hoping, alternate energy. We continue to work. As part of the mandate that I’ve received from the Premier of the province of Alberta, we will develop an integrated energy strategy, and the integrated energy strategy includes all of the above. Fossil fuels are a base for Alberta.

On top of that we will have very aggressive wind power; we will have hydropower; we will have green power with biomass: all forms of energy. 1:40 The Speaker: The hon. leader of the third party. Employment of Children Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Premier confirmed that the Conservative government was asleep at the wheel with respect to major policy changes that would have seen 12-year-olds working in Alberta’s bars.

Flash back to 2005, and you will recall that this Conservative government approved major policy changes that allowed for children to work in restaurants without permits, and this change was made without debate in this House and without public consultation. My question is to the Premier. Why did the government turn back the clock to the 19th century with respect to child labour laws and allow children to work in restau- rants? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, I don’t know what the hon. leader is trying to get to, but yesterday I was very specific, I think, spoke very plainly, that after the minister responsible, the Solicitor General, and myself heard of the planned policy change, we put an end not only to 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds working in bars but all minors. So for the matter of the record, all minors: no working in bars and lounges in the province of Alberta. Mr. Mason: Mr. Speaker, the Premier seems to believe that any boneheaded policy decision by this government is okay as long as he reverses himself once he gets caught.

The members opposite ought to put down their copies of Adam Smith and try picking up Charles Dickens. The number of children working in restaurants in this

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 225 province is now in the hundreds. Will the Premier now admit that his policy of allowing child labour is reckless and cannot be morally justified? Will he end child labour in this province? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, first of all, talking about the govern- ment decision: this was not a government decision. It was made by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. There are a number of steps that this policy would have to work through, especially through the Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry.

So it’s not something that would have happened overnight; there were checks and balances in place. With respect to young people working in restaurants, sooner or later in this province, Mr. Speaker, younger people have to learn the value of hard work, work for their parents or maybe their relatives in a safe environment under good supervision. There is nothing wrong about people learning the ethics of work. Mr. Mason: Mr.

Speaker, the checks and balances in this province are the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Alberta NDP. [interjections] Well, how else did this get reversed but that we caught the government at it? Will the Premier admit that kids should be working on their homework, going to school, playing hockey, playing sports, and not working in restaurant kitchens? Will he end child labour? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, we will do whatever we can to ensure that that party stays as the check and balance in this province forever. Thank you so much. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fort, followed by the hon.

Member for Calgary-Currie. Career Transition for Military Personnel Mr. Cao: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our military services are vital to the existence and security of our nation. We enjoy our home life while our armed forces defend our way of life and system of government. Some of my constituents have served in our Canadian armed forces as tradespersons and truck drivers. They voice to me that their qualifications in the military were not recognized and certainly not easily transferred into the same civilian occupation. My question today is to the hon. Minister of Advanced Education and Technology.

What policy or specific program does our government have to help our former military personnel in their career transition? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Horner: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The men and women who serve our country are strong leaders with remarkable skills. Obviously, we want to incorporat e them into the regular working areas of our economy as quickly as we can b ecause of those skills. It’s important for Albertans’ postsecondary credentials to be recognized globally, and it’s equally important for our province to recognize credentials that are earned outside of our postsecondary system.

I am pleased to say th at Alberta is working with the Department of National Defence, the Canadian federal National Defence department, through the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship to recognize military trade credentials. To date the board has recognized the certificate of military achievement, qualification level 5, and will continue to do so. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Cao: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents, who were truck drivers in the military, told me that they have a hard time getting civilian truck driver licensing, so my only supplementary question today is to the hon.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transpor- tation. Through what policies and programs does the government help military truck drivers in their transition to the civilian occupa- tion? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, we are aware that a constituent in my colleague’s riding has raised concerns about retraining. In response my department has committed to conduct a further review to determine whether Alberta should consider equivalency arrange- ments. Alberta does operate like other provincial and territorial jurisdictions within Canada by not accepting military driving credentials without retesting.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie, followed by the hon. Member for Red Deer-North. Holy Cross Care Centre Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the Canada/Alberta affordable housing program in October 2004 and January 2005 the owners of Holy Cross Manor in Calgary were granted over 3 million provincial tax dollars to build a total of 230 units of affordable housing.

Enterprise Universal Incorporated hasn’t been paid out the full amount yet, and thank goodness for that because not only have they not produced a single unit ready for occupancy; they haven’t even made a substantial beginning on the second project. The rules say that the deadline for completing these projects is 24 months from the time the money is granted. To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who clearly didn’t see this mess coming: why isn’t the minister on top of this? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Danyluk: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I do want to say that the ministry is on top, and we have continuing consultation with developers on their progress. We also have communications with those developers to see if there are any difficulties. At the present time that is what’s been done. Mr. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, the minister wasn’t minding the store, and he wasn’t staying on top of things, or else we wouldn’t have gone two months beyond the completion deadline without the work even commencing.

Or could the minister prove me wrong, perhaps, by sharing with this House, in the interests of transparency, the details of how this tight, ongoing process of dialogue works to produce results? I don’t see any. Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, the Grey Nuns building project: part of it has been and is behind schedule. But I do want to say that the $3.2 million that was committed, the 1950s building project for 100 seniors’ units, is near completion.

The second phase, or the second part of the application, which involves $4.5 million: there has been no indication from the developer of him pulling out of the project, but I will say that we are having continuing dialogue with that developer. Mr. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, Albertans don’t need excuses. Albertans need affordable homes. Everybody needs a home. Enterprise Universal now says that it does need more time and more money, or else it will pull the plug on the second project, 130 units of afford-

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007226 able housing for families and seniors, and give back the million and change the province has already advanced it. Doesn’t the minister think it’s about time to take them up on their offer, or is he planning to shovel even more tax dollars into this money pit? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, the project that was applied for was a good project. There are criteria for those projects, and the criteria were adhered to by this developer. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Red Deer-North, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods. Child Care Funding Mrs. Jablonski: Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. The most important concern for many young families is the care of their children. Many working parents depend on the provincial government to help provide high-quality, affordable, and accessible child care. Alberta families have been struggling to find and pay for daycare spaces and after school care. My question is to the Minister of Children’s Services. Yesterday the federal government announced $250 million for provinces to create child care spaces. Can you tell us what this means to Alberta? 1:50 The Speaker: The hon. minister. Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am really pleased with yesterday’s news. We all know that we do have a shortage of child care spaces in this province. My understanding is that the funding will be distributed on a per capita basis, so presumably we’re talking about $25 m illion. I can say today that I look forward to getting more details, both in the confirmation of the amount of money that we’re getting and also whether there are any requirements or conditions that go along with that funding. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Jablonski: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the same minister: I’m happy for the province, but what does this mean to the average working family in Alberta who has young children? Ms Tarchuk: I mean, ultimately, Mr. Speaker, I can say that what this does mean is more choices for parents. It’s too early to speculate on how we’re going to spend the funding, but I can tell you that we will work with our stakeholders, and while we’re planning, we will also build on the strengths of our five-point investment plan. Of course, any plans that we go forward with will have to go through the appropriate government approval process. The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mrs. Jablonski: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s all. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Castle Downs. Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday’s federal budget offered proof that Alberta is basically on its own when it comes to creating new child care spaces. The f unding offered to Alberta is only a fraction of what was offered in the previous federal/provincial child care agreement. Provincial leadership is essential to create the new child care spaces that many Albertans need. To the Minister of Children’s Services.

Many individuals who would like to start child care centres cannot afford the start-up costs. Does the minister have a plan to address these funding shortfalls, which directly limit the number of new spaces created? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Even before this announce- ment yesterday we have committed to continuing with the five-point plan, and that has been well received across the province. Also, two weeks ago we proceeded to enhance that five-point plan.

Like I just said, we welcome the funds from yesterday, and we will continue to plan for additional child care spaces in this province. Mrs. Mather: Labour shortage remains one of the biggest barriers to the creation of new child care spaces. The shortage of child care workers with level 3 certification, the highest level of training, is causing many centres to cut spaces or close altogether. What is the minister’s plan to deal with this specific labour issue?

Ms Tarchuk: I can tell you that in our planning process we’re looking at all aspects of areas that will help create child care spaces, and that does include professional development accreditation. As you know, a couple of weeks ago we dealt with wage top-ups. So we are taking a serious look at that issue. Mrs. Mather: Municipalities across the province need more child care options. From Brooks to Fort McMurray to Cochrane to Grande Prairie the message is the same: the shortage of child care spaces is hurting families, the community, and the local economy. Again to the Minister of Children’s Services.

Alberta used to be a leader in provincial/municipal partnerships in child care. How will the minister enhance the role of municipalities hoping to get more involved in child care provision? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell you that I have met with several stakeholders over the last several months. We are just finalizing an FCSS review that is going through the process in the next couple of weeks, which will come forward with some recommendations for the program that the hon. member mentions.

I do know that during the review it has been highlighted that funding for out-of-school programs is an issue. Like I said last week, while we’ve made some changes on the zero to 6, with the 6 to 12 we don’t have a policy mandate now, but I have committed to taking a leadership role in working w ith municipalities on some workable solutions. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Castle Downs, followed by the hon. Member for St. Albert. Regional Taxation Issues Mr. Lukaszuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Based on the Minister’s Council on Municipal Sustainability report it appears that Edmontonians can look forward to some new taxes which likely will not be levied in Strathcona county as this county has ample revenue from their industrial base. My first question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Will the minister assure the residents of the city of Edmonton that if there are any new municipal taxes introduced, this new tax regime will be administered to the entire capital region? The Speaker: The hon. minister.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 227 Mr. Danyluk: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Minister’s Council on Municipal Sustainability released its report yesterday, and I need to say that the council’s blueprint – and that is the council blueprint – for sustainability for municipalities is that report. I also would like to say that the government is still reviewing the recom- mendations of that report and will report later this spring. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Lukaszuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will taxpayers of Edmonton hence be looking forward to a higher overall tax bill? Mr. Danyluk: Mr.

Speaker, if new taxation powers are granted to municipalities, it will be up to the individual municipa lity to determine the appropriate level of municipal taxation within their communities, not different than the municipal tax levies that are in place right now. Mr. Lukaszuk: Fair enough. To the same minister: but if differ- ences persist, will the provincial government force the Edmonton area municipalities to work together? Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, we are certainly looking for opportunities to strengthen intermunicipal co-operation not just in Edmonton but throughout Alberta.

The Premier has given me the mandate to address regional planning issues and intermunicipal disputes. As I previously mentioned, I expect to release the govern- ment’s response to the minister’s council very much in the near future. The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. Education Funding Mr. Flaherty: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Parkland strike is over, but there are fears that this strike was the first of many.

Within the past week negotiations in two other school divisions have broken down, and over 80 per cent of school boards will be in negotiations this spring and summer. Without decisive action now the Parkland strike could be a pattern we see over and over again in the coming months. To the Minister of Education. School boards will be in labour negotiations this summer, but the province has the final say about the financial position the boards will be in. Will the minister commit to providing adequate funding to school boards to ensure that they can bargain effectively this summer? Mr. Liepert: Well, clearly, Mr.

Speaker, that is a budgetary question, and I would encourage the hon. member to ask that question about the 20th of April. But let me just say this. I’m an optimist when it comes to negotiations going forward. I tend to look at things from a positive viewpoint rather than a negative one. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Flaherty: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it’s preventive that we should be talking about. The deferred maintenance problem in Alberta schools is bad and getting worse, Mr. Minister. The Calgary board of education alone has a deferred maintenance backlog of $426 million.

Will the Minister of Education commit to addressing the deferred mainte- nance backlog in this province’s schools so that school boards can put money into programming and instruction rather than paying off past government neglect? Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, again that’s a question where I would encourage the hon. member to wait for the budget. But what the province did last year was put in place a policy whereby we did put money into maintenance and modernization. I can only be optimistic that there’ll be as much or more money to spend in Education in this budget than there was in the last one.

The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Flaherty: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot of parents are waiting for that, hoping it’s going to get better. Let’s try this one. The $6.4 billion unfunded t eachers’ pension liability continues to be a huge problem for teachers across the province, and this government has been dragging its feet on the issue for years. Numerous leadership candidates, including the Premier, promised to take action to address this issue. Will the minister commit to finally – finally – eliminating the unfunded liability in the teachers’ pension plan? Will you do something a bout it, Mr. Minister? Mr.

Liepert: As the hon. member is aware, that is one of the objectives that the Premier has mandated me to work on. I will be doing that, and I would ask the hon. member to stay tuned. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, followed by the hon. Member for Rocky Mountain House. 2:00 Affordable Housing Task Force Report Mr. Martin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have in front of me a release out of the municipal affairs department about the Affordable Housing Task Force, that I was a member of.

If it’s correct, it says that the 15-member panel spent 45 days gathering input, compiling the report, visiting nine communities with more than 800 presenters and another 600 written reports. I go down a little further, and to my dismay I see that the government will review the report and not respond till May. There’s a crisis out there. We heard this. Rents are rising. There are more homeless out there, condo conversions, and we’re not even going to allo w the public to see this report till May. It’s irresponsible.

My question to the minister is simply this: why are we waiting for May to see what s hould be a public report released very quickly? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to concur that I did receive the report from the chair of the committee yesterday, and I do want to compliment the work that was done by the committee, the thorough work and the dedication. I also want to comment that I believe the news release commented that there will be a response from the government to the recommendations by May, not necessar- ily a release of the recommendations but a response to the recom- mendations. Mr.

Martin: Mr. Speaker, in the same release it says, “The task force’s report and the government response will be released publicly at the same time.” That’s what it says in your own release here, Mr. Minister. My question again is si mply this: why is it that all the people that took the time to present to this task force, a lot of hard work, cannot see the results of this? The government can do their analysis after, but this should be made public immediately. Why not? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, as I said before, I did receive the report yesterday.

I am going to take the proper procedures to bring the report to government, and at that time we will release the report.

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007228 Mr. Martin: Well, Mr. Speaker, we’re not asking the government to respond immediately. What we’re asking for is the task force report to be made public so Albertans can see what’s in it. Then the government can respond. That’s what we want. Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure how to better answer the question except to say to the hon. member that I have r eceived the report.

I am going to take it through the proper channels of this government and will release the recommendations, will release the response to the recommendations as quickly as possible b ecause I very much believe that that report is very thorough and very important to Alberta. Electricity Line between Edmonton and Calgary Mr. Lund: Mr. Speaker, about two years ago the Alberta electric systems operator, the Department of Energy, and others met with the EUB in Calgary, and out of that meeting was a determination that there was a necessity for a 500-kV line from Wabamun to Calgary.

Now, the other thing that flowed out of that meeting was that there were about 13 proposed locations for this line to be built. AltaLink was charged with coming up with which would be the best location. It quickly was reduced to two, without the input of the landowners along the lines. It then was reduced . . . The Speaker: Sorry. Forty-five seconds has gone. The hon. minister. Mr. Knight: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll proceed on the basis that I would understand that the hon. member is speaking about a particular 500-kV line that runs between Edmonton and Calgary. It’s currently being reviewed by the EUB.

The hearings with respect to the issue are set off until the middle of April pending the result of a legal question around the hearings. Mr. Lund: Well, Mr. Speaker, the landowners are feeling that they’ve been dealt with in contempt, and they want the hearing to now be postponed till the 1st of June. So to the Minister of Energy: will you ask the EUB to hold off till the 1st of June, and if not, why not? Mr. Knight: Mr. Speaker, as I had mentioned previously, yesterday and again moments ago, this issue is in front of the EUB. They are not part of this government. They operate separately from the government.

They are charged with the responsibility to assess this application along with many others, and they will continue this process in due course. It’s been set off now till the middle of April. I have no indication whether or not the delays would go beyond that point in time. Mr. Lund: Mr. Speaker, the EUB has a policy that they will not determine before the hearing whether in fact the consultant and/or lawyer would be paid for. This puts the landowners in a very difficult position. Not only that but they will only pay up to $250, and today you cannot get a lawyer or consultant for $250 an hour.

They charge around $300 an hour. Will the minister look into that situation? Mr. Knight: Mr. Speaker, again, the EUB has fairly strict guidelines around the issue of paying for people that intervene with respect to these hearings. Most certainly I will take the comment of the member under advisement with respect to moving from a $250 an hour legal fee amount to a $300 amount. If there’s something that the EUB is missing there with re spect to the price of lawyers, certainly we could ask the EUB if they wouldn’t mind reviewing that particular issue. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie, followed by the hon. Member for Red Deer-South. Provincial Parks and Protected Areas Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just 4 per cent of Alberta is designated as protected areas and provincial parkland. Unsurprisingly, over 10 per cent of Alberta’s wildlife is endangered and threatened. To the Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture: will the government commit to expanding the parkland in this province so that we at least give these creatures a chance to avoid being wiped out? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Goudreau: Well, thank you very, very much, Mr.

Speaker. The Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie is certainly right in asking that particular question. Our policies in the province of Alberta are such that we do want to protect a number of species, including wildlife and including wildflowers and various live materials that are out there. So, certainly, we are doing some of that in the province of Alberta, and we’ll look at other endangered species as we move along. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the minister talked about the need to honour existing commitments to oil and gas companies operating in protected parkland.

Will the minister honour his commitment to Albertans and en sure that in th e future “pro- tected” actually means “protected”? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, I think I also indicated last week that we had various categories of protection, and I may want to repeat those. One of them is the wilderness areas. Others are the ecologi- cal reserves that we have. We’ve got also Willmore wilderness. We also have wildland parks, provincial parks, heritage rangelands, natural areas, and recreational areas. In each one of those we have different rules and regulations that we adhere to.

In some of them we allow absolutely no activity aside from on-foot travel and participation, yet in others we provide a broad range of activity that can happen in those areas. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you again. Given that the minister’s mandate to defend protected areas conflicts with his commitments to oil and gas projects in protected parks, can the minister tell us if he’s taking his marching orders from Premier or the Minister of Energy? 2:10 Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, I think it’s neither of those. Certainly, we are working with all the stakeholders.

We are working with the energy industry. We are working with Sustainable Resources. We are working with Agriculture in establishing what can happen in all of our areas. We try, as I indicated before in this House, to achieve a balance. In some areas, again, we are protecting them wholly. In others we are saying that certain activities will be allowed to happen.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 229 Capital Cost Allowance Program Mr. Doerksen: Mr. Speaker, in yesterday’s federal budget the government of Canada announced that it would phase out the accelerated capital cost allowance program for oil sands develop- ment. There have already been a number of concerns voiced by the industry about the potential impact that this change will have on the future of the energy industry. My first question is to the Minister of Energy.

Because this program is being phased out over a number of years, is there a possibility that this could lead to the unintended consequence of even more rapid development, putting additional strain on our labour market and on our infrastructure? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Knight: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Most certainly, initially I have to express my concern and disappointment with the federal government’s budget statement indicating that the accelerated capital cost allowance would in fact be removed.

More to the question, I would suggest that there is an economic climate in the province of Alberta, including now the situation around accelerated capital cost allowance, our review of royalties, a rather inflated cost of doing business in the province of Alberta: I think that these things added together will very likely temper applications. Mr. Doerksen: Mr. Speaker, at the same time that the phase-out of the capital cost allowance was announced, new capital cost allow- ance provisions were announced for manufacturers.

Given the minister’s mandate from the Premier to increase the amount of value-added in the province, what is the potential impact on projects such as the announced or proposed upgrader projects that are happening in the industrial heartland? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Knight: Yes, Mr. Speaker, thank you. Most certainly, the province of Alberta is going to continue to move ahead. We are very, very positive with respect to the resource base that we have in the province of Alberta. We will continue to move ahead.

With respect to upgrading, I believe that there is an opportunity for us here on the manufacturing side. The feds have left a bit of room there with respect to that issue and accelerated capital costs. We will be pursuing that. Mr. Doerksen: My next question is to the Minister of Finance. Given concerns raised by the industry that they are facing uncer- tainty due to this announcement and its impact on capital and investment, can he advise members of this Assembly whether this change will be taken into account during the review of the royalties? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Dr. Oberg: Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker. That’s an abso- lutely excellent question. The last thing that we want to have happen to our oil industry is a one-two-three punch, with number one being the income trust, number two being the accelerated capital cost allowance, number three being potential climate change issues. So in our Royalty Review Panel I have asked the panel to take a look at the accelerated capital cost allowance, see what that has to do with the royalties, and see exactly the position that the oil sands compa- nies are going to be in with re spect to that.

I think it’s a very important question, and it’s something that we certainly have to take a look at and take into consideration when we take a look at royalties. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford, followed by the hon. Member for Little Bow. Openness and Transparency in Government Mr. R. Miller: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Every secretive government’s dream, contrary to international standards on public openness, a huge step backward in the fight for more open and transparent government, unacceptable, noxious: these are the words that were used by experts in informational laws, political scientists, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to describe Bill 20, which was forced through by this government in 2006. The blanket exemptions in Bill 20 serve one purpos e, and that is to protect this government from any form of public accountability.

To the Premier: given that Bill 20 prevents the citizens of this province from accessing internal government audit documents for 15 years – 15 years – is it the Premier’s position that such an exemption supports an open and transparent government? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, this government has moved quickly on openness and transparency. It started, first of all, with a posting on the web of all of the manifests of government aircraft. We also are going to be making public all ministerial expenses, EA expenses on the web starting in April. We’re moving today, of course, second reading of the Lobbyists Act.

We’re moving with the Conflicts of Interest Amendment Act, 2007. We have done more in the last 90 days than any government before. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. R. Miller: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier: given that Bill 20 prevents the citizens of this province from accessing ministerial briefing notes for five years, is it the Premier’s position that such an exemption supports an open and transparent government? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, the bill was debated and passed in the House, and it’s up me to uphold the law. That law is Bill 20, that was passed.

If the opposition has other ideas that they want to bring forward to the House, so be it. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. R. Miller: Well thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Premier made the following statement regarding Bill 20 in May of last year, and I quote: if it does restrict openness and transparency in some way, then so be it, and I’m sure that no matter who is elected as leader, that person will find the need to change the legislation. End quote.

To the Premier: given the scathing reviews from information law experts and academics regarding Bill 20, does the Premier now support the statements that he made during the leadership campaign, and will he enact changes to the legislation? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, I’ll stand on my record in terms of the movement we made over the last 90 days to openness and transpar- ency in this government, but there is more to come. In fact, we’re opening up this Legislature to all-party committees, and we’ll see soon where they stand on that. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Little Bow, followed by the hon.

Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar.

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007230 Highway Maintenance Mr. McFarland: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the course of this winter travelling back and forth, many of us see the deterioration on our highway network, especially when it comes to cracks and potholes and lane identification. My question today is to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation. I’d like to know if the maintenance of these potholes and improvements to the lane identification are part and parcel of the contracts we have with our contractors that maintain the provincial highways, Minister. The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr.

Ouellette: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the hon. member for that very important question. The hon. member is correct in that this winter has been very hard on pavement and pavement markings. Our maintenance contractors are responsible for filling the cracks and painting lines on our highways. The contractors have to work to the standards set out in their contracts, and government inspectors ensure that the work is done properly and in a timely manner. Mr. McFarland: Second question.

If that’s the case, is there any way that the department and the contractors could facilitate some accelerated maintenance, especially when it comes to lane identifica- tion? Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, our highway maintenance contracts are performance based and encourage the contractors to be out there and doing whatever work is necessary. Our contractors are paid only for the work they do actually perform, so it’s in their best interests to be busy. If they don’t do the work, then they don’t get paid. There’s no incentive for them to be sitting around the shop when there’s work to be done outside.

Of course, it’s in the travelling public’s interest for the contractors to be out there as well. I can assure the hon. member that our contractors are doing whatever the weather permits them to do. Mr. McFarland: Given that traffic volumes and the weather conditions have, in fact – and I’m back on the lane visibility – deteriorated substantially, and I know that it’s impossible for this stuff to be done during the winter, is there any way to get a more durable or a more timely application of some of these lane identifi- ers? Mr.

Ouellette: As I mentioned in my first answer, the amount of snow clearing and sanding this year has taken an unusual toll on pavement markings. My department is always experimenting with paints that are more durable and reflective, Mr. Speaker. We need to test the products first before we put them on the approved material list for our contractors to use. We also are trying more permanent inlaid plastic markings on some of our higher volume roads, and these markings are considerably more expensive than traditional paint but do last longer.

They have been used successfully in warmer climates such as California, and we’re hoping they will work in the Alberta climate. Should they prove cost-effective and work well, we will consider, then, putting them on the roads for . . . The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. 2:20 Electrical Power System Mr. MacDonald: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Business owners, farmers, tenants, and homeowners struggle to pay their monthly power bills. We know why. Last fall I asked the now Premier how his government planned to unplug electricity deregula- tion.

To date, unfortunately, I have not received an answer. Hopefully, this afternoon I will. My first question is to the Premier. Given that in six years deregulation has added $13.8 billion extra to the cost of generating electricity in this province – and this does not include transmission, distribution, and billing costs – when will this government do the right thing and unplug electricity deregulation? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, this province has gone a long way in adding additional generation in this province. In fact, even with all of the cogen that’s happening in the province, we still require more generation.

The other is that through deregulation in terms of generation we have also looked at new generation for wind and solar and, very close to my constituency, even cogenerating electricity from manure. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the hon. Premier: if this generation has added so much capacity to the system, why are prices continuing to skyrocket for homeowners, for commercial users, for farmers, and for businesses in this province? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, the cost of electricity – moving electricity to homes, the cost of infrastructure, the overall cost to each and every Albertan – has risen in some cases because of the fact that we haven’t kept up with maintaining our transmission lines and our distribution lines over the last number of years. Then, of course, with respect to generation natural gas prices are up. We will soon have, depending on what happens from the federal government, perhaps even more in terms of electrogeneration from coal, given new rules possibly coming from Ottawa.

So there’s a lot to come in the area of electrogeneration, I can assure you of that. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the hon. Premier. Because there was no long-term planning done with electricity deregulation, we now see first-hand the mess with our distribution and transmission system, which adds many dollars to the bill but specifically to the cost of electricity. Why is the cost of electricity going so high? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, I think what he’s trying to imply is that through a regulated system, then, these changes would have been made a lot faster.

Actually, it’s the reverse, and history has proven that. The other is, Mr. Speaker, that in spite of all these issues that the hon. member may be raising, there are still over 500,000 people that move to this province, and more people insist on moving to the province of Alberta because, quite frankly, it is the only – only – jurisdiction in Canada that has any economic growth. The Speaker: Hon. members, we dealt with 98 questions and answers today. We’ll now revert to where we were in the Routine, and I’m going to call on the hon. Member for Leduc-Beaumont-Devon for an introduction of a bill.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 231 head: Introduction of Bills (reversion) Bill 24 Real Estate Amendment Act, 2007 Mr. Rogers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave to introduce Bill 24, the Real Estate Amendment Act, 2007. [Motion carried; Bill 24 read a first time] The Speaker: The hon. Deputy Government House Leader. Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, I move that Bill 24 be moved to the Order Paper under Government Bills and Orders. [Motion carried] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Peace River.

Bill 204 Emblems of Alberta (Franco-Albertan Recognition) Amendment Act, 2007/ Loi modificative de 2007 sur les emblèmes de l’Alberta (reconnaissance du fait franco-albertain) Mr. Oberle: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to request leave to introduce a bill, being the Emblems of Alberta (Franco-Albertan Recognition) Amendment Act, 2007/ Loi modificative de 2007 sur les emblèmes de l’Alberta (reconnaissance du fait franco-albertain). Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Motion carried; Bill 204 read a first time] head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to be able to table a copy of a letter that a constituent, Bonita Davidson, has sent to me. She’s a personal care attendant, and for some time she’s been working as a live-in caregiver in the self- managed care program. I referred to her in my response to the throne speech. She’s particularly raising issues a bout the need for respite care for caregivers and also the fact that many caregivers are not covered by WCB, and if they become injured, there’s no assistance for them. So I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of that letter today.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert. Mr. Flaherty: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table five copies of a press release issued by the Ed Stelmach leadership campaign, including a pledge that the teachers’ pension fund unfunded liability would be addressed through a final and fair and lasting resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two tablings today. The first one is a letter that I wrote yesterday to the hon.

Minister of Agriculture and Food, and it is, again, suggesting that the Minister of Agriculture and Food post an apology on the website in regard to question period yesterday. The second tabling I have is a press release and supporting research documents indicating that electricity costs have increased by 38 per cent since 2000 in Alberta for farmers whenever you compare them to the other western Canadian provinces, which have seen single-digit increases in their electricity costs. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Manning. Mr. Backs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have two groups of tablings here today. One is from the Unity Centre in my constituency, which is a tremendous resource centre for the less advantaged in northeast Edmonton. It speaks to homelessness and the need for more affordable housing. The second group is calling on the Assembly to support that the accused killer of Joshua John Hunt be sentenced and tried as an adult due to the nature of his crime, his past criminal history, and that he is close to the age of 18 years. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I am tabling the prerequisite number of copies of an

article talking about the Keith- Ferris family and their struggle with gastroparesis. The

article is entitled Life-changing Device Helps Local Kids Stay Active: Provincial Funding Needed for Gastroparesis Patients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a tabling from my constituent Linda Smith. She is concerned about crime. She’s urging this government to punish young offenders who commit crimes and not give them second, third, or 10th chances to keep committing crimes. Five copies, please.

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.

Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, pursuant to the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Act the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research 2005- 2006 programs and financial highlights; pursuant to the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Science and Engineering Research Act the Alberta ingenuity fund 2005-2006 annual report; pursuant to the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act the Alberta Apprentice- ship and Industry Training Board 2005-2006 annual report; the Alberta Prion Research Institute 2005-2006 annual report. On behalf of the hon. Dr.

Oberg, Minister of Finance, a report dated January 2006 entitled Organization and Governance Review of Alberta Investment Management, prepared for Alberta Finance by Capelle Associates Inc. on behalf of Capelle Associates Inc. and KPA Advisory Services Ltd. head: 2:30 Orders of the Day head: Government Bills and Orders Second Reading Bill 1 Lobbyists Act The Speaker: I’m going to call on the hon. Premier. I’d just advise

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007232 all hon. members that under our Standing Order 29(1)(a)(

i) the Premier is limited to 90 minutes’ speaking time. The hon. the Premier. Mr. Stelmach: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, for that extra time. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure, of course, to rise today and move second reading of Bill 1, the Lobbyists Act. I’d like to really begin, Mr. Speaker, by touching briefly on the history of this legislation, of this bill. Last spring an all-party Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee reported back to government, and one of its key recommendations was the creation of a lobbyists registry.

In addition, this bill was one of the commit- ments which I campaigned on last fall. I committed to taking it one step further. This bill will accomplish three goals. First, it will require lobbyists to register; secondly, it will prohibit lobbyists from simultaneously lobbying and providing paid advice to government on the same issue; and, third, it contains provisions to have the listing of entities who receive payment from the government posted online.

This is a dramatic step, a first in Canada, and one which will allow all Albertans to see and compare for themselves who is being paid to lobby government and also who is being paid by govern- ment. Mr. Speaker, lobbying is a legitimate activity. It can be very valuable to government during the very important decision-making process. Albertans have the right to communicate with decision- makers, provide information, and, of course, their views on issues that are important to them. As the

preamble to Bill 1 clearly states, “free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest.” At the same time, it is important that both members of the public and public office holders know who is being paid for trying to influence government decisions. A lobbyist registry will provide for greater transparency while maintaining open access to govern- ment. Mr. Speaker, I would like to briefly define the role of a lobbyist. A lobbyist is an individual who is paid to communicate with public office holders in an attempt to influence government decisions.

Lobbyists may be retained for a fee or may be employees or paid officers or directors. They may work for nonprofit or for-profit based organizations. Lobbyists include sole proprietors and partners in partnerships who lobby on behalf of their business. However, not all communications with government are considered to be lobbying. For example, a person making a submission to a committee of the Legislative Assembly or in the course of proceed- ings before a board or tribunal is not lobbying. A constituent does not need to register.

Of course, those that come, you know, on a weekly basis to our offices do not need to register before communi- cating with their MLA unless they are communicating with their MLA about a private bill for their own special benefit. There is no registration required if a person is asked for his or her opinion by a public office holder, nor must a lobbyist register when they want to influence a public office holder about the

interpretation or applica- tion of legislation, regulations, or a government policy as it applies to the lobbyist’s client. However, a lobbyist must register if he or she wishes to influence government decisions in certain areas. These areas include influenc- ing the content of legislation, regulations, or government policy. A lobbyist must also register if he or she wants to influence the awarding of a government grant or financial benefit or a decision to privatize a government service.

The definition of “lobbyist” and the types of communications which require registration are carefully designed to ensure that registration is required in appropriate cases but without impeding access to government. The registry will be freely accessible to members of the public in a searchable format through the Internet. Information contained in the registry will include the name of the lobbyist, the issues on which he or she will be lobbying, and the communication techniques to be used, including identifying whether they will be communicat- ing with ministers, MLAs, or public servants.

The registry will be overseen by the Ethics Commissioner, who will have the real authority to appoint a registrar. The registrar will have the authority to issue advi sory opinions and

interpretation bulletins to assist lobbyists and all Albertans in understanding the registration requirements. A second key feature of the bill is that it prohibits both lobbying and providing paid advice to the government on the same issue at the same time. This prohibition addresses an issue of concern to Albertans and works to ensure that government receives objective advice. As part of their registration lobbyists will have to provide a declaration that they are not in violation of this prohibition.

The registrar will have the authority to investigate breaches of the legislation and, when in his or her opinion it’s been breached, can impose administrative penalties of up to $25, 000. Breaches of the legislation could also be prosecuted through the court system. This bill provides for fines of up to $50,000 for a first offence and as high as $200,000 on a second or subsequent offence. These, Mr. Speaker, are the highest fines of any province in Canada. Additionally, when a person is convicted of breaching the legislation, the registrar can prohibit that person from lobbying for up to two years. Mr.

Speaker, the third element of this bill is that it provides for the publication of an index of government accounts paid. The index will be fully accessible and searchable on the Internet. The index will include individuals and corporations who are paid under government contracts. This information will be readily available to the public. It is information already collected. There will be no extra steps to take for Albertans doing business with government. The index will provide openness and transparency in that regard. Mr.

Speaker, Bill 1 will allow Albertans to see for themselves that lobbying activities are being done openly. This is leading-edge legislation. It demonstrates my government’s commitment to governing with openness and transparency. This bill will go a long way to restoring public confidence and respect for this democratic institution. I encourage all members of the Legislature to support Bill 1, the Lobbyists Act. I would now move that we adjourn debate on Bill 1 and return to it at a later date. Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 20 Appropriation (Supplementary Supply) Act, 2007 The Speaker: The hon. President of the Treasury Board. Mr. Snelgrove: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to move second reading of Bill 20, th e Appropriation (Supplementary Supply) Act, 2007. The supplementary supply estimates provide additional spending authority to five government departments. All of the spending has been reported in the third-quarter fiscal updates.

The estimates include capital for postsecondary institutions, agricultural assistance programs, housing initiatives and programs for the homeless, and funds for physician services. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 233 Mr. R. Miller: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to rise this afternoon in second reading of Bill 20, the supplementary supply No. 2 act, which means, of course, that this is the second time this year that this House has considered a supple- mentary supply. [interjection] The second time. Now, Mr. Speaker, the new Premier and his new cabinet have talked an awful lot about the fact that this sort of spending is not to be seen as often, as regularly, or as much in the future.

I can tell you one thing for sure: this shadow mi nister is going to hold them to their word. I will dog them every day to make sure that they’re true to that. You will know, Mr. Speaker, that it has been a bone of contention ever since I was elected to this Chamber, that we saw quarterly updates to the budget, and in most cases we saw as much money being announced in spending at those quarterly updates as there was extra in the surplus. This is no way to run a government. It’s no way to run a business. It’s no way to run a household. So, as I say, I certainly intend to hold th em to their word on that.

I’ve noticed in some of the comments from the President of the Treasury Board more recently a bit of a softening on that stance, so I’m serving fair warning today that I will be watching very carefully. 2:40 You know, really, if the purpose of supplementary supply is to deal with emergent and emergency situations – and we’ve discussed before whether it should be forest fires or fl ooding or even, I suppose, you know, a downturn in the value of the Canadian dollar which causes the price of new government airplanes to rise dramati- cally. I suppose you could argue that that’s an emergent situation as well.

But when I look through Bill 20 and some of the areas where we’re providing supplementary funding, bearing in mind that this bill is coming forward after the new government was sworn in and the new ministers were sworn in, yet there are a number of items in this particular bill that cause me to question whether or not they are in fact emergent or emergency. I’m just looking, for an example, Mr. Speaker, at Advanced Education and Technology, $34.5 million for a grant to match private donations to the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.

I think my colleague from Edmonton-Meadowlark was referring to this yesterday. We know that some of that money is to match the Mactaggarts’ wonderfully generous donation to the University of Alberta. The government has known about this for a couple of years now, Mr. Speaker. I remember the day that we had the Mactaggarts in your gallery and the announcement was made. So here we are now quite some time later and finally providing the matching grants, and it’s a good thing. It’s something that we were all in favour of. My question is simply this: why does this have to have been done in supplementary spending?

Why could it not have been in either last spring’s budget or in this spring’s budget, which is really the proper place for that spending to be? One point five million dollars for enhancing science literary awareness programs at the Science Alberta Foundation: a wonderful initiative. I’m sure nobody on this side of the House is going to argue against the merits of spending the money in that particular program. The question is really: is it emergent? Was it an emer- gency?

Was there some compelling reason why it had to be done in a second supplementary supply bill, or could it not either have been done in last spring’s budget or have waited another month and been in the 2007-2008 budget? Five hundred thousand dollars for enhancing awards and promot- ing the annual gala event at the ASTech foundation. Same argu- ment, Mr. Speaker, so I’m not going to belabour the point. We look at the Department of Agriculture and Food asking for $50 million to supplement the CAIS program. Again, I’m sure there are some very valid arguments for that being an emergency.

That money is most likely very desperately needed by the folks in our agricultural community. Perhaps a justifiable expense and one that I wouldn’t necessarily have a problem with. We look, however, at the Department of Finance, and there’s $7.07 million to reimburse public sector pension plans, research endowment funds, the scholarship fund, and other minor funds for investment losses. Now, Mr.

Speaker, I’ve reviewed the Hansard from last week when we were in committee debating this, and I didn’t see any response from either the Finance minister or the President of the Treasury Board or the Premier indicating what happened with those particular funds and why they lost $7.07 million in an economic environment when virtually every fund I’m aware of made money last year. Certainly, I watch the stock markets as closely as most members in this Assembly do, I’m sure, and I watch with particular interest the heritage savings trust fund, which generated a healthy return last year.

I’m quite curious, and I think that before I could lend my support to this bill, I’d want to know what happened with those funds that we lost a total of over $7 million in them. Were any actions taken against the managers of those funds or some hard questions asked as to investment decisions they were making? In this economy it’s hard to imagine that funds would be losing money. Another one that jumps out at myself – and I know that the Member for St. Albert asked a question in question period this afternoon a bout the unfunded t eachers’ pension liability, Mr. Speaker.

Here we have in one lump-sum payment $40 million that the government is putting into their share of the management employees’ pension plan unfunde d pension liability. Again, I reviewed Hansard; I didn’t see any reference to this in the Hansard. Perhaps I missed it. But $40 million, as near as I can tell, covers the lion’s share of the government’s share of that unfunded liability, and it’s made in one fell swoop in the middle of a budget year, without any explanation for why it would be an emergency.

At the same time we have nearly $7 billion in an unfunded liability to the teachers’ pension plan, which we press this govern- ment constantly on. We are continually told time and again that it’s going to be addressed, that there will be movement made on it. In the meantime, we carry on with the difficulty in attracting teachers. We carry on in a situation where taxpayers are funding this to the tune of some $45 billion over the lifetime of the project as opposed to dealing with the $7 billion liability today.

So clearly for taxpayers it would be a good deal to look after some or all of that unfunded liability today. I’m hoping that there will be some addressing of that in the budget that we see next month. Again the question is: why was this $40 million needed in the middle of a budget year? If there’s $40 million for that particular unf unded liab ility, what about all of the other unfunded liabilities that the government has, certainly the largest of which is the teachers’? I look at the Health and Wellness department getting $147 million for higher than budgeted costs of physician services.

Again, given the state of health care in this province and the urgent need for that, I’m not going to pick a bone with that in particular. I think there’s probably good justification for that, so perhaps that is a good use of supplementary supply. Likewise, Mr. Speaker, Municipal Affairs and Housing: a total of $42.846 million is being requested.

It looks like the majority of that is going to rent supplemen t programs: $15. 173 millio n for an affordable housing program, $16.142 million for the off-reserve aboriginal housing program, and a further $9.531 million to address “homeless or near-homeless people through outreach teams adminis- tered by seven major community-based organizations.” Well, I

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007234 don’t have to tell you or any member of this Assembly how important the issue of housing affordability has become. When I give my response to the throne sp eech either later today or sometime in the near future, I will definitely be addressing that particular issue as it relates to the constituency of Edmonton- Rutherford and how it has over the last year and a half become the number one issue in my constituency office. I’m going to guess that that’s not dissimilar to other experiences that members of the House are having.

So a total of $42.846 million going to various issues surrounding housing affordability. Again, this is an emergent issue, and this is the sort of thing that I can certainly live with in terms of supplemen- tary spending. I guess, to sum up, as I said, the two for Finance, both the $7 million to address losses from various investment funds and the $40 million in one fell swoop being dumped into the management employees’ pension plan: I really have questions as to what the emergency is there, and, Mr.

Speaker, as I outlined, the three different ones from Advanced Education and Technology: 34 and a half million dollars to match the donations, $1.5 million for science literary awareness programs, and $500,000 for the awards and promoting the gala event at the ASTech Foundation. I suppose a question that might be relevant as well, since we’re discussing it, is: just exactly how much of that $500,000 went for enhancing the awards and how much of the $500,000 went for promoting the annual gala event? I’d be curious to know that.

If there’s somebody on the government side that might be able to answer that question prior to the vote being taken later this afternoon, that would be helpful information as well. 2:50 With those comments I will close for now.

As I said, I would hope that this document is going to become a dinosaur, that we will not be seeing great big supplementary supply estimates anymore, or at least if we do see them, they will be restricted to true emergency situations like affordable housing crises, like forest fires and flood relief, and such instances that all members of this House would recognize as being truly important in terms of addressing midstream, mid budget and that honestly cannot wait until the budget process would take its due course. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Manning. Mr.

Backs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to rise and speak to this supplementary supply. There are a number of very important issues, I think, that are covered in this supply, and these are the earlier mentioned homeless and near-homeless funding, the affordable housing programs. These are things that s hould be funded. I’m surprised that the Member for Edmonton-Rutherford would mention that the China Institute should be delayed in its funding. I was just there last week and they were very, very concerned that their funding would be coming forward.

That it is in fact coming forward I think is crucial to them, and it’s crucial that this will get going, provide the matching funding that the Mactaggarts so generously gave, and look to push forward the economic develop- ment that the China Institute will give. Another area that I’ve heard about often is the area of pub- lic/private partnerships, which seem to come up in sup supply quite a bit. The nature of public/private partnerships is that sometimes they look like rent-to-own, and we’ve got to look very carefully at these P3s, as they are often called.

There are many types of contracting with government and contracting actually in the private sector that are used in order to try to get a job done. Often the cost- plus way, which uses contractors, is not really the best way to go in that it just provides almost a guaranteed profit. The public/private partnerships usually use contractors. I think that to use a cost-plus mode would not be a good way to go in that type of situation. We have had many types of P3s over the years.

I mean, in my constituency, for example, the Northgate Lions seniors’ centre is a good example, using the Lions Club as one of the contracting agencies, as one of the groups in a public/private partnership in order to bring about a facility that was very, very su ccessful in coming forward over the decades and over a number of expansions in providing a tremendous service to seniors in my constituency. The Auditor General has said that the government would be remiss if it did not look at whether it utilized public/private partner- ships in its endeavours.

One of the main things I think, though, in this time of expensive rising costs is to get projects done quickly. In my constituency I don’t think the Anthony Henday will be able to get going unless we use P3 financing for that purpose. I think that is the best mode to do so for that, and I support that. It is important to look at that and to move forward on these projects because if we don’t move forward quickly, there will be much more cost over time. That’s all I have to say on sup supply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Hon. members, as the hon.

Member for Edmonton- Manning is the third speaker, we now have this opportunity under Standing Order 29(2)(

a) to have a five-minute question-and- comment period. Before we get to that, might I draw to the attention of all members in the Assembly the presence in the Speaker’s gallery of a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and a former minister of the Crown, now Mrs. Shirley Cripps, formerly the hon. Shirley Cripps. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar on the question-and- comment period. Mr. MacDonald: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the hon. Member for Edmonton-Manning.

In light of his remarks regarding P3s, does the hon. member have any concern over the fact that there was a significant cost overrun at the Anthony Henday Drive ring road project? The last annual report from Infrastructure and Transportation revealed that in a $108 million budget, I believe it was, there was a $36 million cost overrun. Does the hon. member still have that much confidence in P3s after that cost overrun? Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Backs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question from the Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar.

The nature of the P3s that we’re seeing and what we’ve seen in Anthony Henday and how we want to see it go forward, especially, I think, in the bridge on the east portion of Anthony Henday, is to see that we will ensure through the cost – and to be truthful, I wonder if the cost overruns would not have been more in the long term on the other portions with the increases in costs that we’ve seen in construction, which has actually percentagewise often risen far more than that in other areas.

If we’re to move quickly in order to have our infrastructure in place for the bridge across the North Saskatchewan on the east leg, we have to get that going quickly. There will be much greater costs to our city, to the northeast, to the movement of goods and services, to so many things if we do not move quickly, and I think that’s the only way that we can actually finance that at this time.

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 235 The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert on the question-and- comment period. Mr. Flaherty: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I would be very interested in hearing the good MLA for Edmonton-Manning talk about the whole question that he’s raised about P3s regarding schools. One of the biggest problems that we’re having in this province is that the neighbourhood school and the community school concept is disappearing, and people are feeling that they’re being left out.

What we’re leading to is the deterioration of the community and the well-being of people in the community in terms of the school being an integral part of that particular community. I get really concerned when I hear the good MLA for Edmonton-Manning suggest that this is an answer to the construction of schools as well, I imagine you imply. I’d be very interested in hearing your comments on that. I hope that you’ve done research on it because I’d be very interested in hearing it. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Manning to respond. Mr. Backs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Some years ago I spent five months plus, I think it was, working on a report on procurement and travelling across this country, more in the small business area but looking at larger areas like defence, education in the federal sector, many, many areas. We reported directly to cabinet in that particular function. We were full-time. We looked at all of the functions of contracting, and I chaired the small business hearings across Canada. The function of contracting is not always so simple as that it should all be done by public servants and all the rest of it.

The fact of the matter is that when you build a school, it’s almost always done by a contractor in any case. It’s how you put it together, how you get it going, and how you ensure that it is built in a timely fashion and in a quality fashion that counts. That’s what we’ve got to be looking at. I know that in many areas of the north end and where I’m at we need schools. We need them built quickly, and we’ve got to do it somehow. The nature of public financing sometimes calls for different and imaginative ways of doing things.

I think that we’ve got to be looking clearly at different and imaginative ways of doing things, and sometimes, not always, P3 may be the way to go. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford on the Q and C section. Mr. R. Miller: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s sounding an awful lot like a job application, I think. Mr. Speaker, when I purchased my house, I signed a 25-year mortgage. I paid payments on it for 25 years, and then I owned the house. Is it not true, to the hon. Member for Edmonton-Manning, that this is just another form of debt financing? 3:00 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr.

Backs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seem to be a popular source that needs to be questioned today, and one should not be . . . The Speaker: I must sorely regret and intervene now. The time has now escaped us. Hon. Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie, I believe you caught my eye. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise and speak to Bill 20, which is No. 2. In this b ill the government is asking for an additional amount of money from the last budget. I think the total money the government is asking for is $393,516,000.

You know, this is the second time since I’ve been elected where I saw that during the budget time they don’t calculate properly, and after the budget they ask for an additional amount. This is the second time again. So I should say that this government again failed to stay within their limit, within their means. But Albertans are looking. They are expecting from us that we should live within our means. When the government, you know, introduces the budget and makes sure that they include everything, they should anticipate what’s going on in the coming time, but I think that once again they failed.

They keep on spending more and more money. The problem is that they are spending money unwisely. That’s the main concern of lots of people I talk to, and they are mad about it. They said: you know, this government spent 93 per cent of energy revenue in the last 25 years. This is the Tory government’s record. At one time they used to blame some other parties. That includes Alberta Liberals. “Fire the Liberals. They are spenders.” But I think this Tory government is the big spender. I think they broke all the records so far.

Now, once again they are asking us to sign a blank cheque, a blank cheque for $393,516,000, and this is the second time after the budget. This is totally out of control, and we don’t have the proper details. I know they are spending on specific ministries, but there’s no breakdown of how much goes where, no full details about where they are going to spend money or whether they already have spent money on any particular ministry. This is not acceptable to most of the Albertans, and they have to change this bad habit. I don’t know why, after repeating the same things again and again, this government doesn’t listen.

I think it’s their duty to listen and to do something good for the people who elected them. But they are not listening, and I still wonder because suppose they don’t spend money wisely or prudently? Priority-wise the Premier has the mandate on certain things. Some other priorities were not even included in the throne speech. My constituents are concerned. The main concern in my constituency is hospitals: still nine and a half hours’ waiting time. I don’t think that they are seriously addressing that issue because this problem is still there for a long, long time. We still have shortages of doctors in our area.

It’s not only in Edmonton-Ellerslie, but it’s all over Alberta, wherever I go. Even some members sitting in this House have mentioned it a few times, and they understand that it’s a big problem all over Alberta. If it’s a huge problem, why don’t they take it seriously and at least guarantee Albertans that they will look after their best interests in the hospitals? Education is another priority in my constituency, Mr. Speaker. My constituency is growing so fast. Next door to my riding is Edmonton-Whitemud and Edmonton-Mill Woods. Those three ridings are growing so fast. You know, they need schools.

They need recreational centres. They need libraries. I wish those priorities would be included and that this government spend money, particularly in building new schools in Edmonton. I saw in a paper just a couple of weeks ago that this government is building eight new schools in Calgary and none in Edmonton. We are growing like Calgary, and I wish that this government would concentrate on the growing area all over Alberta. I’m not saying that they should spend money only in Edmonton but all over Alberta. Education is still the top priority, and they should take it very seriously.

Wherever you go, whether you go to Calgary, you go to Grande

Alberta Hansard March 20, 2007236 Prairie or Medicine Hat, road conditions are terrible. It’s terrible. Mr. MacDonald: Well, the Messier Trail. Mr. Agnihotri: Yeah. I mean, ask anybody. Urban or rural area roads are terrible, and I wish they would spend some amount of money in this area as well. Another serious thing which I think we should address here is the low-income people. The social deficit, Mr. Speaker, is increasing. We should at least think about those people who are earning less than $20,000. Still there are people who are earning $20,000 annually, and their rent is going higher every year.

Some people, I mean, are hand to mouth. They can’t even, you know, afford at least a reasonable amount of money for their groceries. So with those unfortunate people we should consider them very seriously, and we should address their concerns as soon as possible before it’s too late. I remember that we increased the AISH payment after so many years, and after that there was no review. Those people – I mean, everything, all the prices have gone up. How are they going to survive?

If we don’t take seriously those people who don’t earn too much money, that problem becomes socially very serious, and those people will go on the street and will try to earn easy money in a way that society doesn’t expect. So before we are too late, we should seriously consider and address this issue. 3:10 The last time I questioned the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security, he said that the crime rate in Alberta is reducing. I don’t believe that. I’m sure there are lots of other people sitting in this House . . . Some Hon. Members: I don’t believe it. Mr. Agnihotri: You don’t believe it.

You see, Mr. Speaker, this issue speaks for itself. It’s a big, big problem in Alberta. Not only in Edmonton, not only in Calgary, not only in Grande Prairie but all over. It’s even growing in rural areas. So we need some more police officers and staff to make sure that our children, our parents, especially seniors, walk freely during the nighttime. I tell you personally that it’s very dangerous to even walk on the streets after 9 o’clock in some areas, and it’s getting worse. So before it’s too late, I think we should give this sector a little bit more priority. Environment is a big issue.

Yes, I’m glad that government has started taking an interest in environmental issues. But let’s see, anyway. I don’t want to discuss this issue right now because we are dealing with another bill. I will address that issue when we deal with that. The problem, Mr. Speaker, is that this government is throwing money at the problems. They keep on throwing money at the problems. Still they don’t have long-term, sustainable policies. They started forming some committees. Maybe they want some input from opposition parties, which is a good thing because we are all elected to serve the best interests of Albertans, right?

But I don’t know why they didn’t have those plans for a long, long time. We always get the lip service. If they had proper sustainable policies 25 years ago – for example, I’m sure with the money that this govern- ment received from the nonrenewable resources, we could have so much, a huge amount of money. At least, if you see the Alberta Liberals’ plan, even the 15-year plan, if we had that plan, we could have savings of about $120 billion – $120 billion – in our heritage fund. That means that out of $120 billion if we calculate at today’s rate of interest, $7 billion interest would have come out of that money.

We could have used that money in the general revenue. We could have the best universi- ties in the world. We could have the best hospitals. We wouldn’t have a long waiting time in the hospitals or have to sit two hours, three hours in the surgery. Whenever I go and see my doctor, I have to wait there for two, three hours, and the doctor always says: “Just tell me one problem. If you want to talk about the second one, come next time.” [interjections] This is true. Maybe you get preference that we don’t. One time, Mr.

Speaker, one of my good friends, a doctor, said, “You know, I can look after this.” I said: “Doctor, I respect that. I don’t want preference, okay?” Everybody should be equal. Yes. It’s true. The Speaker: Unfortunately, hon. member, I regret to inform you that the time for this segment has now expired. We do have five minutes, though, for questions and comments if an hon. member would like to participate under the standing order. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford on this Q and C section. Mr. R. Miller: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would just like to ask the hon. member if he might be able to share with us a little more about his comments regarding his visit to a doctor and having to book a second appointment if he has a second issue he wishes to discuss. This is a very serious issue. I heard members on the other side indicating that he should just get another doctor. Well, I’ve had constituents come . . . The Speaker: Please, hon. member. No. I accept that it may be a serious thing, but right now we’re debating second reading of a supplementary supply bill.

What this has to do with service by individual doctors is beyond my comprehension. There has to be some degree of relevancy with respect to it. Perhaps, hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, you wanted to participate in the Q and C section? Mr. Martin: No. The Speaker: Okay. The hon. Member for Calgary-Bow on the Q and C section. Ms DeLong: Yes. Thank you. I was listening to my hon. colleague, and there were some interesting th ings that you did say during the beginning of your speech which I think are valid questions – okay? – but I would suggest that you should also be providing valid answers.

What you were questioning was the amount of money that we were spending and that we were asking for more money for particular, specific items. Now, which of those particular, specific items do you think we should not be spending money on? You also made reference to us generally spending more money, so could you please specify what things you would like to cut, where we should be spending less money? The Speaker: Hon. member, if you wish, proceed. Mr. Agnihotri: Thank you very much. I appreciate your question. You know, I don’t mind spending. I already said that spending money on the programs is not a bad idea.

I was talking about the priorities. In my constituency we have different priorities, and I want to make sure that I raise my voice for the people who elected me. In this bill you’re asking for $393,516,000, the total amount, and on health care $147 mi llion. I want to make sure that if we are sanctioning $147 million on health care – it’s a huge amount – that

March 20, 2007 Alberta Hansard 237 at least we will be able to, you know, reduce the waiting time, increase the number of doctors, staff, beds. That’s what I mean. Yes, I was talking about, you know, going out of the way b ecause every time the government introduces the budget – make sure they calculate everything. Not second time, third time, fourth time. They keep on repeating the same things again and again, again and again. That’s a big problem for me, and this is not acceptable to me. This is not acceptable to all Albertans who are listening here today. Thank you.

The Speaker: Additional members to participate in the Q and C section? Then that being the case, we’ll now call on the hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, then followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View, the hon. Member for St. Albert, and the hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. But if there are additional members of another side that want to participate, we’ll insert them in. Right now the hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. 3:20 Mr. Martin: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do want to make a few brief comments about the supplementary estimates.

It’s more to do with the process, but there are a couple of things I do want to go over. [Mr. Shariff in the chair] We’ve had this debate in the Legislature, and I hope that this particular debate will be fast coming to an end. I

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20070320
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L26 S3 20070320 1300 01 han.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	96a87adadab65bf63fe87deb976bf3952ff4eeb5

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