Province of Alberta The 27th Legislature Second Session Alberta Hansard Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Issue 31 The Honourable Kenneth R. Kowalski, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Second Session Kowalski, Hon. Ken, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, Speaker Cao, Wayne C.N., Calgary-Fort, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Mitzel, Len, Cypress-Medicine Hat, Deputy Chair of Committees Ady, Hon. Cindy, Calgary-Shaw (PC), Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation Allred, Ken, St.

Albert (PC) Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Anderson, Rob, Airdrie-Chestermere (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Solicitor General and Public Security Benito, Carl, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Berger, Evan, Livingstone-Macleod (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Sustainable Resource Development Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Bhullar, Manmeet Singh, Calgary-Montrose (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Advanced Education and Technology Blackett, Hon.

Lindsay, Calgary-North West (PC), Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (AL), Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition Official Opposition House Leader Boutilier, Guy C., Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (PC) Brown, Dr. Neil, QC, Calgary-Nose Hill (PC) Calahasen, Pearl, Lesser Slave Lake (PC) Campbell, Robin, West Yellowhead (PC), Deputy Government Whip Chase, Harry B., Calgary-Varsity (AL), Official Opposition Whip Dallas, Cal, Red Deer-South (PC) Danyluk, Hon. Ray, Lac La Biche-St.

Paul (PC), Minister of Municipal Affairs DeLong, Alana, Calgary-Bow (PC) Denis, Jonathan, Calgary-Egmont (PC) Doerksen, Arno, Strathmore-Brooks (PC) Drysdale, Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC) Elniski, Doug, Edmonton-Calder (PC) Evans, Hon. Iris, Sherwood Park (PC), Minister of Finance and Enterprise Fawcett, Kyle, Calgary-North Hill (PC) Forsyth, Heather, Calgary-Fish Creek (PC) Fritz, Hon. Yvonne, Calgary-Cross (PC), Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Goudreau, Hon.

Hector G., Dunvegan-Central Peace (PC), Minister of Employment and Immigration Griffiths, Doug, Battle River-Wainwright (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Agriculture and Rural Development Groeneveld, Hon. George, Highwood (PC), Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hancock, Hon. Dave, QC, Edmonton-Whitemud (PC), Minister of Education, Government House Leader Hayden, Hon. Jack, Drumheller-Stettler (PC), Minister of Infrastructure Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (AL) Horne, Fred, Edmonton-Rutherford (PC) Horner, Hon. Doug, Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St.

Albert (PC), Minister of Advanced Education and Technology Jablonski, Hon. Mary Anne, Red Deer-North (PC), Minister of Seniors and Community Supports Jacobs, Broyce, Cardston-Taber-Warner (PC) Johnson, Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Johnston, Art, Calgary-Hays (PC) Kang, Darshan S., Calgary-McCall (AL) Klimchuk, Hon. Heather, Edmonton-Glenora (PC), Minister of Service Alberta Knight, Hon. Mel, Grande Prairie-Smoky (PC), Minister of Energy Leskiw, Genia, Bonnyville-Cold Lake (PC) Liepert, Hon. Ron, Calgary-West (PC), Minister of Health and Wellness Lindsay, Hon.

Fred, Stony Plain (PC), Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Lukaszuk, Thomas A., Edmonton-Castle Downs (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Municipal Affairs Lund, Ty, Rocky Mountain House (PC) MacDonald, Hugh, Edmonton-Gold Bar (AL) Marz, Richard, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (PC) Mason, Brian, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (NDP), Leader of the NDP Opposition McFarland, Barry, Little Bow (PC) McQueen, Diana, Drayton Valley-Calmar (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Environment Morton, Hon.

F.L., Foothills-Rocky View (PC), Minister of Sustainable Resource Development Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (NDP), Deputy Leader of the NDP Opposition, NDP Opposition House Leader Oberle, Frank, Peace River (PC), Government Whip Olson, Verlyn, QC, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (PC) Ouellette, Hon. Luke, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (PC), Minister of Transportation Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (AL), Deputy Official Opposition Whip Prins, Ray, Lacombe-Ponoka (PC) Quest, Dave, Strathcona (PC) Redford, Hon. Alison M., QC, Calgary-Elbow (PC), Minister of Justice and Attorney General Renner, Hon.

Rob, Medicine Hat (PC), Minister of Environment, Deputy Government House Leader Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont-Devon (PC) Sandhu, Peter, Edmonton-Manning (PC) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Education Sherman, Dr. Raj, Edmonton-Meadowlark (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Health and Wellness Snelgrove, Hon. Lloyd, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC), President of the Treasury Board Stelmach, Hon. Ed, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (PC), Premier, President of Executive Council Stevens, Hon.

Ron, QC, Calgary-Glenmore (PC), Deputy Premier, Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (AL), Leader of the Official Opposition Taft, Dr. Kevin, Edmonton-Riverview (AL) Tarchuk, Hon. Janis, Banff-Cochrane (PC), Minister of Children and Youth Services Taylor, Dave, Calgary-Currie (AL) VanderBurg, George, Whitecourt-Ste.

Anne (PC) Vandermeer, Tony, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (PC) Weadick, Greg, Lethbridge-West (PC) Webber, Len, Calgary-Foothills (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Energy Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Employment and Immigration Zwozdesky, Hon. Gene, Edmonton-Mill Creek (PC), Minister of Aboriginal Relations, Deputy Government House Leader Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly Clerk W.J. David McNeil Clerk Assistant/ Director of House Services Louise J. Kamuchik Clerk of Journals/Table Research Micheline S.

Gravel Senior Parliamentary Counsel Robert H. Reynolds, QC Senior Parliamentary Counsel Shannon Dean Sergeant-at-Arms Brian G. Hodgson Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms J. Ed Richard Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms William C. Semple Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Liz Sim

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 839 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, 2009 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Let us pray. On this day let each of us pray in our own way for all who have been killed or injured in the workplace. Life is precious. When it is lost, all of us are impacted.

In a moment of silent contemplation may we now allow our thoughts to remember those taken before their time, those who have suffered through tragedies, and reach out to the families, friends, neighbours, and communities most immediately impacted. May God provide them eternal peace. Amen. Please be seated. head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. Mr. Horner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have the honour of three introductions of grade 6 classes.

The first that I’d like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly is a group of grade 6 students from Sturgeon Heights school in St. Albert. They are accompanied by teachers Mr. Matt Ohm and Mrs. Lorna MacKay and teacher’s assistant Mrs. Collette Hartmetz as well as parent helper Mrs. Dillis Brown. I believe they are in the public gallery, and I would ask that they rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, my second introduction is also a grade 6 class from my constituency. They are students from l’école Broxton Park school in Spruce Grove.

I might add, too, that I chatted with them on the steps leading up to this Ch amber. Both classes that I’m introducing have already participated in the mock Legislature. Among other things they passed school uniforms and separate schools for boys and girls. L’école Broxton Park school is accompanied by teachers Mme Bérénice MacKenzie and Mrs. Fran Korpela and parent helpers Mrs. Teresa Yamada, Mr. Gary Lundman, and Mrs. Alana Regier. I believe that they are in the members’ gallery, and I would ask that they rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assem- bly.

My third introduction is on behalf of the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security. It is a great pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a group of very special students from St. Matthew Lutheran school in Stony Plain. They are seated in the members’ gallery this afternoon, Mr. Speaker. With your permission I would ask our special guests to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Egmont. Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It gives me great pleasure to rise and introduce to you and through you to members of this Assembly two good friends of mine, Laila and Alice Goodridge, who are sitting in the public gallery. Alice is a native of Hagen, Saskatchewan, but lived most of her life in Alberta and now is visiting us from New Westminster, B.C. Her granddaughter Laila is a native of Fort McMurray but, most importantly, is the president of the University of Alberta Conservative club. I’d ask that they please stand. Give them the traditional warm welcome. Thank you.

Ms Notley: Today I am very pleased to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly members of the board of directors of the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre. They are Russell Eccles, Non- Academic Staff Association at the University of Alberta; Wally Land, Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Local 855 from Hinton; Liz Thompson, Health Sciences Association of Alberta; Nancy Furlong from the Alberta Federation of Labour; and Kevin Flaherty, executive director of the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre. Today is the International Day of Mourning for workers who were killed and injured on the job.

Last year 166 workplace fatalities were recognized by the WCB in Alberta. This number highly underrepresents the true totals since most deaths resulting from occupationally related illnesses go unreported as such. The centre believes that every worker is entitled to a safe and healthy work- place. It supports all workers, both unionized and non-unionized. I would now ask that my guests rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: It’s my pleasure today to introduce you to a person who arrived in the world a few years ago, a number of years ago, and that’s the hon.

Member for Calgary-Nose Hill, who is experienc- ing an anniversary today. head: Ministerial Statements The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Employment and Immigration. International Day of Mourning Mr. Goudreau: Thank you. Every year on April 28 we take a moment to remember those who are seriously injured or killed on the job. Every one of these workers has family, friends, and co-workers. Their lives can be shattered in a split second. On this International Day of Mourning we renew our commitment to making sure Alberta workers come home healthy and safe at the end of their workday. Mr.

Speaker, 60,692 Alberta workers suffered disabling injuries in 2008. This was about 2,000 less than in 2007. However, there were also 166 workplace fatalities in 2008. I know we all agree that even one fatality is one too many, but 166 serves as a wake-up call since that is 12 more than in 2007. We have strong workplace health and safety legislation in place in Alberta. We have a prime contractor clause that ensures there is one employer who has overall responsibility for health and safety at each work site.

We perform five times the number of inspections we did 10 years ago, and we write almost 10 times the number of orders for safety infractions. Mr. Speaker, 2008 was a record year for Occupational Health and Safety Act prosecutions, with 22 convic- tions and over $5 million in court-ordered penalties against employ- ers; 88 per cent of that money went to alternative sentencing to fund programs for the health or safety of workers. Taxpayers expect us to do our job protecting workers by enforcing safety standards, and we do.

We can still redouble our efforts to work with our partners and improve health and safety in Alberta workplaces because at the end of the day workplace health and safety is a responsibility governments share with employers, unions, safety associations, and workers. We expect our partners to do their part. The government will be reviewing the Work Safe Alberta strategy with these partners to see where we have been effective and where we need to improve.

The budget for occupational health and safety has been increased by more than $5 million for the 2009-10 fiscal year so that we can implement any changes found to be necessary. Fittingly, Mr. Speaker, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week takes place right after our day of mourning so that we

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009840 can make people aware of the need for improved health and safety at work. A complete list of activities taking place across Alberta is available online at employment.alberta.ca/naosh. I encourage all MLAs to go to local events and show your support. I know, Mr. Speaker, I speak for all my legislative colleagues when I say that our hearts go out to those whose lives have been forever changed by workplace injuries and fatalities. Thank you. The Speaker: On behalf of the Official Opposition the hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On this International Day of Mourning those of us in the Official Opposition offer our condolences to the many friends, family members, and loved ones who have lost someone due to a workplace fatality. Workplace fatalities are avoidable tragedies, making the loss all the more heart wrenching and senseless. The Alberta government must do more to safeguard the lives of all workers. In 2008 we lost an average of three workers per week as a result of workplace incidents or occupational disease.

Workplace fatalities have risen 34 per cent in the last three years. 1:40 Albertans go to work to support their families and contribute to the Alberta prosperity and economic growth. Their hard work benefits us all, yet when it comes to protecting these people from avoidable workplace accidents, Alberta unfortunately lags behind other jurisdictions. Farm workers, for example, work without the protection of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Workplaces are currently not required to develop or post health and safety rules at the job site.

These outdated policies must be changed if we’re going to be sincere in our efforts to finally reduce workplace deaths and accidents. In addition, the Alberta government should implement mandatory health and safety committees for workplaces with 20 workers or more, and they should make accident investigation reports admissi- ble as evidence at trials and public inquiries. Taking these actions now could save many lives and reduce the number of needless, costly workplace injuries. I’m grateful to Alberta workers. Every day they roll up their sleeves to keep Alberta’s economy going.

The least we can do is to pass legislation that will make their workplaces safer so that they can return home each and every day after their jobs to their families. Thank you. The Speaker: This would be with respect to a request to allow the hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona to participate. I’ll have to ask. If any member is opposed to granting unanimous request, please say no. [Unanimous consent granted] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr.

Speaker, and also to members of the Assembly for giving me the opportunity to rise and speak on a day that has taken on greater and greater significance and is marked around the world. Every year too many workers lose their lives as a result of work- related injury, illness, and disease. The numbers are discouraging. Workers shouldn’t have to risk their lives or their health when they go to work. Mr. Speaker, it’s not enough for this government to use vague language about renewing age-old commitments to making sure Alberta workers are healthy and safe at the end of their workday.

It’s not enough to say that we have strong workplace health and safety legislation in Alberta because, frankly, we don’t. And it’s not enough to say that we perform five times the number of inspections we did 10 years ago because it still isn’t enough. We owe it to the families left behind when a worker dies to do much better. It’s time for this province to appoint special prosecu- tors to lay charges against employers when their actions cause death or serious injury. It’s time for us to hire more inspectors to ensure employers comply with the law.

It is time to ensure that all Alberta workplaces have mandatory health and safety committees. It’s also time for this government to enact new regulations that deal with known dangers in today’s workplaces, including workplace violence, exposure to toxins and carcinogens, repetitive stress injuries, and injuries caused by poor ergonomics, workplace harassment, and stress. Finally, we need to remove that employer escape clause that says “as far as . . . practicable” from the health and safety act, where it does not belong. Every workplace death or injury is preventable.

In the last 10 years 1,283 Albertans, some as young as 15 years old, have needlessly died in the workplace. How many more will be killed before this government finally takes the action we need? head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. Student Engagement Initiative Media Award Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. April 26 to May 2 is Education Week in Alberta. Alberta students benefit from an education system that is progressive and engaging.

One example of this is Speak Out, Alberta’s student engagement initiative, that was launched in November of 2008 to encourage our youth in our province to engage with government in strengthening their education experience. To encourage students to speak out, a public service announcement was recently produced for Alberta Education. This excellent piece of work was recently awarded a bronze Telly award in New York for outstanding achievement in the educational category.

The Alberta Education Speak Out team worked in collaboration with Dynacor Media Group and student volunteers from across the province to create and produce an engaging, creative, and informa- tive public service piece. Several students volunteered to be filmed and provided their perspectives on education, Mr. Speaker. Three students were from Edmonton, two were from Camrose, and the final pair were from the Fort McMurray area. The Telly awards were founded in 1978 to honour excellence in local, regional, and cable TV advertising. Today the Telly is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders.

The 29th annual Telly awards received over 14, 000 entries, from all 50 U.S. states and five continents. This award for the Speak Out team is signifi- cant because it was selected from amongst submissions by industry giants like Disney, Harpo Studios, TSN, and Warner Bros. I would like to direct members of this House to the Speak Out website, www.speakout.alberta.ca, where they can see for them- selves the thoughts and ideas of the thousands of people across the province who have been engaging in this initiative. Mr.

Speaker, I would like to congratulate all those involved with the Speak Out public service announcement for their outstanding and creative work. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mackay.

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 841 Funding for Small Nonprofit Organizations Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations’ 2009 report entitled No Small Thing: Calgary’s Small Nonprofits, Charities and Grassroots Groups, an exploratory study of 20 groups that had a budget of under $100,000 and under four paid staff. According to Statistics Canada’s national survey of nonprofit and voluntary organizations two-thirds of Alberta-based nonprofits and charities operated with less than $100,000 in annual revenue in 2006.

The study provided the following recommendations. Increased recognition and valuing of the contributions of small organizations to the development of healthy and vibrant communities, particularly by government, the corporate sector, and other large organizations, would help these groups to be included for research and future investments. More funding stability and improved funding practices are needed as small groups are particularly vulnerable to funding fluctuations. This would help support their core operating costs.

Small nonprofits need increased access to affordable operating space that provides the opportunity to share office, reception services, file storage, and meeting space. Participants identified the need for more collaboration between organizations in the face of co mpetitive pressures, and providing support to interested groups would help to address difficulties in finding potential partners.

Greater co-operative arrangement of business services such as audit and accounting services, insurance and benefits, human resource management, and web support would be helpful in increasing operating efficiencies and reducing costs. These small nonprofits also have a strong desire to build better connections with the business community. Lastly, in-kind donations of items like computers, software, and vehicles would help build the technology capacity of these groups and enable them to focus funds to service delivery. Mr.

Speaker, our small organizations are led by people driven by the cause of their organization, and the role they play in weaving the fabric of Calgary’s volunteer landscape is indeed . . . [Ms Woo- Paw’s speaking time expired] The Speaker: Hon. Leader of the Official Opposition, you’re going to give a statement today? Proceed. Swine Flu Pandemic Planning Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Because of the developing swine flu threat, the World Health Organization has raised their pandemic alert level to 4 out of 5: a global epidemic, a new virus for which there is no current vaccine.

This is the most serious alert level since the Hong Kong flu outbreak of 1968-69, during which a million people died world-wide. Albertans can have confidence in the dedicated and competent professionals and ready availability of treatment, including antiviral drugs, but clearly this administration has no reserve in our underbuilt system, and Alberta is seriously compromised in providing timely, quality care for new cases and contacts.

While there are encouraging signs that this flu won’t be as serious as the Hong Kong flu, it raises disturbing questions about Alberta’s preparedness for any large-scale emergency, including industrial and vehicular disasters. Right now serious overcrowding and lack of hospital capacity is a fact of everyday life in Alberta’s health care system. We simply do not have health care sufficient in profession- als and space in our facilities to meet existing demand.

Emergency departments are so full that doctors are examining patients in their waiting rooms, and people with flu-like systems who come to these clinics or emergency departments expose others waiting for care. These must be isolated. Where are we going to find the isolation rooms in emergency and in clinics? Some patients will need admission to hospital for treatment. Again, where are the isolation beds to deal with this? Already hallways are jammed with patients. Rooms intended for single or double occupancy have additional patients.

In a worst-case scenario, with staff sick and off work from influenza, these challenges will be compounded yet again. The unfortunate reality is this: Alberta, even after the SARS outbreak, reduced its investment in public health as well as beefing up spaces for professionals and patients. It seems that prevention is not a priority for the Stelmach administration. The solution is that we need to get back to the foundation of primary care: public health services, family doctors, nurses, and home care. Not sexy, just . . . The Speaker: Hon. member, you’ve gone past the time frame allocated.

Secondly, you violated one of the rules of the House by naming a member. 1:50head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Labour Protection for Paid Farm Workers Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Paid farm workers in Alberta are exempt from occupational health and safety, mandatory Work- ers’ Compensation Board coverage, and the labour code. The government has been consulting on this matter for over a decade while 182 farm deaths and thousands of reported farm injuries have occurred.

To the Premier: as a farmer why has your government in 2009 still not taken action to protect paid farm workers with the same rights as all other workers in Alberta? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned a couple of times in the House over the last few weeks, the minister of agriculture and the Minister of Employment and Immigration are holding consultations with the agriculture community and other interested parties. Once the consultations are complete, then that information will come forward to government.

We’ll accept whatever we hear from the people and then look at how we can change legislation if necessary. Dr. Swann: When, Mr. Premier? When? Given that a provincial court judge has recommended that all paid employees on farms should be covered by occupational health and safety,

an act which would prevent some fatalities, when will the Premier make the necessary changes to include paid farm workers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, I believe that the two ministers can inform the House of how the consultations are proceeding. Dr. Swann: What does the Premier have to say to those injured farm workers and the families of those farm workers killed on the job, whose only option is to turn to costly lawsuits because this adminis- tration has failed to protect them and give them equal rights? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, whenever there’s an accident – it doesn’t matter if it’s in a farmplace or a small business or large business – we take the issues very seriously. That is why we’re holding the consultations. We’ll bring forward the information to the House. We’ll have an opportunity to discuss it and hear from all

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009842 sides on the issue and come up with a policy that’s going to serve Albertans well. The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Workplace Health and Safety Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year there were 166 workplace fatalities in Alberta. That’s three deaths per week. Joint work-site health and safety committees, a very effective tool to help reduce workplace accidents and deaths, are not mandatory in Alberta as they are in the rest of the country. They are only issued by ministerial order.

To the Premier: why does Alberta continue to lag behind the rest of the country as far as providing efficient, safe occupational health and safety rules on our job sites? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, the number of fatalities was up slightly. The number of injuries has actually decreased in the province of Alberta. That’s given the fact that there was a large increase in the workforce in Alberta. We’ve got to find a balance and, certainly, prevent those fatalities. Many of them were traffic fatalities. There were some right on the job site.

I know that companies are working in partnership with the Alberta government. We’re doing whatever we can to ensure that we protect the workers, that do a good job for all Albertans. Mr. MacDonald: Mr. Speaker, a 34 per cent increase in workplace fatalities over a three-year period is not a statistic that’s up slightly, as the Premier maintains. Of the 24 workplaces which have a ministerial order to operate a joint health and safety committee, none are at an oil sands operation. However, there are ministerial-mandated committees at Lucerne Foods, Keyano College, and Sealy Canada.

To the Premier: why are oil sands operations not deemed dangerous enough to have a mandatory health and safety committee ordered by your govern- ment? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, the minister responsible has all of the information. Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, we’re very, very concerned any time the number of injuries goes up. The hon. member talks about the oil sands. The oil sands lost-time claim rate is substantially lower than the average of all industries in Alberta. We continue to work with oil industries to make sure that they’re as safe as possible.

Again, the oil sands subsector is the second safest, right behind exploration. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you. That’s interesting. To the hon. Minister of Employment and Immigration: one of the reasons why the oil sands operations are safer is because they’re union sites. Now, again to the Premier: today on this International Day of Mourning will the Premier commit to making joint health and safety committees mandatory at all Alberta work sites where there are 20 or more employees? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, we’ll work with industry to make sure that we find efficient ways of ensuring the health and safety of workers. The oil sands do have a good record. There are other small businesses; sometimes there are some issues there. We’re going to work with all industry, both large and small, and work out a plan to make sure that we do protect the safety of workers in the province. The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie. AIMCo Governance Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In questions yesterday into AIMCo’s decision to invest in Precision Drilling, it was established that AIMCo’s vice-chair and the founder of Precision are business partners. That the founder of Precision Drilling stepped down from that company 16 months ago is not relevant. There are two things at issue here: first, that it is not good practice for an active invest- ment banker to be on the board of AIMCo because of the inevitable potential conflict-of-interest problems and, second, that public agencies are accountable to their ministers even when set up to operate at arm’s length.

To the Premier: since it’s pretty key if AIMCo is going to invest public funds here at home in Alberta business to follow best practices so that everything passes the smell test, what policies or codes of conduct are in pl ace at AIMCo governing conflict of interest? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, AIMCo follows a code of conduct. We recently did a complete review of our agencies, boards, and commis- sions. That was additional work that the government did to ensure that we have a very clear delineation of responsibility.

I’m sure that the AIMCo chair would provide any information very specific to whatever the member is asking. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, given what the Premier just said in answer to that question and since this government has released the agencies governance framework and just recently Bill 32 as well, will the Premier point out to the finance minister that according to those documents she is acc ountable for AIMCo’s activities and the codes of conduct they have in place? Yesterday in question period she didn’t really seem to want to have anything to do with AIMCo. Mr.

Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, of course, that’s a matter of opinion of the member. The province of Alberta has about $75 billion worth of assets that AIMCo is managing. They are doing a good job, especially in light of many of the issues that other fund managers are experiencing across the country and around the world. They made a decision based on the evidence that was presented to the board. In a democratic state, which we are here in the province of Alberta, yes, at the end of the day the responsibility lies with the highest office, which is the government of Alberta. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr.

Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if everything does pass the smell test, I wonder if the Premier can explain to me why one of the corporate registration documents I tabled yesterday regarding the business partnership, a document we accessed last Thursday off the Alberta corporation nonprofit search, was altered to remove all references to directors or shareholders of the company and, further, that it was altered on Sunday. I’ll table those documents at the appropriate time. Mr. Snelgrove: Mr. Speaker, let’s talk about the smell test.

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 843 Yesterday that hon. member got up in here and indicated there was a relationship of something untoward between Mr. Gosbee and Mr. Swartout. Swartout retired in 2007 and has no shares in Precision Drilling. Mr. Gosbee has no shares in the company and no personal interest in it. They have a business sideline that has precious little or nothing to do with it. It’s a helicopter business to do skiing. So it’s all right for them to stand up and impugn two very successful, respected Alberta businessmen and then say: it’s true because I’ve got a document. That’s the smell, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands- Norwood, followed by the hon. Member for Lethbridge-West. 2:00 Nuclear Power Consultation Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to nuclear power, this government has put the horse before the cart. It is increasingly evident that the Tories have already decided to support the development of nuclear power in our province and are now making a big show of pretending to care what Albertans think.

Under the guise of public consultation the government has a website full of so much pro-nuclear propaganda that it might as well have been paid for by Bruce Power. I want to ask the Energy minister: why won’t he admit that this government has already decided in favour of nuclear power and is now merely attempting to convince Albertans to go along? Mr. Knight: Well, Mr. Speaker, what I will admit is that the government of the province of Alberta has a very solid program to go forward and ask Albertans for their opinion with respect to this very serious issue.

It’s very obvious that there are some members – there may be a number of them over there; I’m not sure – who have already made up their minds. Thank you very much for that. We will mark them down. However, I now want to hear from the rest of Albertans. Mr. Mason: Mr. Speaker, he doesn’t want to hear from Albertans. The evidence is clear. This government supports nuclear power, and they’re providing one-sided and misleading information to Albertans to try and get them onside. Their nuclear panel was made up of hand-picked nuclear supporters and its findings predetermined.

The government is misleading Albertans with pro-nuclear propaganda, and they’re shutting ordinary Albertans out of consultation meetings. To the Minister of Energy: why are you denying Albertans the opportunity to speak up at public meetings if not because you want to shut them out of a decision that’s already been made? Mr. Knight: Mr. Speaker, I don’t think it’s worth the time to stand here and repeat again for – I don’t know – the second or third time what it is we are doing with respect to the consultation with Albertans.

What we’re doing, the consultation that we’re doing, the information that came out of the workbook that we produced in the last month or so: that was all based on research, not rhetoric. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, they’re researching the ways that they can try and convince Albertans to support nuclear power. The proof is in the propaganda pudding. This Tory government’s claim to open consultations is a sham. It’s clear that their mind is already made up. Their nuclear power was biased. Their website is full of pro-nuclear propaganda.

Its so- called consultations with ordinary Albertans are a joke. They’re not even invited to your meetings. Again to the Minister of Energy: why are you pretending to care what Albertans think about nuclear power when the decision has already been made? Mr. Knight: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, I don’t know what is one- sided and biased about selecting a gr oup of individuals that would have the opportunity to be unfettered in their discussions relative to this issue.

I don’t know what’s one-sided about the ability for every Albertan, if they so choose, to r eceive a work book and some background information relative to this. That’s not the only information they can receive. There is information that abounds on this topic. The members opposite are absolutely within their rights to give that information to anybody they would choose. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-West, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View. Alberta-Canada Growing Forward Program Mr. Weadick: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday we heard in this House from a member opposite that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development made an announcement around more ad hoc funding for agriculture communities. Our producers and processors in and around Lethbridge are very interested in funding support for agriculture. In an attempt to get accurate information that is based on fact rather than speculation and attempts to grab headlines, my questions are for the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Develop- ment. Will you please clarify what type of funding was announced last Friday? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr.

Groeneveld: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I believe the member opposite was referring to yesterday was the announcement of our Growing Forward programs, which are a collaboration between the federal and all provincial governments, but you’d never know it by the way the question was asked; I’ll tell you that. It replaces the old agriculture policy framework and is not ad hoc funding. Quite frankly, it’s the complete opposite of ad hoc funding. It’s strategic grant funding that is designed to help industry be competitive, innovative, and proactive in managing risks.

All programs are also cost shared, and industry must make their own financial investments in the projects. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Weadick: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first supplementary is to the same minister. My agricultural producers and processing industries are facing incredible challenges from intense global competition. Can you describe some of the programs and what they will mean to the agriculture industry? Mr. Groeneveld: Well, Mr. Speaker, Growing Forward programs in Alberta were specifically designed to achieve results that will lead to long-term industry su ccess.

A hog producer could apply for a grant to upgrade his facility to be highly efficient, which helps environment and the bottom line. A commodities association could opt to implement enhanced biosecurity measures programs for their membership. A food processor could enhance food safety protocols to adopt new, state-of-the-art technologies, quality-added and value- added opportunities. All of these programs enable Alberta producers in agribusiness to become competitive, profitable, and industry leaders.

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009844 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Weadick: Thank you. My final question is to the same minister. How has the agriculture industry res ponded to this announcement? Mr. Groeneveld: Well, Mr. Speaker, unlike the member from across the way, who always seems to look for the worst in anything that happens in this province, the reaction from producers, proces- sors, and commodity associations has only been positive.

Yesterday I met two family-owned and family-run processors based right here in Edmonton who would be eligible for the program the member opposite tabled, and they were very appreciative of the program. These family-run companies employ quite a number of Edmontonians, but I suspect the members across the way really don’t care about that. They only care about headlines and not about jobs and growth of Alberta business. The Speaker: The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Montrose. Physician Supply Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A decision to freeze hiring for doctors is a scary prospect, especially at these times. What’s more concerning is that neither the minister nor the Premier seemed to be aware of the situation. The minister of health gave a response that was later refuted as incorrect by the spokesperson of the Health Services Board. The lack of communication or even understanding of what is happening by the members who are ultimately responsible for it casts doubt on their credibility in managing this health care transition.

To the minister: will he clarify what is actually happen- ing with the Health Services Board, and will there or will there not be a freeze? Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, the reason the Premier and the minister of health refused to confirm the allegation made by the Leader of the Opposition is because it was not correct. Let me state for the record: there is no hiring freeze. I’ll repeat that: there is no hiring freeze. We need general practitioners, family doctors, in all parts of this province, and efforts are going to continue to ensure that we, wherever we can, fill those v acancies.

What has happened is that a number of positions that are more specialist in research are being reviewed to ensure that they fit within our focus on research in this province, going forward. Dr. Swann: Well, the truth is, Mr. Speaker, that the Health Services Board is now backing away from the hiring freeze due to complaints from the medical and academic communities. Can the minister explain who was consulted before the decision was made to release the memo advising of the freeze? Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, I can only restate what I said in the first place: there is no hiring fr eeze.

I can repeat it 10 times if it helps. There is no hiring freeze. There never has been a hiring freeze. What there is is a number of positions; a number of individu- als internationally had been contacted for potential recruitment. In light of a new focus on medical research in this province we want to ensure that the right people, that fit within that medical research focus, are the ones that we actually recruit. Dr. Swann: Well, Mr. Speaker, yesterday a spokesperson for the Health Services Board dismissed this memo on a freeze, sent last Wednesday, as no longer valid and, quote, old news. End of quote.

It’s very concerning that changes are implemented in such a haphazard way, that memos are sent one day and then considered invalid the next. Why the flip-flop, Mr. Minister? 2:10 Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, this particular Leader of the Opposition has stood here on several occasions during this session and talked about smarter spending in health care. Well, I would suggest that as we develop a research policy w ithin Health, wo rking with the Department of Advanced Education and Technology, smart spending would mean that we should be recruiting people that fit within that research strategy. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary-Montrose, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Mineral Exploration Tax Credit Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have had several conversa- tions about mineral exploration tax credits with many constituents. They believe that they’re a valuable tool to encourage investment in our province in these uncertain times. My question is to the Minister of Energy. Why does Alberta not have a mineral exploration tax credit? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Knight: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Alberta doesn’t have a mineral exploration tax credit per se.

Instead, we have other programs in the province of Alberta that were introduced to encourage development. Some recent ones that we’ve done are programs to encourag e drilling a nd production of wells. On the mining side studies indicate that Alberta does have a favourable regime from the perspective of regulation, land-use rules, overall taxes, and business attractiveness. We remain open to suggestions to become competitive in areas where we’re not competitive and remain competitive in areas where we are. I believe we’ll continue to do that. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My first supplemental is to the same minister. It was announced that the province is developing these incentive programs to provide short-term, targeted assistance to junior and mid-cap companies. Can flow-through shares be one of these incentives? Mr. Knight: Well, Mr. Speaker, again that’s a very good question. The information that I have would certainly indicate that flow- through shares are currently allowed under the federal income tax system, in

section 66 of the Income Tax Act, for qualifying resource expenditures. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question, also to the same minister: what sort of incentives currently exist for mineral investment in Alberta? Mr. Knight: Mr. Speaker, our strengths would include a great tenure system in the province of Alberta, an extensive mapping database that’s provided through the knowledge and expertise of the

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 845 Alberta Geological Survey. That is available to all explorers. We believe that the political stability in the province of Alberta is also a great incentive. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Mackay. Air Quality Monitoring Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Alberta’s asthma rates are among the worst in the country, and Alberta is the only province that refuses to participate in the national air quality health index.

This index emphasizes the link between air quality and health and is as simple to understand as the UV index. My questions are to the Minister of Environment. Why has the minister refused to adopt the national air quality index, when it would allow parents to turn on their televisions and find out whether it was safe to let their asthmatic children go and play outside? Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, Alberta has no opposition to a national standard. However, we have a disagreement with the federal government on how this particular standard was established.

We have already in place in Alberta a detailed network of air qua lity monitoring systems. We’re more than pleased to participate in any kind of a national reporting standard, but we don’t want to take what we have in Alberta, which is a very detailed, quality system, and water it down so that it fits into some kind of a national system, where other jurisdictions don’t have the capacity that we do to monitor it. Ms Blakeman: Well, actually, the standards are weaker.

Can the minister explain why Alberta’s measurement of five pollutants in isolation from one another and a 20-year-old method would be considered better than the new national standard, which measures the interactive effects of the three pollutants that are not safe at any concentration? Mr. Renner: The answer to the question is that in Alberta we believe that it’s necessary to monitor a much longer list of air pollutants because of the amount of emission sources that we have within this province. We feel that we have a unique circumstance here in Alberta.

That unique circumstance needs to be dealt with in a unique way. I emphasize that we have a system in Alberta that we believe to be superior to the one that is being proposed through the federal government. Ms Blakeman: Now, you shouldn’t be going this one alone. Back to the same minister: given the government’s past support and use of population-based health studies for the UV index and for the campaign against smoking, does the minister support the use of these population-based health studies for air quality monitoring? Mr. Renner: Well, Mr.

Speaker, air quality monitoring is something that is critical if we’re going to be able to implement what we feel to be our priority, and that is the cumulative effects regulatory regime. We need to understand what the desired outcomes are, and we need to be able to understand what the monitoring techniques are that will be required so that we can determine whether or not we have achieved those outcomes. How they fit in or not with all of the ancillary kinds of information sour ces is very much part of that discussion. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mackay, followed by the hon.

Member for Calgary-Varsity. Second-language Education Programming Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the future economic and social success of our province so inevitably linked to interna- tional immigration and international trade, instilling an understand- ing of global issues and culture in our youth is critical. Perhaps the most salient expression of culture is language. My questions are relative to international language instruction in Alberta, and they’re directed to the Minister of Education.

How many schools or what percentage of schools in Alberta offer second-language program- ming for students in grades 4 to 9? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. All school jurisdic- tions across the province offer programming in second languages, and about 71 per cent of our grades 4 to 9 schools are offering those second languages, so a very significant proportion of our students have second-language programming available to them in grades 4 to 9. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you.

How does Alberta compare with other jurisdictions in Canada in terms of second-language programs? Mr. Hancock: Mr. Speaker, we have in Alberta the widest range of language programming available in the country, including the choice of French language programming plus 10 provincial programs in Blackfoot, Cree, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Punjabi, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

As well as that, many of our school jurisdictions have locally developed programs in additional language areas such as Arabic, American Sign Language, Dene, Filipino, Greek, Hebrew, Korean, Nakota, Polish, Russian, Saulteaux, Swedish, Tsuu T’ina, and Vietnamese. International languages as well as our native languages here at home are very important to students and very important for the learning experience. Ms Woo-Paw: I’d like to know if there’s a difference in the offering of second-language programs between rural and urban jurisdictions in Alberta. Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr.

Speaker, as one might expect, there’s a wider range of offerings available in urban schools, but it’s impor- tant to note that our rural school jurisdictions also have a wide access to programming available. The Peace River jurisdiction, for example, offers German and Cree in addition to French-language programming. In Red Deer public schools you can take Chinese, German, Japanese, and Spanish. I might say that with distance learning opportunities students anywhere in the province can participate in virtually any language of their choice online. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary-Varsity, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. School Infrastructure Funding Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Edmonton’s aging schools desperately need upgrading. Edmonton public is facing a $63 million asbestos liability, and 16 school preservation requests remain a high priority since none of the projects were approved last year. This isn’t about asking for more money; it’s about using limited resources more wisely. To the minister: given that the projected cost to preserve Edmonton’s schools is $12.7 million more this year than

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009846 it was last year, when nothing was done, will the minister commit to approving the projects with the highest priority this year so that costs do not continue to escalate? Mr. Hancock: Mr.

Speaker, I’d invite the hon. member to attend at committee on the estimates tomorrow night, and he can perhaps show how he can accomplish what he’s talking about without spending more money or where, in fact, there could be a change in priority, from his perspective, as to where the $790 million that we’re spending this year on new projects and maintenance projects across the province might be rejigged. We’re spending more money than any jurisdiction on schools. We do have lots of work to do in the area, no question about that.

We’re looking for innovative ways to both stretch the dollars we have and to bring new dollars into the process. But it’s a very important area: to make sure that we have schools where children need them. 2:20 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the Edmonton public board is facing a $700,000 deficit from previous relocations of portables and needs another eight portables moved, will the minister review the approval process to ensure that cost-effective practices which increase much-needed classroom space will be adequately funded? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr.

Speaker, we have been reviewing both the approval process and the capital planning process. We’re working with school boards across the province and with the Ministry of Infrastructure to make sure that our capital planning and the capital improvement process are both effective and efficient and that we make sure that we can priorize the most important areas based on health and based on capacity needs, based on where the highest priority is. Yes, so very much we’re engaged in that process. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you.

Again to the minister: given that six years ago it was recommended by the Commission on Learning that classes from junior kindergarten to grade 3 should have no more than 17 students, why is it that out of Edmonton’s 153 schools, 120 of those schools still have more than the recommended number? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s a fairly complex issue, believe it or not. There has been a significant amount of resources invested in school boards right across the province to help those school boards achieve the class size initiative, and they have across the province at every level except the grades 1 to 3 level.

I’ve had those discussions with the board chairs and superintendents across the province about the need for us to deal with that, but as the hon. member will know, it’s about where the sc hools are located. It’s about the class sizes in those schools and the capacity of those schools. There are a number of factors which go into making sure that we meet those class sizes where and when possible. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Hays. Workplace Health and Safety (continued) Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the last 10 years 1,283 Albertans have died on the job, and each one of these deaths was preventable. However, ministerial regret and sympathy will prevent nothing if not followed by real action. More inspectors, mandatory committees with authority, clear safety standards, and special prosecutors: these are the things that would keep Albertans safe at work. To the Minister of Employment and Immigration: why won’t the minister replace c ondolences with the real action needed to protect Alberta workers? Mr. Goudreau: I think, Mr. Speaker, I did indicate in my statement earlier today that we are doing a lot.

We’re adding a lot more resources in safety inspections – we’re working with those employ- ers who show to be the most in violation – and we continue to invest additional funds and resources to improve the amount of inspections that we do. We are adding to the levels of prosecution. Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t seem to be working. In 2006 124 people died, in ’07 154 people died, and last year 166 people died. Every year the minister says that one death is one death too many, every year we have over 100 of those deaths, and every year the numbers go up.

It’s time for a demonstration of real ministerial responsibility, so here’s a performance target for the minister. Will the minister put his job on the line for Alberta workers and commit to handing his job over to someone else next year should he fail to reduce the number of work-related deaths in this province? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, I’m going to say again that workplace injuries or fatalities are totally unacceptable in the province of Alberta.

We are recognizing that numbers change from year to year, but given our population growth and the amount of employment that we’ve seen, the numbers of new businesses in the province of Alberta, our workplace fatality rates have basically stayed constant. While we continue to remain very concerned about the increases in fatalities due to traumatic workplace injuries, the long-term trend for workplace injuries is again downward. We have a treme ndous amount of actions and strategies aimed at reducing those traumatic injuries. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, in fact, the injuries in the province have not gone down; WCB has just renamed them. Meanwhile the number of work-related deaths is worse than the stats because countless victims are rejected by the WCB. For example, the Alberta Cancer Board says that far more people are dying from work-related ailments than this government admits. Why won’t the minister stop repeating these platitudes and reduce workplace deaths by providing real legislative and inspection protection for Alberta workers and their families? Mr. Goudreau: Mr.

Speaker, we are very concerned about these increases that the member talks about, so new government initiatives are proposed for a lot of areas. The Work Safe Alberta initiative is going into a new planning phase and will be recommending some targeted activities related to things like motor vehicle incidents, workplace traumatic injuries, cancer and other occupational diseases. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Hays, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-McCall. FNMI Education Funding Mr. Johnston: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the 2009-2012 business plan, released previously by the Ministry of Education, a new

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 847 business plan goal was revealed that focuses on success for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit – FNMI – students. My question for the Minister of Education is: why has it taken so long for the minister to take an interest in First Nations education, and why now? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr. Speaker, First Nations and Métis education has been part of the education business plan for a number of years. We’ve decided this year that it was necessary to be more focused and to concentrate greater efforts on the education needs of FNMI students. A number of reasons for that.

First of all, the achievement gap between FNMI students and the general student population is significant and shows no signs of narrowing. We have the third- largest FNMI population in the country, and it’s growing at a great rate. Children and youth are the fastest growing segment of the aboriginal population, and by 2017 they’ll have grown by 39 per cent. It’s always been important but never more important than now to focus on that particular area. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Johnston: Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. To the same minister.

This may be an admirable goal, but it comes in a period of fiscal restraint. Is the minister going to provide additional funding to help school boards implement this new business plan goal? Mr. Hancock: Mr. Speaker, we have for a number of years been providing supplementary funding for self-identified FNMI students, and this year that will be $1,155 per student registered. We have about 35,770 self-identified students, resulting in about $40 million.

There’s money already being invested in that area in this year’s budget, but we need to make sure that that money is being invested effectively and that we’re getting the results, so focusing in on what we’re doing, sharing best practices, and making sure we have accountability factors in place so that we know that we’re getting the results that we need. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Johnston: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question to the same minister is about tracking results. Up till now school boards have not had to report on FNMI st udents’ data publicly. Will they now do so under this new goal? Mr.

Hancock: Yes, Mr. Speaker, they will, but it’ll take a little bit of time to get that in place appropriately. The reporting will be part of jurisdictional three-year education plans and annual education results reports, and that will start in 2010. We need to capture the information so that we can assess whether or not we’re being effective, so the accountability pi ece is very, very important.

But it’s also important that we do it in a sensitive way, in a way that makes sense for the purposes not of demeaning or diminishing any particular category of students but making sure that we have the information so that we can be effective in the use of our resources to achieve the results needed. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-McCall, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Fort. Reciprocal Drivers’ Licences Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Transporta- tion has talked a lot about moves to improve driver licensing for many immigrants coming to the province.

The government has full reciprocal licensing with only nine countries. Could the minister tell us how long it takes on average for an immigrant from India or the Philippines to get their driver’s licence converted into an Alberta licence? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, when they follow the rules that are there, I can’t tell him the exact timing because everything is different, but I can tell you that it’s a heck of a lot faster than it used to be. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not a heck of a lot faster than what we anticipated. To the minister again.

Things may be better, but they aren’t yet good enough. What is the minister doing to speed up this process? Mr. Ouellette: I’m glad that he admitted that things are better, and they are happening faster. Mr. Speaker, we are always working with other jurisdictions. As you know, we have to verify the paperwork that comes in with the immigration people, and as fast as they can get that verified for us, we go ahead and issue them a licence. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not afraid to speak the truth. Things are getting better, but they are not good enough.

We should be ready for the next boom. To the minister again: will the government start a program to give temporary licences to drivers from countries without reciprocal licensing after they have passed their test and while the government is waiting on confirming the validity of their original licences? Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, we have looked into that. I think we are working on trying to proceed with some of that.

The biggest thing you have to remember, that I say in this House all the time: the first thing we have to worry about is the safety of Albertans on our roads, and we have to make sure that they have the proper paper- work in place to get a reciprocal licence. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fort, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview. 2:30 Municipal Transportation Funding for Calgary Mr. Cao: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Transportation issues are in the forefront of the daily lives of Albertans, particularly in the communities that have experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, such as Calgary. My question today is to the hon. Minister of Transportation. What types of funding are available to municipali- ties to assist them in their local needs for transportation? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, my department alone administers roughly $1.3 billion to municipalitie s in this province for their infrastructure work, which I think is close to double any other jurisdiction in the whole country.

Depending upon the particular program, the grants may be used for transportation-related projects, for water and waste-water projects. Municipalities may also access capital grants under the municipal sustainability initiative, which is under the Minister of Municipal Affairs. He may wish to supple- ment on how MSI works in the province or for Calgary. The Speaker: The hon. member.

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009848 Mr. Cao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the same hon. minister: how much money is collected through the provincial gas tax, and how much of it flows back to Calgary? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, Calgary receives 5 cents per litre on all road fuel sold within the city limits. The provincial fuel tax is 9 cents per litre, so Calgary would receive over half of the money from our road fuel taxes within city limits. That works out to roughly $100 million for the city of Calgary.

In addition to that, the federal government rebates $58 million in federal fuel tax to the city of Calgary, which flows through our department. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Cao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the same hon. minister: can the hon. minister tell us the amount of transportation grants that the city of Calgary has received a nnually and the number of transportation-related dollars that the province spends directly in and around the city of Calgary? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, Calgary received roughly $350 million this year through my depa rtment’s grants alone, just my department.

We’re also investing $425 million in the Stoney Trail northwest ring road and another $650 million in the northeast leg. We’re hoping to start on the southeast leg next spring. That’ll be another huge-ticket item. Finally, we’re investing about $18 million in the Deerfoot Trail this year. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview, followed by the hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater. Nuclear Power Consultation (continued) Dr. Taft: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government’s workbook on nuclear power is very obviously one sided.

For example, the workbook describes the capital cost of both coal-fired and nuclear plants as if they were exactly the same when nuclear plants can be far costlier to build. Does the Mi nister of Energy think his work- book on nuclear power is fair and accurate? Mr. Knight: Well, Mr. Speaker, again I would suggest that it’s not one sided because an individual believes that it’s one sided. Because a member has a certain view, that doesn’t make it one sided. The research that’s done there is credible and scientific, done from credible sources. There’s a full bibliography in the panel’s report.

The workbook is based on the information in the report. It is not my research. It’s done from credible sources. Dr. Taft: Well, the workbook is one sided because it only presents one side of the case, and that’s pretty obvious to anyone who looks at it. For example, the first nuclear power plant to be built in Europe in the last 30 years was to have opened next week in Finland, but it won’t because it is as of today 37 months behind

schedule and 50 per cent over budget. To the Minister of Energy: wouldn’t the minister agree that this kind of information should have been included in this workbook? Mr. Knight: Well, Mr. Speaker, I don’t pretend that everything about every nuclear installation around the world is or is not included in the workbook. What I did say was that the research that was done there, done by credible people, backed up by credible scientific sources is all available for any member or any Albertan to look up for themselves if they would prefer to do that.

The upshot of this whole thing is that th is government has not made any predetermined decision about this issue. We are willing and open, and we are listening to the rest of Albertans before we make any decision. Dr. Taft: Electrical users in Finland were promised that a new nuclear power plant would provide competitively priced electricity, but industrial users in Finland are now calculating that nuclear power will add billions to their electrical costs. This is the only example of a new power plant in the last 30 years in Europe, so it is relevant to what’s going on here.

If the minister is open on this issue, will the minister issue a second workbook that provides both sides of the nuclear debate instead of the one-sided view that the current workbook provides? Mr. Knight: Well, Mr. Speaker, what I can tell you, the House, and all Albertans is that the workbook is a tool that we’re going to use to engage Albertans. It was tested with average Albertans, who found that it was balanced and did not lead them to any conclusion. Relative to the cost of nuclear energy the cost of that energy from a nuclear plant was from the panel’s work.

The panel considered information from the Canadian Energy Research Institute, the U.S. Department of Energy and national laboratory, the Public Services International Research Unit, the University of Greenwich, and the International Energy Agency. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Offices Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In my constituency I recently attended an information session for temporary foreign workers, and I was impressed by the presentation and the opportu- nity for workers to speak to an adviser from the temporary foreign worker advisory office in person, right in their local community, two hours from Edmonton. My questions are for the Minister of Employment and Immigration. Why were the advisory offices created, and are they able to engage workers who may be leery of bringing their concerns forward? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, the offices were set up to help people who may be vulnerable.

These were set up to help them understand their rights and res ponsibilities. Alberta has set an example in Canada by opening these offices both in Edmonton and Calgary. We’ve got a very proactive approach to delivering local presenta- tions to workers, employers, and other public groups. Last year office staff participated in over 100 presentations and meetings. Those are just one of the many things that we do as part of our advisory offices. Mr.

Johnson: To the same minister: if a worker or a concerned constituent feels there is an issu e warranting investigation by this government, what do they need to do in order to have your depart- ment look into it, and how do we protect them from reprisals, which they’re often fearful of? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Goudreau: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Basically, we need someone to report a complaint or problem, and it is very, very hard to help if we don’t have specific complaints to follow up on. There

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 849 is a lot of hearsay, but unless somebody comes in with something very specific, it’s very difficult. I know this can be difficult, but temporary foreign workers’ information and concerns are also handled in a very confidential manner. They can get assistance from the advisory office through our helpline, by e-mail, or in person. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some would have us believe that this is a rampant issue in Alberta and that a majority of employers here are taking advantage of their temporary foreign workers.

Does this minister’s office have statistics on how wide- spread this issue actually is, and are we seeing continuous improve- ment in this regard? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Goudreau: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are 2 million working Albertans in this province, and temporary foreign workers make up about 2 and a half per cent of those 2 million workers. Temporary foreign workers have the same workplace rights as any worker, and most employers treat them well. In fact, in Alberta 98 per cent of our employers don’t have any complaints against temporary foreign workers.

Any allegations of mistreatment are taken very seriously, and all complaints from temporary foreign workers and other workers are investigated. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. 2:40 Grizzly Bear Management Mr. Hehr: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Sustainable Resource Development has been waiting on DNA data to take action on the declining grizzly bear population, yet we are now told the information will not be ready until later this year. For five years we’ve been waiting for this, and during that time the population continued to decline.

To the Minister of SRD: why has the minister not taken any action aside from suspending the grizzly bear hunt to stop the decline? Dr. Morton: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is wrong on almost every count. We’ve taken half a dozen different strategies to deal with grizzly bear issues since then in addition to suspending the hunt, in addition to doing the DNA study, in addition to doing the BearSmart communities, and also integrated resource management and reducing impact. Let’s start with a new question that gets closer to the facts. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Hehr: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Will this minister commit to listing the grizzly bear as threatened now to minimize the population decline until all the DNA data can be analyzed? Dr. Morton: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that I won’t commit to anything until the results of the study are in. The people over there always want science-based policy. That’s all we hear. Well, we want the results of the study in before we make a decision. You guys are always in a hurry. Be patient. Mr. Hehr: Well, I don’t think we have to wait for science. There are only about 230 bears left.

Why don’t you just list them as threatened now and save us the time in waiting for it? Dr. Morton: Once again, the hon. member is just picking numbers out of thin air. There’s absolutely no evidence to support either the number that he just gave or the fact that there are fewer bears today than there were when the study began. There is no reliable baseline count. As I said, be patient. You guys are always in a hurry. When the numbers are in, we’ll make the right decision. The Speaker: Hon. members, that was 102 questions and responses today.

In a few seconds from now I’ll call upon the remaining members to participate in Members’ Statements. head: Members’ Statements (continued) The Speaker: The hon. Member for Battle River-Wainwright. Alberta-Canada Growing Forward Program Mr. Griffiths: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight an important partnership that was announced last week. The five-year Alberta- Canada Growing Forward agreement provides for a cost-shared investment and commitment to moving our agricultural industry forward.

It is part of a strategic national framework that’s focused on concrete actions to help position our producers for long-term success. Alberta’s agricultural industry is export oriented, and in today’s highly competitive global economy our producers, processors, and other agribusinesses need to make changes in order to compete. That is what Alberta’s Growing Forward programs are designed to help support. Just as important, Mr. Speaker, Growing Forward recognizes that industry needs to be a leader in creating our own success. Grants are dependent on industry members also investing in projects.

Simply put, Growing Forward is designed to help industry help itself. This partnership is very responsive to Alberta’s needs. It gives us the flexibility to focus on the specific areas that industry in this province needs to further develop in order to advance. The program includes ones that will help industry differentiate its products for priority markets and integrate best practices to further protect our land and water. The bottom line is that Growing Forward programs will help industry become more competitive and innovative, manage risk, and contribute to the priorities of Albertans.

Alberta’s agricultural industry help ed build this province. With the strategic support provided through Growing Forward, this industry will continue to make an important contribution to Alberta’s economy, its rural communities, and its future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Livingstone-Macleod. National Immunization Awareness Week Mr. Berger: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Keeping up to date with immunizations is important. The World Health Organization reports that each year immunizations save over 3 million lives worldwide.

However, just as many lives are lost each year due to diseases that are preventable with existing vaccines. Immunization is one of the best health measures that Albertans can take to protect themselves and their families from disease and illness. Children, teenagers, and adults all have varying needs for immunization. Keeping immunizations up to date is a lifelong process, that begins at birth and continues throughout a lifetime. The need for immunizations includes occupational requirements, foreign travel, underlying illness, and age. The number of vaccine-

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009850 preventable diseases is growing, and immunization vaccines provide one of the most effective, long-lasting methods of preventing infectious disease in all age groups. Immunizations can help Albertans to protect themselves against diseases such as measles, influenza, the meningococcal virus, and hepatitis A and B. Immuni- zations also help reduce the burden on Alberta’s health care system, which can result in fewer hospital admissions and reduced medical care. Mr.

Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize this week as National Immunization Awareness Week, and I encourage all Albertans to talk to a doctor, a pharmacist, a nurse, or a public health official for more information on immunizations. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert. Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association Mr. Allred: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association kicked off their centennial celebrations at their 100th annual general meeting in Banff last weekend.

The theme of their annual conference was Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Looking to the Future. The association was created by the Alberta Land Surveyors Act, which was introduced in this Assembly in 1910 by the hon. Jean Leon Côté, a Dominion land surveyor and MLA for the riding of Athabasca. His Honour Jean Leon Côté of the Alberta Court of Appeal is the grandson of J.L., as he was affectionately known. Subsequent to the passing of the Land Surveyors Act the associa- tion was formed, with William Pearce, another dominion land surveyor, as president.

Pearce was known as the czar of the prairies for his intimate involvement in irrigation, resource development, and general land management in this new province. Lionel Charles- worth, another DLS and provincial director of surveys, was the first secretary-treasurer. Initially there were 45 members, all of which were dominion land surveyors practising in the province. The Alberta Surveys Act was passed the following year. The Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association is still a relatively small professional association after 100 years, with only 388 members today.

Despite their small size they are very active and are recog- nized as one of the leading professional associations in North America. Mr. Speaker, colleagues, please jo in me in congratulating the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association on 100 years of maintaining an orderly system of stable, well-defined land boundaries in the province of Alberta. head: Presenting Petitions The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands- Norwood. Mr. Mason: Yes. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker.

Today I’d like to present a petition which reads: We, the undersigned residents of Alberta, petition the Legislative Assembly to urge the Government to continue to cover under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan all health services which promote health and wellness, including chiropractic services. The petition today has 370 signatures. head: Introduction of Bills The Speaker: The hon. Member for Battle River-Wainwright. Bill 43 Marketing of Agricultural Products Amendment Act, 2009 (No. 2) Mr. Griffiths: Mr. Speaker, thank you.

I rise today to request leave to introduce Bill 43, the Marketing of Agricultural Products Amendment Act, 2009 (No. 2). These amendments support freedom of choice, Mr. Speaker. They support giving individual producers the right to decide how their hard-earned money is spent. Under the amended act producers in four commodity groups – beef, pork, sheep and lamb, and potato growers – will be able to request refunds on the service fees they pay to agricultural commissions that represent them. These proposed changes are about the viability of the agricultural industry.

They’re about ensuring that commissions are responsive to the needs and wishes of their members. This act will bring uniformity of regula- tion to all 13 boards and commissions that do not set prices or function as marketing boards. I look forward to the debate and discussion on this bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Motion carried; Bill 43 read a first time] 2:50 The Speaker: The hon. Deputy Government House Leader. Mr. Renner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that Bill 43 be moved onto the Order Paper under Government Bills and Orders. [Motion carried] The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Culture and Community Spirit.

Bill 44 Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Amendment Act, 2009 Mr. Blackett: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I respectfully request leave to move first reading of Bill 44, the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Amendment Act, 2009. The proposed changes will update and make the legislation and the commission more effective and efficient and in line with current and future realities. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. [Motion carried; Bill 44 read a first time] head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Aboriginal Relations. Mr. Zwozdesky: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In accordance with

section 211 of the Metis Settlements Act I’m tabling five copies of the Métis Settlements Appeal Tribunal 2008 annual report. The Métis Settlements Appeal Tribunal, referred to as MSAT, was established in 1990. Along with the Métis Settlements General Council and local settlements’ councils it acts as a courtlike body, ruling on land, membership, and other matters. Finally, in 2008 the MSAT office co-ordinated 1,038 inquiries and projects, more than double the number from the previous year. This is a true measure of the valuable service that MSAT provides to Métis settlement members in Alberta. Thank you.

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 851 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two tablings this afternoon. I would like to table the appropriate number of copies of information regarding the 2009 excellence in teaching awards semifinalist regional celebration, the itinerary and program, which honoured all the recipients. That’ll be for the Edmonton celebration. My second tabling, Mr.

Speaker, is the 2009 excellence in teaching awards semifinalist regional celebration that took place in Calgary, the appropriate itinerary and a listing of the celebrants for that particular evening. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Mr. MacDonald: Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two tablings today. The first is information I got from the Employ- ment and Immigration office last October. It is a ministerial order, and it lists the work sites requiring a joint work-site health and safety committee here in Alberta.

My second tabling is a copy of a petition which is essentially a cease-and-desist order for the hon. Minister of Health and Wellness requesting the hon. minister to stop dismantling our public health care structure. It’s put out by the Friends of Medicare. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have one tabling today, five copies of documents I referred to in question period from the Alberta corporate registration system regarding R.K.

Heli-ski Panorama Incorporated, documents which were altered or changed on Sunday from the documents which I tabled yesterday, that we accessed on Thursday. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo, do you have tablings? Mr. Hehr: No. The Speaker: Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Mr. Mason: Yes, I do, Mr. Speaker. I have two tablings today. First, I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of the Alberta nuclear consultation online workbook, which can be accessed through the Alberta Energy home page. I referred to this document in my questions today. My second tabling, Mr.

Speaker, is a letter from a constituent, Mr. Guy Pallister, who indicates that he wants me to voice his concerns at the Alberta Legislature and that he is appalled that a picture of a U.K. beach was used in the promo of an Alberta tourism advertise- ment. He believes that someone’s head should roll on this blunder. head: Orders of the Day head: Government Bills and Orders Second Reading Bill 29 Family Law Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Egmont. Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to begin debate on Bill 29, the Family Law Amendment Act, 2009. Mr.

Speaker, you may recall that in the fall 2008 session this Legislature passed Bill 15 to establish the child support recalculation program. This is a new and much-needed service for separated and divorced parents and the children of their relationships. The program will annually recalculate child support orders based on changes to parents’ incomes. This process will be an administrative one so that parents do not have to go to court. The child support recalculation program will improve access to justice by offering a simple and low-cost way for parents to keep their child support orders current.

It will help ensure that children receive the best support their parents can offer as their financial circumstances change from year to year. It will help child support payers whose incomes have gone down by reducing the amount of child support that they’re obliged to pay, and it will also help children and support recipients by increasing the child support they receive if the payer’s income has in fact gone up. In either case it will help parents meet the obligations they have in law to ensure that their child support orders are adjusted in order to match their incomes.

This new program is expected to open by the end of this year. Now, Mr. Speaker, although the child support r ecalculation program will share some resources with the maintenance enforce- ment program, parents can be clients with either program or both programs depending on their specific needs or circumstances. For the child support r ecalculation program to adjust s upport annually based on the parents’ incomes, the program needs income information from both parents.

Bill 15 requires that parties regis- tered with the recalculation program provide the program with documentation each year to show their current income. Mr. Speaker, that documentation is expected to be copies of the parent’s income tax return and notice of assessment for the last taxation year as well as a short questionnaire. This information will allow the program to determine the party’s income and set child support accordingly. It will make sure that the support to be paid reflects both good earning years and bad earning years over time. Mr.

Speaker, it’s an unfortunate fact, however, that not all parents live up to their own obligations when it comes to child support. Even though parents registered with the child support recalculation program will have a legal obligation to provide their income disclosure, we know, unfortunately, that some will not. One parent’s failure to disclose their income as legally required should not mean that the other parent is denied services from the new program.

If it did, the whole purpose of the program, to keep parents out of court and to allow an easy, low-cost way to have child support amounts adjusted, would be defeated. Bill 15 attempted to address this issue. Bill 15 stated that if a party failed to provide the required income disclosure, recalculation could still proceed based on a deemed 10 per cent increase in that parent’s income. In other words, if the payer of child support did not give the recalculation program their tax return information, that program would recalculate the child support as if the payer’s income had gone up by 10 per cent.

The 10 per cent figure was chosen based on other recalculation programs throughout Canada. Mr. Speaker, Alberta Justice staff have spent a lot of time over the past few months consulting with the public, with judges, with lawyers, and with others on the new child support recalculation program. Those consultations and information received from other jurisdictions suggested that in some cases the deemed increase of 10 per cent would be insufficient to provide income disclosure incen- tive.

Consultations also suggested some unfairness in applying a flat 10 per cent deemed increase to all orders regardless of how much

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009852 time had passed since the parent’s income was last determined. It was felt that older orders needed a deemed increase of an amount higher than 10 per cent to promote income disclosure. Other provinces reporting low compliance by parties in providing their tax returns to facilitate recalculation also felt the same way. This is, of course, a real concern as compliance in Alberta could be even lower than other programs because we’ll be recalculating orders that are much older than those that are being recalculated by other jurisdic- tions in the country. Now, Mr.

Speaker, the five existing recalculation programs in Canada are in British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Nunavut. They only recalculate orders granted after their recalculation programs were created. Alberta will not make people go back for a new order so that they can participate in this program. Rather, our program will help parties with child support orders dating back to May 1997, when child support guidelines were first introduced.

If the order used in the child support guidelines has set the child support and other means to meet the recalculation program’s criteria, it will not matter when it was granted. 3:00 By the way, Mr. Speaker, the child support recalculation program will be widely accessible and will have even more success in assisting parents who do not wish to use the court process. How- ever, the older the child support order that is being recalculated, the more likely that the 10 per cent deemed increase will fall short of that parent’s actual income increase since the order was granted.

This could actually encourage payers not to disclose their actual income as 10 per cent could be less than the increase that they actually realize. Mr. Speaker, when we considered the Statistics Canada figures on average income increases and the consultation feedback, it became clear to us that Bill 15 needed to be amended. A more effective way needed to be found to encourage parties to comply with their obligation to provide income disclosure. We want this program to recalculate as many cases as possible based on the parents’ actual income, not deemed income.

Bill 29 provides the additional encouragement to promote income disclosure and produces a fair result for parties and children if disclosure is not provided. The amendment would remove the blanket deemed increase in income of 10 per cent. With the proposed amendment the more time that has passed since the court recalculation program last set the parents’ income, the higher the deemed increase will be. The minimal deemed increase of 10 per cent will be applied when no income information has been provided and the latest court order recalculation was completed less than one year before.

For older orders another 3 per cent will be added for each additional year since the order was granted or recalculated. The deemed income increase will be escalated up to a maximum of 25 per cent, which would be applied to the order where five years or more have passed since the income was last determined. Mr.

Speaker, as I’ve said, the proposed amendment, one, will encourage parents to provide income disclosure to the program; two, is fair if income disclosure is not made; and finally, better protects Alberta’s children, ensuring that they receive the financial support that they deserve even if their parents choose to withhold informa- tion regarding their income. I would encourage all members to support Bill 29. With that, I would move to adjourn debate of this bill. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 31 Rules of Court Statutes Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Egmont. Mr.

Denis: Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise again today but this time to begin deba te on Bill 31, the Rules of Court Statutes Amendment Act, 2009. The Rules of Court, which govern practice and procedure in the Court of Appeal and the Court of Queen’s Bench, are going through major revisions. The last time this happened was in 1968, when I wasn’t even on this planet, Mr. Speaker. It is a special privilege for me to be able to argue this bill. I must remember that when I began articling the first time, I learned my first principle.

The first rule I learned was rule 13, dealing with service of documents. [interjec- tions] I think I may need to serve some of the members here with some notices today as well. Over the next several years I became familiar with many of these rules, but more importantly I realized how much these rules affect not only the court but also the business outside of the court. Mr. Speaker, the rules affect how people, lawyers and nonlawyers, view the justice system as a whole. A common criticism I have heard is that the current rules are complex, they are cumbersome, and they do not effect timely resolutions.

This is why I’m pleased to bring in the new rules on behalf of this government. The purpose of these rules is to maximize the rules’ clarity, their usability, their effectiveness, as well as to contribute to a fair, timely, and cost-effective civil justice system. The new rules will improve the public’s confidence in our justice system. Implementing these new rules requires consensual amendments to be made to many statutes in order to reflect the different procedures and terminology used in the new rules. For example, under the new rules it will not be necessary to specify in

an act the kind of applica- tion that is to be made in the court. As a result, phrases in

an act such as “application by notice of motion” or “application by originating notice” are being changed to simply “application.” An example of an amendment reflecting the updated terminology used in the new rules is as follows: if

an act states that a person may be examined on their affidavit, the word “examined” will be replaced by “questioned.” One of the main things this bill will do is consolidate the authority of the Rules of Court in the Judicature Act. This will ensure that there is no confusion about which statute has the ultimate authority for introduction or amendment of a rule and will make the legislation more user friendly by locating any and all related provisions in one place. Mr.

Speaker, this bill also limits the number of years that a nonjudicial member can serve on the Rules of Court Committee and limits the number of times that they can be reappointed. This is to encourage a balance between renewal and experience on the committee, which makes recommendations to the minister on the amendments to the Rules of Court. This bill will also relocate provisions regarding the enforcement of money judgments from the Rules of Court into the Civil Enforce- ment Act.

The end result will be that all substa ntive provisions relating to the enforcement of money judgments will again be located in the Civil Enforcement Act and the civil enforcement regulation, making the legislation in this area more coherent, more integrated, and user friendly, again to both lawyers and nonlawyers. Mr. Speaker, this bill is the result of literally years and hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of consultation with stakeholders and their volunteered time. I’m very proud to present it today.

I would also like to add that I’ve always believed that one of the greatest gifts to the modern world has been the rule of law, being that the law must

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 853 be prospective, well known, and have the characteristics of general- ity, equality, and certainty. Bill 31 is consistent with this and will be a credit to our legal system. I’d encourage all members to support Bill 31. With that, I move to adjourn debate, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 32 Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Rutherford. Mr. Horne: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise for second reading of Bill 32, the Alberta Public Agencies Gover- nance Act.

This bill focuses on Alberta’s nearly 250 agencies, boards, and commissions. These organizations are situated across the province and play a key role in the lives of Albertans. They also administer a sizable portion, about 50 per cent, of this province’s operating budget. Mr.

Speaker, the focus of Bill 32 is to improve the effectiveness of Alberta’s agencies, boards, and commissions by ensuring that we have the right people for the job, by requiring competence-based recruitment and appointments, and by encouraging agencies to improve their effectiveness through orientation, evaluation, and training of their members. The bill will also ensure that agencies and the responsible ministers understand their mandates and respective roles and responsibilities.

It will do this by requiring agencies to have a written statement of their mandate, their roles and responsibilities, and their codes of conduct and will clearly articulate the respective responsibilities of agencies and ministers. Bill 32 will clarify the relationships and accountabilities between government and agencies, including policy-making and information sharing. It will also require periodic reviews of all agencies to ensure that they are operating as effectively as possible.

The Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act will enhance public awareness by requiring information about agencies to be made publicly available. Mr. Speaker, the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act builds on the work done by the Board Governance Review Task Force, which was struck by our Premier in 2007. This was one of the key actions under Premier Stelmach’s commitment to govern Alberta with integrity and transparency. This task force was charged with providing recommendations to improve the transparency, account- ability, and governance of Alberta’s agencies, boards, and commis- sions.

In October 2007 the task force released its final report, which included 15 recommendations. The first of these recommendations was for an Alberta public agencies governance act that would institutionalize a governance framework for agencies, that provides clear agency mandates and a competence-based appointment process. As a result, the public agencies governance framework was developed and then released in February 2008, and that brings us to today and the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act, which provides the legislation to implement the policies set out in the framework. I’d like to point out, Mr.

Speaker, that implementation of the public agencies governance framework is already under way for many agencies. For many agencies Bill 32 simply formalizes what has already been in place. It cements the solid relationship between government and agencies. The bill builds on those efforts and will ensure further transparency with respect to agency governance, agency mandates, and their activities. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to talk for a few moments about the princi- ples underlying Bill 32.

First, the bill is based on the principle that having the right governance structure in place is critical for any organization to achieve its goals and objectives effectively and efficiently. Public agencies are no exception to that rule. The next key principle is that of accountability; that is to say, who is responsi- ble to whom and for what. 3:10 Mr. Speaker, agencies operate as an extension of government, carrying out tasks delegated to them through legislation and by the executive branch of government. Once government has delegated authority to an agency, the agency then becomes responsible to government.

Given this, the bill reflects the principle that agencies are responsible to the minister of the portfolio under which they fall, and as elected officials ministers are accountable to the public. Ministers and agencies have the same fundamental objective, to promote the best interests of Albertans, but advancing this common goal is only possible when the parties work co-operatively. Therefore, another key principle underlying Bill 32 is that there should be free and open communication and a co-operative and collaborative working relationship between an agency and its responsible minister. Mr.

Speaker, another principle of Bill 32 is the need for flexibility in governance structures. This reflects that Alberta’s agencies, boards, and commissions come in many shapes and sizes. They range from large organizations with multimillion-dollar budgets to small advisory groups that do not administer a budget. They may deliver services, provide advice to government, manage Crown assets, or perform regulatory or adjudicative functions. Given these differences it would obviously be counterpr oductive to impose a one-size-fits-all governance standard.

Another key principle underlying this bill is the need for openness and transparency with respect to agency governance, mandates, and activities. This reflects the large number of agencies that currently exist and the importance of the roles they play in the lives of Albertans each day. With that background, Mr. Speaker, I will leave details of specific features of the bill to other speakers in second reading. I’d like to make a few final comments regarding application of this proposed legislation. The bill applies to all public agencies.

This includes any agency for which the government appoints the majority of its members.

However, this bill does not apply to the following: the provincial court of Alberta; a body all of whose members are elected officials; a purely advisory agency that does not administer a budget and whose members are unpaid; a body established under federal law; a body whose establishing enactment or instrument provides that it will be dissolved within one year; or a body chaired by a minister or government employee, a majority of whose members are ministers or government employees, as long as it does not perform any adjudicative functions.

Further, the bill does not apply to officers of the Legislative Assembly such as the Auditor General, the Ethics Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Ombudsman, the Chief Electoral Officer, and the Legislative Assembly Office. With that, Mr. Speaker, I’d just like to close by saying that I look forward to the balance of debate on this bill. At this time I would move that the House adjourn debate. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 33 Fiscal Responsibility Act Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure to rise today to speak to Bill 33, the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009854 We’re in the midst of some challenging times, and Bill 33 provides a simpler framework that enhances the flexibility needed to address today’s economic climate while still retaining elements of fiscal discipline. Our previous fiscal framework legislation has been the solid foundation of this government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, but it needs to be updated to reflect today’s economic realities.

I’d like to point out that since implementation of the fiscal responsibility framework, in 1993, the Alberta government has made major changes to it every four to five years, generally to reflect changes to the province’s fiscal situation. In addition, our current framework has become quite complex, requiring transfers between funds, which are often confusing to Albertans. The result was a lack of the transparency that we’ve promised those same Albertans. The changes within Bill 33 simplify the framework, make it clearer and more transparent.

It also provides the enhanced flexibility necessary to fulfill the commit- ments we’ve made to Albertans in Budget 2009. Bill 33 contains a number of basic elements from our past fiscal frameworks, which have helped us to position Alberta to build on our strengths as we move forward. In terms of deficits, they will only be allowed if offset by a transfer from the sustainability fund.

When it comes to debt, government will only be able to borrow for certain things, including capital investment, support for capital projects owned by school boards, postsecondary institutions, and health authorities, as required by self-supporting corporations such as the Alberta Capital Finance Authority, and to fulfill our commit- ment to pay back funds owed by the pre-1992 teachers’ pension plan to the post-1992 plan. Government will not be permitted to borrow for operating expense.

One of the main pillars of the act will see the sustainability fund expand to include the capital account and the amounts set aside from 2008-09 year-end results for carbon capture and public transit. This new single fund is allowed to offset approved deficits, and the confusing transfers between funds that currently take pl ace are all eliminated. Although it may be necessary to draw from this fund for the immediate future, it will be replenished as our fiscal circumstances allow, much as the original sustainability fund has been built up over the years.

The act also demonstrates fiscal responsibility by putting limits on in-year increases in operating expense, which has been a successful element of past frameworks. This spending would be limited to 1 per cent of total ministry operating expense with an exception for things like disasters or emergencies or if there’s a revenue associated with the expense. When it comes to nonrenew- able resource revenue, the act will remove the limit on the am ount of this revenue that can be used for budget purposes. Overall, Bill 33 will continue our history of fiscal responsibility.

It will help us to build on the work we’ve done in the past and help us deal with the current economic situation by increasing our fiscal flexibility. I urge all members of this Assembly to give their support to Bill 33. Thank you. I would like to adjourn debate on second reading of Bill 33. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 35 Gas Utilities Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Little Bow. Mr. McFarland: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave to move second reading of Bill 35, the Gas Utilities Amendment Act, 2009.

As mentioned at introduction, this is an administrative act to give legislative authority to a ruling of the National Energy Board. It’s a small and minor amendment, as most members would see if they perused the legislation that was introduced last week. In fact, had the decision from the NEB come down a little bit sooner, Mr. Speaker, we’d likely be discussing this matter under Bill 28, the Energy Statutes Amendment Act, 2009, that I introduced last week as well. This quasi-judicial ruling concerned the NOVA Gas Transmission pipeline owned by TransCanada PipeLines.

Specifically, the ruling was to accept an application by TransCanada to make this pipeline be subject to federal regulation. Mr. Speaker, many Albertans who’ve followed the history of oil and gas development will recall the establishment and subsequent growth of the Alberta Gas Trunk Line. Created over 50 years ago, this trunk line system was the underground highway that facilitated exploration and development of natural gas fields across Alberta.

Over those decades the people involved – the company, the farmers under whose land much of the pipe was laid, and the provincial regulator – have become very familiar with each other. Quite rightly, people ask what this move to federal regulation will mean to them. Both TransCanada and the federal regulator are engaging the agricultural community in consultation on where there may be differences in wording of various regulations. In fact, though, where the wording may be different, the practical result is that there will be negligible difference to individual Albertans.

Under its new name of NOVA Gas Transmission this system is about to take on an additional and very important role to the province as a whole. Mr. Speaker, people should know that Alberta is Canada’s leading producer of petrochemicals. In fact, in 2007 the petrochemical and chemical industry produced over $15 billion in products, almost half of which were exported. This is what we and others mean when we tal k about adding value. We’re talking about taking bitumen or natural gas and stripping ethylene from it to create a host of value- added petrochemical products.

In order to grow that value-added industry, Alberta needs new, additional sources of feedstock. The NOVA gas system will accomplish that by feeding the Alberta gas hub with product from British Columbia and potentially beyond. The history of this gas transmission system is a success story of Alberta exploration and development. Now it’s poised to provide the future success of our value-added industry. With that, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to move that we adjourn debate on second reading of Bill 35.

Thank you very much. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] 3:20 Bill 37 Alberta Corporate Tax Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. minister. Ms Evans: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to move second reading of the Alberta Corporate Tax Amendment Act, 2009. I would ask my colleague the proponent of this bill, the hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater, to please speak to this bill. The Speaker: Okay. The hon. Member for Athabasca-Redwater. Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Alberta Corporate Tax Act is generally amended every year to ensure that Alberta maintains

April 28, 2009 Alberta Hansard 855 a fair, equitable, and competitive tax regime. The legislation will introduce a relieving provision into the Alberta royalty tax credit program this year. The provision ensures that participants in certain financing arrangements are not denied benefits in situations where wells were disposed of on rig release dates rather than finish drilling dates.

Also, in 2008 the federal government implemented new rules allowing corporations to report in the functional currencies in which they conduct their day-to-day affairs as long as they were in U.S., Australian dollars, the euro, or the British pound. For ease of administration Alberta will also adopt functional currency reporting. Amendments in this bill will require functional currency reporters to calculate their Alberta taxes payable in Canadian dollars using the average exchange rate for the year rather than the spot rate on the payment due dates as provided under federal legislation.

This approach does not add any administrative burden and has the added benefit of retaining a relationship between Alberta’s tax rate of 10 per cent and taxes payable in Canadian dollars. In addition, Mr. Speaker, some issues remained outstanding from last year’s introduction of the scientific research and experimental development credit. These amendments will address and provide additional certainty for taxpayers and company and government officials administering the credit. Lastly, the other proposals largely correct technical deficiencies in parallel federal measures. Thank you.

With that, I would move that we adjourn debate on second reading of Bill 37. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 38 Tourism Levy Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Finance and Enterprise. Ms Evans: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to move second reading of the Tourism Levy Amendment Act, 2009. I would ask my colleague the proponent of this bill, the hon. Member for Whitecourt-Ste. Anne, to speak to this bill, please. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Whitecourt-Ste. Anne. Mr. VanderBurg: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just to refresh every- one’s memory, Alberta imposes a 4 per cent levy on short-term accommodations like hotel rooms. As MLAs we’ve all travelled through our constituencies enough to see this charge on our bills, and there are a few issues about what is subject to the levy. This amendment act is meant to clarify the situation. It used to be that when you pay for your room, you pay cash or you pay by credit card. Nowadays you can use reward points like air miles to pay for your room. This practice has brought with it some complications.

How do you apply the 4 per cent levy on accommo- dations paid through reward points, Mr. Speaker? Currently it isn’t clear, and the practices aren’t consistent. That’s why the industry has taken a look at the issue and asked us to come up with a fair and consistent approach, and we’ve done that. When a person uses their reward points to book a room, the company operating the reward point program may pay the accom- modation provider a certain amount of money. In other cases the operator doesn’t receive money for a room booked with reward points.

So this legislation aims to clarify what is subject to the tourism levy and make sure that the practices are consistent through- out the province. In a nutshell, if the operator is paid for the accommodations, then the province of Alberta expects to be paid the 4 per cent levy. If the operator is providing the accommodations out of their pocket and is not being paid and the room is complimentary, we don’t expect to get paid either. As well, deposits and cancellations: the same approach, Mr. Speaker. You know, if the operator gets a deposit or a cancellation, you cancel the room, and you get a refund.

We don’t expect to have the 4 per cent tourism levy. But if they withhold your deposit or have a cancellation fee, we expect our pound of flesh as well. So that just kind of clarifies that situation. Joint bank accounts is another issue that this legislation will deal with. If at any time the lodging provider fails to submit the tourism levy, then it’s within the government’s power to seize an operator’s bank account. That’s the existing process. The Tourism Levy Act, however, doesn’t allow for seizing the bank accounts of the service provider when they are a joint owner. This amendment act does.

It specifically proposes the ability to make proportionate amounts from a joint bank account of someone who has defaulted on paying the levy, not a big problem throughout the province, but we want to make sure that our acts are consistent, and this is something that is going to be done throughout the department. Finally, there are a few other minor changes that are administra- tive in nature. The most efficient and effective way for Albertans’ laws to work is to make sure that they are harmonious. These housekeeping changes do that by ensuring this legislation is consistent with all other acts in the province.

Thank you. I’d move that we adjourn debate on second reading. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 39 Tobacco Tax Amendment Act, 2009 The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Finance and Enterprise. Ms Evans: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to move second reading of the Tobacco Tax Amendment Act, 2009. I would ask with your permission to invite my colleague the proponent of this bill, the hon. Member for Lethbridge-West, to speak to the bill, please. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-West. Mr. Weadick: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This bill implements the tobacco tax rate increase that was announced in Budget 2009. Proposed amendments will also strengthen the tob acco tax frame- work and support the province’s safe communities initiative. By way of background, the act imposes a tax on tob acco pur- chased in Alberta. It also prohibits various activities and requires industry participants to register in order to import or sell tobacco in Alberta. Amendments are needed as the current Tobacco Tax Act does not effectively prohibit unwanted activity, and prosecutions are becoming difficult.

To help ensure that tax is properly paid and only legitimate participants are involved in the industry, amendments strengthen prohibitions and clarify their application. The bill also broadens seizure powers and adds the ability to seize joint bank accounts in proportion to ownership for those in default. To be comparable to other jurisdictions, fines are doubled and civil penalties tripled for unlawful possession for sale of tax-free tobacco or tobacco on which tax has not been paid. A late filing penalty for tax collectors will be imposed.

Changes also enhance requirements for tax collectors and make reporting obligations more transparent.

Alberta Hansard April 28, 2009856 In

summary, these proposed amendments raise the tob acco tax rates, clarify prohibitions, and make enforcement more effective and efficient. In addition, providing more serious penalties will act as a greater deterrent to prohibit activities. I urge all members in this Assembly to give their support to Bill 39. Thank you. With that, I would move that we adjourn debate on Bill 39. [Motion to adjourn debate carried] Bill 40 Alberta Personal Income Tax Amendment Act, 2009 Dr. Brown: Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure to rise today to move second reading of Bill 40, the Alberta Personal Income Tax Amendment Act, 2009.

I want to thank the hon. Minister of Finance and Enterprise for the opportunity of sponsoring this bill. I’m pleased to review for the benefit of the hon. members the proposed changes to the Alberta Personal Income Tax Act. It’s not a terribly complicated bill, and I’m pleased to say that it’s one tax measure which I believe I actually understand, if not the arithmetic calculations then at least the principles underlying the changes. The proposed amendments will accomplish two objectives.

First, they will ensure that Alberta’s dividend tax credit is administered in accordance with existing Alberta government policy. Secondly, they will align the eligibility for tuition credit for students to reflect the way that our tuition credits for foreign students are currently administered in Alberta. 3:30 First, dealing with the dividend tax credit, the legislation is being changed to ensure that Alberta’s dividend tax credit will be consis- tent with the changes in the federal legislation.

The proposed amendment will set Alberta’s dividend tax credit rate for eligible dividends to be taxed at the corporate rate of 10 per cent for 2009 and for subsequent years. As an example, if a person has $1,000 worth of income from dividends, the policy is that no personal tax is payable on that same $1,000 of income. The rationale is that the income has already been taxed in the hands of the corporation, and therefore to avoid double taxation, the individual r eceiving such dividend income receives a dividend tax credit.

As hon. members are aware, Alberta’s corporate tax rate is 10 per cent, and our personal tax rate is 10 per cent. Therefore, the dividend tax credit should be 10 per cent to reflect the corporate tax already assessed on those funds. In calculating the amount of the