Alberta Hansard — 5 March 2012, Afternoon sitting (13:30) (Legislature 27, Session 5)

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Alberta — Debates (Hansard)

Province of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fifth Session Alberta Hansard Monday, March 5, 2012 Issue 11 The Honourable Kenneth R. Kowalski, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fifth Session Kowalski, Hon. Ken, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, Speaker Cao, Wayne C.N., Calgary-Fort, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Zwozdesky, Gene, Edmonton-Mill Creek, Deputy Chair of Committees Ady, Cindy, Calgary-Shaw (PC) Allred, Ken, St. Albert (PC) Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Anderson, Rob, Airdrie-Chestermere (W), Wildrose Opposition House Leader Benito, Carl, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Berger, Hon. Evan, Livingstone-Macleod (PC) Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Bhullar, Hon.

Manmeet Singh, Calgary-Montrose (PC) Blackett, Lindsay, Calgary-North West (PC) Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (AL), Official Opposition Deputy Leader, Official Opposition House Leader Boutilier, Guy C., Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (

W) Brown, Dr. Neil, QC, Calgary-Nose Hill (PC) Calahasen, Pearl, Lesser Slave Lake (PC) Campbell, Robin, West Yellowhead (PC), Government Whip Chase, Harry B., Calgary-Varsity (AL) Dallas, Hon. Cal, Red Deer-South (PC) Danyluk, Hon. Ray, Lac La Biche-St. Paul (PC) DeLong, Alana, Calgary-Bow (PC) Denis, Hon.

Jonathan, QC, Calgary-Egmont (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Doerksen, Arno, Strathmore-Brooks (PC) Drysdale, Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC), Deputy Government Whip Elniski, Doug, Edmonton-Calder (PC) Evans, Iris, Sherwood Park (PC) Fawcett, Kyle, Calgary-North Hill (PC) Forsyth, Heather, Calgary-Fish Creek (W), Wildrose Opposition Whip Fritz, Yvonne, Calgary-Cross (PC) Goudreau, Hector G., Dunvegan-Central Peace (PC) Griffiths, Hon. Doug, Battle River-Wainwright (PC) Groeneveld, George, Highwood (PC) Hancock, Hon. Dave, QC, Edmonton-Whitemud (PC), Government House Leader Hayden, Hon.

Jack, Drumheller-Stettler (PC) Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (AL) Hinman, Paul, Calgary-Glenmore (W), Wildrose Opposition Deputy Leader Horne, Hon. Fred, Edmonton-Rutherford (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Horner, Hon. Doug, Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert (PC) Jablonski, Mary Anne, Red Deer-North (PC) Jacobs, Broyce, Cardston-Taber-Warner (PC) Johnson, Hon. Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Johnston, Art, Calgary-Hays (PC) Kang, Darshan S., Calgary-McCall (AL), Official Opposition Whip Klimchuk, Hon.

Heather, Edmonton-Glenora (PC) Knight, Mel, Grande Prairie-Smoky (PC) Leskiw, Genia, Bonnyville-Cold Lake (PC) Liepert, Hon. Ron, Calgary-West (PC) Lindsay, Fred, Stony Plain (PC) Lukaszuk, Hon. Thomas A., Edmonton-Castle Downs (PC) Lund, Ty, Rocky Mountain House (PC) MacDonald, Hugh, Edmonton-Gold Bar (AL) Marz, Richard, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (PC) Mason, Brian, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (ND), Leader of the ND Opposition McFarland, Barry, Little Bow (PC) McQueen, Hon. Diana, Drayton Valley-Calmar (PC) Mitzel, Len, Cypress-Medicine Hat (PC) Morton, Hon.

F.L., Foothills-Rocky View (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND), ND Opposition House Leader Oberle, Hon. Frank, Peace River (PC) Olson, Hon. Verlyn, QC, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Ouellette, Luke, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (PC) Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (PC) Prins, Ray, Lacombe-Ponoka (PC) Quest, Dave, Strathcona (PC) Redford, Hon.

Alison M., QC, Calgary-Elbow (PC), Premier Renner, Rob, Medicine Hat (PC) Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont-Devon (PC) Sandhu, Peter, Edmonton-Manning (PC) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC) Sherman, Dr. Raj, Edmonton-Meadowlark (AL) Leader of the Official Opposition Snelgrove, Lloyd, Vermilion-Lloydminster (Ind) Stelmach, Ed, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (PC) Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (AL) Taft, Dr. Kevin, Edmonton-Riverview (AL), Official Opposition Deputy Whip Tarchuk, Janis, Banff-Cochrane (PC) Taylor, Dave, Calgary-Currie (AB) VanderBurg, Hon.

George, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne (PC) Vandermeer, Tony, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (PC) Weadick, Hon. Greg, Lethbridge-West (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Webber, Len, Calgary-Foothills (PC) Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC) Party standings: Progressive Conservative: 67 Alberta Liberal: 8 Wildrose: 4 New Democrat: 2 Alberta: 1 Independent: 1 Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly W.J. David McNeil, Clerk Robert H.

Reynolds, QC, Law Clerk/ Director of Interparliamentary Relations Shannon Dean, Senior Parliamentary Counsel/Director of House Services Stephanie LeBlanc, Parliamentary Counsel & Legal Research Officer Philip Massolin, Committee Research Co-ordinator Brian G. Hodgson, Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Caughell, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Gordon H. Munk, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Liz Sim, Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard

Executive Council Alison Redford Premier, President of Executive Council, Chair of Agenda and Priorities Committee Doug Horner Deputy Premier, President of Treasury Board and Enterprise Dave Hancock Minister of Human Services Ted Morton Minister of Energy Verlyn Olson Minister of Justice and Attorney General Fred Horne Minister of Health and Wellness Ron Liepert Minister of Finance Thomas Lukaszuk Minister of Education, Political Minister for Edmonton Diana McQueen Minister of Environment and Water Jonathan Denis Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Cal Dallas Minister of Intergovernmental, International and Aboriginal Relations, Political Minister for Central Alberta Evan Berger Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Political Minister for Southern Alberta Frank Oberle Minister of Sustainable Resource Development George VanderBurg Minister of Seniors Ray Danyluk Minister of Transportation Jeff Johnson Minister of Infrastructure, Political Minister for Northern Alberta Doug Griffiths Minister of Municipal Affairs Greg Weadick Minister of Advanced Education and Technology Jack Hayden Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation Heather Klimchuk Minister of Culture and Community Services Manmeet Singh Bhullar Minister of Service Alberta, Political Minister for Calgary Parliamentary Assistants Naresh Bhardwaj Health and Wellness Alana DeLong Seniors Arno Doerksen Human Services Kyle Fawcett Treasury Board and Enterprise Art Johnston Executive Council Barry McFarland Agriculture and Rural Development Len Mitzel Transportation Dave Rodney Health and Wellness David Xiao Energy

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Chair: Ms Tarchuk Deputy Chair: Mr. Elniski Anderson DeLong Groeneveld Johnston MacDonald Quest Taft Standing Committee on Community Development Chair: Mrs. Jablonski Deputy Chair: Mr. Chase Amery Blakeman Boutilier Calahasen Goudreau Groeneveld Lindsay Snelgrove Taylor Vandermeer Standing Committee on Education Chair: Ms Pastoor Deputy Chair: Mr. Hehr Anderson Benito Brown Cao Chase Leskiw Marz Notley Sarich Tarchuk Standing Committee on Energy Chair: Mrs.

Ady Deputy Chair: Ms Blakeman Hehr Hinman Jacobs Johnston Lund Mason McFarland Ouellette Webber Xiao Standing Committee on Finance Chair: Mr. Renner Deputy Chair: Mr. Kang Allred Anderson Drysdale Fawcett Knight Mitzel Prins Sandhu Taft Taylor Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Chair: Mr. Blackett Deputy Chair: Mr. Lund Blakeman Brown Evans Hinman Lindsay MacDonald Marz Notley Ouellette Quest Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Chair: Mr. Kowalski Deputy Chair: Mr. Campbell Amery Anderson Elniski Evans Hehr Knight Leskiw MacDonald Mason Rogers Standing Committee on Private Bills Chair: Dr.

Brown Deputy Chair: Ms Woo-Paw Allred Benito Boutilier Calahasen Doerksen Drysdale Evans Groeneveld Hinman Jacobs Kang Knight Lindsay McFarland Sandhu Sarich Snelgrove Swann Xiao Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Chair: Mr. Prins Deputy Chair: Mr. Snelgrove Amery Boutilier Calahasen DeLong Doerksen Forsyth Jacobs Knight Leskiw McFarland Mitzel Notley Pastoor Quest Stelmach Swann Tarchuk Taylor Zwozdesky Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair: Mr. MacDonald Deputy Chair: Mr.

Goudreau Allred Benito Calahasen Chase Elniski Fawcett Forsyth Groeneveld Kang Mason Rodney Sandhu Vandermeer Woo-Paw Xiao Standing Committee on Public Health and Safety Chair: Mrs. Fritz Deputy Chair: Dr. Taft Bhardwaj Blackett DeLong Doerksen Forsyth Notley Rodney Rogers Swann Woo-Paw

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 285 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Monday, March 5, 2012 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 5, 2012 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Welcome back. Let us pray. At the beginning of this week we ask for renewed strength in the awareness of our duty and privilege as members of the Legislature. We ask for the protection of this Assembly and also the province we are elected to serve. Amen. Hon. members and ladies a nd gentlemen, please remain standing now for the singing of our national anthem.

We’ll be led today by our long-time song master, Mr. Paul Lorieau. Please join in in the language of one’s choice. Hon. Members: O Canada, our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, We stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. The Speaker: Please be seated. Hon. members, this past weekend might have been a weekend of celebration for some members.

Thirty-one members marked the fourth anniversary of their first election, and two additional members marked the fourth anniversary of their second election on Saturday. So congratulations to all of them. head: Statement by the Speaker Member for Little Bow 20th Anniversary of Election The Speaker: Today, March 5, 2012, however, marks a very special anniversary for the hon. Member for Little Bow. In 1992 on this date the MLA for Little Bow was elected in a by-election and since that date has subseque ntly been re-elected in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2004, and 2008.

He has averaged a remarkable 58.2 per cent of support by way of votes in these six elections. The hon. member joins a select few who have been honoured to serve the people of Alberta through their work in this Assembly for over 20 years. Seven hundred and ninety one members have been elected since 1905, and only 32 of those men and women to date have reached or surpassed the milestone of serving in six Legislatures. That is 4 per cent of all those who’ve been elected as MLAs in Alberta’s history. Little Bow is a riding with a rich legislative history.

The constituency of Little Bow first came into being on an election map of Alberta in 1913. The voters of Little Bow are loyal and consistent. Only five members have been elected in that constituency in the 99 years of its existence. They are James McNaughton, who served eight years, from 1913 to 1921; Oran L. “Tony” McPherson, who served 14 years, from 1921 to 1935, and also served as Speaker from 1922 to 1926; the Rev.

Peter Dawson, who served from 1935 to 1963, a total of 28 years, and served as Speaker for 26 of those 28 years, from 1937 to 1963, a number that will never be surpassed; and Ray Speaker, who served a total of 29 years, from 1963 to 1992, when the current hon. member commenced his service. In his 20 years the hon. member has driven an estimated 1.6 million kilometres in the course of his work as a member of this Assembly. His constituency is 11,571 square kilometres in size, which is in comparison larger than the countries of Jamaica and Qatar.

Over his career the hon. member has served as the minister responsible for capital planning and the associate minister of infrastructure and transportation and is currently the parliamentary assistant for Agriculture and Rura l Development. He has served on numerous committees and councils and, prior to his service in this Assembly, served as a municipal leader for many years. The hon. member is a humble representative. A farmer from Carmangay, he pledged from the beginning of his legislative career to do his best and to work hard and to listen to his constituents. He’s a friend to all of us.

I would ask that the hon. Member for Little Bow approach the podium, and I would also ask that the Premier of the province of Alberta approach the podium. Hon. members, we have a 20-y ear special Mace pin, and I’m going to ask the hon. Premier to either present it to the hon. Member for Little Bow or pin it on him. [The Member for Little Bow was presented with a 20-year Mace pin by the Premier] [Standing ovation] head: Introduction of Visitors The Speaker: The hon. Member for Little Bow. Mr. McFarland: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

For the first time in 20 years I get to introduce my whole family. [applause] Believe me, it wasn’t supposed to be like this; I’m usually the hard one, you know. First of all, I have two very special friends: constituency manager Lois McLeod and her husba nd, Rob. I’d ask that they rise. Lois is one of the sixt h-longest serving constituency managers in Alberta, and she has helped me for 20 years. I’ll embarrass my wife next because she didn’t want any of this, my wife, Mary, of over 41 years. She has spent all her life as a registered psych nurse and still helps people today.

That’s truly why I got the job; she’s saving me a bed. Our daughter, Shara, and her husband, Drew: Shara is an HR person with Pason Systems in Calgary; our son-in-law, Drew, is in sales and service with Swagelok. Please stand up. 1:40 I won’t make you guys do this. I’ll introduce the rest of you and then have you stand up. Our younge st son, Patrick, is a youth clinical mental health therapist, and his friend Keiko McCreary is doing MS research in Lethbridge.

Going across to the other side, Brenna Jones is from Marsden, Saskatchewan, an LPN down in the Lethbridge area, and our second-oldest son, Sean, has got Prairie Custom Paint Works, a bus iness of his own. Our oldest son, Ryan, is a regional director with employment standards, and his wife, Leslie, is a systems ad ministrator with Enmax. Would you all please rise and receive a warm welcome. head: Introduction of Guests Mr. Horner: Well, Mr.

Speaker, that’s a tough act to follow, but it is always great to see young pe ople in our Assembly to witness the kind of commitment that a l ong career like that can take and also the family behind it.

286 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 It is an honour for me to introduce to you and through you to the members of the Assembly a group of grade 6 students from J.J. Nearing elementary school in St. Albert. They are accompa- nied by teacher/group leaders Mr. Curt McDougall, Mrs. Christine Sowinski, Mrs. Renée Dewitt, Mi ss Brandi Kennedy and parent helpers Mr. Jason Krips, Mrs. Deborah Oke, and Mrs. Gabrielle Campbell. I’d like to make mention of a special young man, Aidan Krips.

Aidan was a mere eight months old during my first campaign and spent a lot of that time in a playpen at the campaign office while his father, Jason, worked as my campaign manager. His dad later worked for the government of Albe rta as my executive assistant. So I’ve watched Aidan grow up to be the fine young man that he is. Through Aidan and my own experience at J.J. Nearing I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that when you ask any of these kids about their teachers, one word: awesome. They are in the members’ gallery. I would ask that they rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Mr. Olson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a group of people from my constituency. I haven’t actually spotted them yet, but I trust they’re up there somewhere. The Camrose Christian home educators are here , 15 exceptional students along with their parents. Sir, I know these parents to be strongly com- mitted to the education of their children, and I really appreciate them being here today to see th e Legislature in operation.

I hope that they have a wonderful time and enjoy their visit. If they would all rise if they’re here. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Leduc-Beaumont-Devon. Mr. Rogers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to rise today and introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly 13 of Alberta’ s brightest and best students from East elementary school in the city of Leduc. They are seated in the public gallery. They are accompanied by their teacher, Mrs. Trena Kiss, and educational assistant, Mrs. Shannon Giles. I would ask that they rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Human Services. Mr. Hancock: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour today to rise and introduce to you and through you to this Assembly members of the Alberta College of Social Workers. March 4 to 10 is National Social Work Week, and it’s an important opportunity to recognize the dedication of social workers and to thank them for making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Those in the social work profession build on the strength of individuals, families, and communities to assist them in overcoming difficult and challenging situations.

I’d like to thank all social workers across Alberta as well as the ones here in the gallery today: Lynn Labrecque King, executive director of the Alberta College of Social Workers; Ernie and Sheila Schlesinger, true pioneers of social work who’ve received the Canadian Association of Social Workers’ distinguished service award for over 40 years of contributions; Elaine Spencer, a social worker for over 25 years and a current educator at Red Deer College; Elizabeth Radian, a social worker for over 30 years and a current educator at Red Deer College; and Lori Sigurdson, an elected official at the College of Social Workers Council and a faculty member at MacEwan University.

I’d ask them all to rise as representatives of social workers across this province and receive the thanks of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. Mr. Oberle: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s a real honour for me to rise today on behalf of the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security, of course the Member for Calgary- Egmont, to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly Jennifer Downing. Jennifer has been a resident of Calgary-Egmont since 1994 and has been on the Egmont constituency board since 2008.

In addition to her board duties Jennifer is an avid traveller in Canada and the world though she is about to take a break from that as she’s going back to school to earn her bachelor of commerce. Jennifer is seated in the public gallery. I would ask her to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Service Alberta. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I had the pleasure of hosting the Alberta consumer champion awards.

These awards recognize outstanding peopl e, groups, and businesses that go the extra mile to educate consumers about their rights and to ensure Alberta’s marketplace is fair for everyone. As the minister responsible for consumer protection I’m very pleased to introduce to you and through you these Alberta consumer champions. I would ask that you please stand as I call your name. The winners in the business category: Mr.

Don Kachur from Highland Moving & Storage, that created an online household inventory checklist called Click and Move to ensure consumers receive an accurate written quote for moving and storage services; and Sorin Mihailovici. I owe you that for th e idea I gave you this morning, Sorin. He created the Scam Detector app, which is a free online service and smart phone application that provides information on how consumers can protect them selves from more than 500 different scams used worldwide in 80 different countries.

The winner in the media category is Julie Matthews from Global News Edmonton for a report she did on romance scams. Mr. Speaker, I had no part of such a thing. Julie spent several weeks investigating online romance scams and posed as a potential love interest to expos e a romance scam artist in her report. Thank you, Julie. The winners in the youth category, Mr. Speaker. Michelle Ku of Calgary is the first-place winner. Nicholas Yee and Eunil Cho of Edmonton are the second-place winners. The third-place winner in the youth category is Farzanah Allinoor.

Two of the winners, Ron Hutchinson and Derek Hassay, could not be here this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I’m very proud of these individuals and of the work they do to ensure that our consumers are protected and that we have well- educated Albertans. I ask them to once again rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s an honour and privilege for me to rise today to introduce to you and through you to all Members of the Legislativ e Assembly five guests that are seated in the members’ gallery, here in recognition of the National Film Board of Canada’s world premiere of the film The Basketball Game, which debuted at the recent Global Visions Film Festival, which is celebrating its 30th year. I’d ask them to please rise as I mention their names. Hart Snider made his directorial debut with the animated short film The Basketball Game , a film he also authored and edited. He has a ma ster’s degree in media studies

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 287 from Montreal’s Concordia University and speciali zes in editing and writing in film, television, and interactive media. Hart is extremely proud to return to his hometown of Edmonton for the world premiere of this film. Hart is also joined by his father, Dr. Earle Snider; his mother, Ruth Snider; his brot her Adam Snider; and Bonnie Thompson, National Film Board representative and producer in the National Film Board northwest office, located right here in Edmonton. Mr.

Speaker, it’s important to note that the National Film Board of Canada was established in 1939, and they have a rich history of collaborating with emerging and established filmmakers in every region of Canada. They are known as an award -winning organiza- tion. They have received 12 Oscars, 14 Webbies, and more than 90 Genies to name a few. They create interactive works and support many emerging artists and are a world leader in auteur animation. I would like my guests to receive the traditional warm welcome of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you. 1:50 head: Oral Question Period The Speaker Advocacy to Government : First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This government continues to bully Albertans: Airdrie alderman Allan Hunter yelled at by the Finance minister ; Linda Sloan, AUMA president, bullied by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and by the Premier’s chief of staff; Shiraz Shariff, the PC party’s own candidate, pushed out; and now the threatening letter from the Member for Dunvegan-Central Peace to Betty Tu rpin because she advocated for students freezing in a school. When Albertans raise important issues and concerns, this government chooses to bully and intimidate instead of listening and addressing their concerns.

To the Premier: what the heck is wrong with this government? Ms Redford: It is important for Albertans to know that they can advocate on behalf of the people they represent. The people who were talking about the school and the work that needs to be done in Grimshaw were certainly entitled to take all of the steps that they did. I was, frankly, a little disappointed with our Member for Dunvegan-Central Peace in his comments. We had an opportunity to discuss this over the weekend. You may know today, Mr.

Speaker, that we were very grateful to accept the member’s resignation as chair of a cabinet policy committee because this is a government that is going to respond to what Albertans say in terms of what they need. We will listen, we will respond, we will be constructive, and that is the culture of this government. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the hon.

Member for Dunvegan-Central Peace To the Premier: why is it more important for this government to intimidate and hammer local officials into submission and the other officials I’ve previously mentioned than to get our children heat for our gymnasiums? for doing the right thing in offering his resignation. To him: I thank him. Ms Redford We will always have challenges with respect to what those conversations will be. In fact, in a democracy we should have different points of view, and sometimes conversations get heated. Mr. Speaker, you know very well from this very Legislature that that happens. The important

part is that we have the dialogue, we treat each other with respect, and we deliver better services for Albertans. : Mr. Speaker, what this government will do is to provide the essential services that students need, that our pupils need in schools, that our patients need. We’re going to ensure that systems are working well, that we’re responding to the needs of Albertans in this province. That is our priority. The Speaker: The hon. leader. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Will the Premier please be objective and look at the politicization of decision-making in Alberta and do the right thing and commit today in this House to fixing the school in Grimshaw and putting some heat in the gymnasium while we’re at it? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, be it known that I have actually had a number of good visits with the school board in question. I ha ve visited the school. As a matter of fact, I had the unusual experience of crawling underneath the floor of the gym of this school just to see the state of this school. I’ll be the first one to say it here, and I said it to the school board.

This school i s not up to our standard; the children of Grimshaw deserve a better school. It’s something that I will be working on together with the school board. The Speaker Judicial Inquiry into Health Services : Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now let’s crawl under health care.

The Health Quality Council report found that 51 per cent of doctors felt their ability to advocate had been limited, 20 per cent experienced active harmful obstruction for advocating, 30 per cent had a negative outcome, 10 per cent were simply ignored. AHS execs and administrators were involved in systemic harassment and intimidation. There was “bureaucratic and political interference” leading to a culture of fear and intimidation. These are the facts from the report, Premier.

Will the Premier correct last week’s blunder and include bullying of doctors and political interference in the judicial inquiry on health care? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, the Health Quality Council was very clear with respect to a number of things that need to be addressed in the health care system. Two weeks ago, when that report came out, we accepted all 21 of those recommendations. We are not going to include those issues in a judicial inquiry.

The reason we have a judicial inquiry is because there is independent work that was commenced this morning, chaired by Justice Vertes from the Northwest Territories, to deal with issues of queue -jumping. We made that commitment. If there are issues around doctor intimidation connected to that, we know that that can be part of the report. That’s in the terms of reference. That’s our commit - ment, and we made that commitment. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, the Health Quality Council was very clear.

In slick, legal double -speak here – given that the Health Quality Council report also states that safety margins for patients were substantially compromised, patients suffered due to long waits, palliative care patients received suboptimal care in the ED , where some spent the last hours of their lives in an ER department. Here are the facts, Premier. Will you correct last week’s blunder and keep your promise to hold a public judicial inquiry into your government, that broke this health care system?

288 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, in fact, the Health Quality Council report was very clear. It actually said that we didn’t need to have a judicial inquiry. We accepted all 21 of the recommendations that the Health Quality Council made. We will act on all of those recommenda- tions, Mr. Speaker. In terms of our commitment to an independent judicial inquiry that would be up and running before the election, we kept our commitment. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, the Health Quality Council was very clear that this government has caused intimidation.

Given that a gross lack of pub lic home care and long-term care are some of the prime root causes of the failure of our health care system, can the Premier please e xplain how a few pilot projects and a measly $25 million, an extra 12 bucks for our primary care networks, and 30 long-term care beds in Strathmore are going to fix our health care crisis? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, this hon. member stood up in this House three weeks ago and demanded added funding for primary care networks. Our minister of h ealth delivered on that promise because that’s going to matter to Albertans.

I’ll tell you that the way to start good public policy is to begin a conversation with stakeholders and to introduce projects that will matter. We have committed to three family care clinics that will be up and running this year, an investment of $100 million. It speaks to access for families around health, wellness, and primary care. That’s a commitment Albertans can rely on. The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Madam Premier. A measly 12 bucks is better than a kick in the head.

Edmonton General Continuing Care Incident Dr. Sherman: Last week family members of Audry Chudyk came to this Legislature to tell her story, a deeply disturbing story of severe senior neglect at the understaffed and underfunded Edmonton General continuing care centre. She had fallen twice. When Audry’s husband Mariano went to see her on Valentine’s Day, he found her unconscious, unresponsive, with black bedsores, laying in her filth, with feces underneath her fingernails. Staff had to be persuaded by he r son to call 911. How could this government allow this to happen in the richest place on the planet, Premier?

Come on. Ms Redford: That is a terribly unfortunate incident. We never want to have these things happen in the health care system. That’s one of the reasons that we have systems in place through the Minister of Seniors to ensure that these reports are made in a timely fashion at a time when it matters to the patient, Mr. Speaker, and not when people try to make political gain out of it three weeks later. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, my own fath er didn’t get home care until the night before he died.

Given that this Premier told this House on February 9 that “this government provides public health care to seniors that allows seniors to live in dignity,” the parents and grandparents and great- grandparents of these children up above, to the Premier: could you look Audry Chudyk’s husband in the eye and honestly tell him that your government did everything so Audry Chudyk can live in dignity? Ms Redford: The reason that we have a system that investigates unfortunate incidents where people are impacted is so that we can ensure that we identify what happ ened and that they don’t happen again.

It’s an unfortunate tragedy when these things happen, Mr. Speaker, and no one is going to deny that. Our Department of Seniors is going to ensure that we take the opportunity to work with health care providers such as Covenant Health to ensure that there are systems in place that don’t allow these things to happen again. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, the only thing unfortunate is our failed seniors policy.

Given the deeply disturbing nature of what happened to Audry Chudyk, who is still fighting for her life today, it was deeply offensive to read that the Minister of Health and Wellness over there said, quote: I would certainly hope that as concerning as this particular case is, that no one w ould be allowed to cast doubt or criticism on the work of our nurses. Unquote. To the Premier: will you demand today that that minister over there, the health minister, apologize to the Chudyk family for suggesting that they should not be allowed to raise criticisms? Ms Redford: Mr.

Speaker, if we take a look at the conversation that arose around this terribly unfo rtunate incident, the first thing and the correct response was to try to determine the facts. The context of who should or should not be held responsible must be determined in the context of those facts. 2:00 Judicial Inquiry into Health Services (continued) Mrs. Forsyth: Obstruction by this govern ment must end, starting with the bullying of our doctors and the broken promises made by this Premier. The Premier told Albertans several times that an inquiry would have to include doctor intimidation and political meddling.

Instead, in her inquiry the government was given a way out by ignoring the issues comp letely. Now Albertans may never know who needs to be held accountable, and the culture of corruption will be allowed to c ontinue unchecked. Why does the Premier insist on covering up her government’s bad behaviour? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, today is an important day in Alberta. In the middle of the summer last year Albertans heard that there could be a problem with queue-jumping that would impact our confidence in an Alberta health care system.

I’ll tell you that I was quite pleased to support an independent judicial inquiry, which many hon. members in this House suggested we would never call. Today that inquiry was called. It is headed by a retired and well- respected judge from the Northw est Territories, the terms of reference are clear, and if there are facts to be found out, we will find them. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Given that the terms of reference of the inquiry complete ly ignore the cold reality that patients can no longer feel confid ent that the doctors can stick up for them, with over 20 per cent of doctors experiencing active harmful obstruction, does the Premier seriously believe that doctors and Albertans do not deserve answers for the bullying caused by your government’s mismanagement? Ms Redford: Not two weeks ago there were answers with respect to that. There was a Health Quality Council report, that many members in this House demanded be called last year. There was a

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 289 report published that was quite frank with respect to the state of health care. As a result, we took 21 recommendations from that report, every recommendation in that report, and we accepted them. We are acting on those recommendations, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we are taking the advice of the Health Quality Council to act on them now as opposed to what the hon. member would suggest, which is a lengthy inquiry to avoi d the issue. We are dealing with the issues now. Mrs. Forsyth: Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell you what Albertans are demanding: the truth.

Given that the AMA president says that your inquiry only bandages over the system and ar gued that the Health Quality Council’s findings on doctors’ intimidation can’t be swept under the rug, does the Premier think Dr. Slocombe’s comments are wrong, or are they just misguided? Ms Redford: Anyone who has an opinion is certainly entitled to have that opinion. Our responsibility as the government of Alberta is to ensure that health care systems are working in this province for the good of Albertans, not for a doctor’s agenda, not for a nurse’s agenda, and not for the agenda of a political party, Mr. Speaker.

We’ve accepted the recommendations, we’re implement- ing those recommendations, and we have an independent judicial inquiry starting their work today on the issue that matters to Albertans. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Criticism of Government Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. When the Holy Family school board challenged this Tory government’s refusal to replace a dilapidated and unsafe school, their own MLA tried to silence them with threats. This Premier promised that this govern- ment would be different, more open and accountable.

It’s odd how they keep promising that, but nothing ever changes. To the Premier: why are you misleadi ng Albertans about doing things differently when your government uses the same old intimidation tactics as always? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell you what doing things differently means. It means that when these allegations came to light, I acted, and as a result of that people have had to accept responsibility for their actions. Both myself and the Minister of Education have been clear that we did not think these were appropriate comments.

There have been consequences as a result of that, and that has changed. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Given that the Premier’s own chief of staff, her Municipal Affairs minister, and her entire caucus all attempted to intimidate the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association into silence about the partisan political nature of funding for cities and towns, how can this Premier stand there and, with a straight face, claim that her government does not attempt to intimidate its critics?

Ms Redford: I don’t know if the hon. member was at the meeting with the AUMA 10, 15 days ago, but what we saw at that was a very good relationship between member s of this Legislature, most on this side of the House, as well as with the minister, who, as I understand it, received the only sta nding ovation at the event. As we move ahead, it’s going to actually matter that we’re constructive about what that relationship will be, Mr. Speaker. It was demonstrated at that event that we have a strong working relationship on policy issues and not politics, and that’s going to make a difference for Albertans.

The Speaker: The hon. leader. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, given that after the Member for Edmonton-Rutherford phoned the president of the AMA complaining about the mental health of another member of this Assembly, she appointed him as the health minister and after the Minister of Finance fired three doctors for putting on a syphilis campaign that he didn’t like, how can this Premier’s claim that bullying critics will not be tolerated be anything more than just misleading pre-election propaganda? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, these are unfounded allegations.

There is no basis for them, and I won’t respond to them. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Edmonton General Continuing Care Incident (continued) Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we were all appalled to hear last week, 67-year-old Audry Chudyk, a resident of the Edmonton General continuing care centre, was found unresponsive and lying in her own feces on February 14.

Meanwhile, Auditor General Fred Dunn’s 2005 recommendation that systems for monitoring the compliance of long-term care facilities with basic service standards be improved, while accepted, has been ignored for nearly seven years now. To the Premier: why have Alberta Health Services’ recommendations, that might have saved Audry Chudyk and her family such suffering, not been implemented? Mr. VanderBurg: You know, it was very clear earlier and it’s very clear to all Albertans that if there are safety issues, if there are abuse issues, you report it.

Everybody here and everybody out there has an opportunity to report it, and it’s mandatory. We have an obligation to protect seniors together, not to publicize it in here. Mr. Chase: Enough of apologies, enough of excuses. Let’s have some action. When will the results of th e investigation into the case, launched by the AHS’s contractor, Covenant Health, be released to the public? The da mage is done. When will it be released? Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, the results of that investigation will be delivered to me by Alberta Health Services when they receive them from Covenant Health, and they will be made public. Mr.

Chase: Will the minister of health commit today to implementing the Auditor General’s outstanding recommenda- tions so that other residents of long-term care need not suffer such abuse as has gone on for seven long years? Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has made a very serious allegation with his last statement. I’m quite prepared to stand in this House and to listen to accounts of unfortunate, very unfortunate incidents such as the one that has just been mentioned and to join with my colleague in explaining to this House what action we are taking in response to that.

What I will not do: I will not gratify erroneous and, quite frankly, dangerous generalizations based on these individual cases and suggest for a moment that this

290 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 is rampant in the entire system. That’s an insult to the people that deliver the care. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Cypress-Medicine Hat , followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View Promotion of Alberta Energy Industry . Mr. Mitzel: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The relationship that Alberta has with the United States is an important one, especially when it comes to oil and gas. In fact, overall we have the largest trading relationship of any two countries in the world.

With significant ec onomic and employment benefits on both sides of the border we want to ensure that this relationship stays strong. My question is to the Premier. My constituents commented very favourably to me last week regarding your trip to Chicago, but I’d like to ask y ou directly: who did you meet with in Chicago, and really what was the outcome of these meetings? Ms Redford: Well, Mr. Speaker, Illinois in the Midwest is a very important market for us. There are five refineries right outside of Chicago, where 70 per cent of the feedstock that’s going into those refineries is coming from the oil sands.

Illinois is one of our largest trading partners, with over a hundred companies that are delivering products directly to the oil sands, and we had a very good opportunity to meet with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, with Midwest state legislators, with the council of executive officers to actually talk about how to continue to build and enhance that trade. 2:10 The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mitzel: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier.

While I was happy to hear that all the meetings went so well, there are other issues out there, and I hear about these and see these in the want ads in all of our papers. I believe there is much higher unemployment in many parts of the United States. Were you able to get any further in resolving some of the labour issues that exist?

Ms Redford We had very productive discussions with the trades union councils to identify opportunities in partnership with the federal government where we could put in place preclearance systems so that skilled workers were being prequalified in the United States and then could deal with the immigration issues coming up here. : Well, Mr.

Speaker, for most people in this Legisla - ture who are actually concerned about our economic development and are as optimistic as we are about it, we need to know that within the next 10 years there will probably be 110,000 positions that we’re not going to be able to fill from inside Canada. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mitzel: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is to the Premier. Because I truly believe that we must maintain and cultivate our relationships with our neighbours to the south, what is the purpose of your visit to Washington next week? Ms Redford: Mr.

Speaker, we had very good news last week when TransCanada The work that we will do this week in Washington and in New York, attracting investors and speaking to people on both sides of the aisle with respect to why the oil sands matter for the United States and for Canada, I think allows these decisions to happen in a way that Albertans can have confidence in their economic future. PipeLines announced that they were going to proceed with the line from Cushing to Port Arthur.

That’s going to matter to the U.S. economy, and for us the really good news was that the White House made very favourable comments with respect to that. We believe that one of the reasons for that is that as Canadians and Albertans we’ve been working together to be very effective advocates for what’s going on in the oil sands. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Mountain View , followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Hays Physician Services Agreement . Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Alberta’s 7,000 physicians have for a year now been without a contract that would give them a real voice for patients at the table when ke y decisions about health care are being made. Instead, the Minister of Health has imposed a one -year increase in compensation and primary care network funding, meant to shut doctors up before the election. To the minister: do you really believe this desper ate pre- election attempt to silence physicians will work, and what are you afraid of? Mr. Horne: Well, Mr. Speaker, we are not afraid of anything. This government wants a long -term agreement with our physic- cians.

We believe it is in the best interests of the public health care system to have a long -term agreement with our physicians, and in fact negotiations are continuing. Dr. Swann: Quite so, Mr. Speaker. In rejecting binding arbitration and subverting the negotiating process, this minister thinks he’s going to build trust with health workers. Is that what you’re saying? Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, this government isn’t subverting anything. I spoke to the president of the Alberta Medical Association as recently as yesterday. We have plans to meet later this week.

The letter in question that the hon. member refers to was a letter I sent to the physicians of Alberta. This government said that we wanted stability and predictability in our health care system. That means addressing in the short term, prior to negotiating our long-term agreement, the resource requirements to keep our health system running smoothly. That started with a $12 increase for our primary care networks, which have not received an increase since 2003. Dr. Swann: Mr. Speaker, how can this minister seriously believe that unilateral action is going to improve trust and patient care in this province? Mr.

Horne Thank you. : Mr. Speaker, we don’t. That’s why we are continuing negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association. If this hon. member wants to stand up and tell me and this House that $93 million in additional financial resources to support Albertans’ physicians is a bad idea, I leave him to it. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Hays, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre Promotion of Alberta Oil Sands . Mr. Johnston : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Albertans recognize that our prosperity and ability to develop our energy resources depend in part on decisions made in other jurisdictions.

The infrastructure necessary to get our energy to market can only be built with the

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 291 co-operation of others. All my questions are to the Premier. What are you doing to make sure t hat people have the facts on the oil sands? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, we know that throughout North America there is infrastructure in place that is allowing our economies to thrive, whether it’s in the United States or whether it’s in Canada. We know that the regulatory decisions that are being made on both the west coast and also the United States need to be part of an informed public discussion.

So we’re talking about who we are as Albertans, how proud we are, what our environ- mental record has been, that we are proud environmental stewards, that we’re continuing to build sustainable technologies, and that we’re making investments with respect to joint partnerships with industry. Of course, we saw some very good news last week with industry coming together to say that they will share intellectual property with respect to this. This is the story that we need to tell in the United States. It’s resonating, and that’s why we’re getting a good response from the White House.

The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Mr. Johnston: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Premier: how do you intend to get the support of other jurisdictions in Canada? Ms Redford: Well, Mr. Speaker, it was very interesting last week, of course, to see some of the comments that were made with respect to the oil sands. I was very pleased that within a couple of days there was an informed national conversation going on with respect to what the energy economy means to the rest of Canada.

As we know – and we did talk about the fact – we’re looking at a tremendous tens of millions of dollars going into at least Ontario with respect to economic development in the oil sands. When we do that, those billions of dollars are what’s going to allow Canadians to emotionally connect and to ensure that we’re all proud of what we’re doing here. Mr. Johnston: A final question to the Premier: will these efforts support the necessary pipelines being built? Ms Redford: I believe they will, Mr.

Speaker, because what we’ve seen now in the discussion with respect to pipelines, after much of the fanfare at the very beginning of these hearings, is that people who are getting jobs building and refining off these pipelines understand the importance to their communities of what these resources mean. It is important to connect the dots in a way, whether we’re in the United States, British Columbia, or eastern Canada, that people are understanding that it all matters for a strong energy economy. We’re having success, and I think that’s good for Alberta. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Edmonton-Centre , followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Shaw Residential Construction Standards . Ms Blakeman: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Last week I raised concerns that the glacial pace on improving construction and inspection was not protecting the homeowner or condo- minium owner. The Minister of Municipal Affairs responded by suggesting that last May’s wildfire disaster in Slave Lake precluded the government from bringing in new homeowner protection measures as promised.

Now, it has been the practice of Municipal Affairs for some time now to contract out the administration of disaster recovery programs to LandLink Consulting Ltd. My question i s to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. What’s the real reason behind the snail -like progress on helping Albertans to be protected? Mr. Griffiths: Mr. Speaker, I was at our meeting of Municipal Affairs with all of our department staff. There was endless discussion about all the hard work that went into helping Slave Lake deal with what turned out to be the worst disaster in the province’s history.

I think every single person in Municipal Affairs who spent all their time and energy working to help the people of Slave Lake and region work on rebuilding would be very offended by the insinuation that they did nothing. Ms Blakeman Back to the same minister. There are now too many examples of Albertans being assessed huge amount s in order to make their condo or house livable and safe to list in 35 seconds.

I’d like to know why the minister won’t implement an interest-free loan fund for folks that are faced with massive special assessments for substantial repair costs related to shoddy construction. : All of your staff worked on that? Mr. Griffiths In the meantime, as I’ve said before, we’re working with homeowners in this province on a home warranty program, on extending the term limits for fines and limitations so that we can make sure that we protect home builders.

They still have avenues through the courts to make sure that they can deal with those people, those construction practices that have left them with inappropriate housing. : Mr. Speaker, that may be something we can consider down the road. It would be inappropriate to discuss that before we finish passing the budget because we can’t really start to spend more money at least until we pass the budget. Ms Blakeman: Well, let me follow up on that with the same minister.

Given that the government has had policy recommenda- tions in its possession since April of 2008 and the former Minister of Municipal Affairs first began revealing details of this forthcoming legislation as early as the fall of 2010, three different sittings ago, what exactly is the minister’s ex cuse? What is the actual problem here that this ministry cannot move on this? Mr. Griffiths In the meantime, Mr.

Speaker, we have done extensive consultations, past ministers have as well, with contractors, with builders, with homeowners, and with banks to make sure that we get the system right b ecause it’s not just about enforcing a new homeowner warranty, that could drive up the costs and drive out new home purchasers. We make sure on this side of the House that we do appropriate consultation with all stakeholders to get it right the first time. : Well, Mr. Speaker, I get to answer the question again.

As I’ve said before, we have very limited staff in Municipal Affairs, who were distracted a bit by a crisis situation in Slave Lake and region with the fire. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Shaw, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona 2:20 Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance . Mrs. Ady: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was really pleased this last week to see 12 companies announce a partnership to bring the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance to life. The goal is to break down barriers and to share environmental research and ultimately produce innovations in oil sands cleanup.

Some critics may find this collective commitment to be more rhetoric from

292 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 industry. Can the Minister of Environment and Water tell us how this alliance adds to the work the government is already doing? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs. McQueen: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member for the question. This is actually excellent news. Whenever we can have many companies, in this case 12 CEOs, sign an agreement to work together and to pool their expert ise and their resources to generate innovative solutions, particularly with the challenges around the oil sands, this is excellent news.

It encourages integration of resources and building technologies so that we’ll find solutions quicker as they work toge ther and share those. We’re very excited about this. We encourage more of these kinds of opportunities to happen in this province. Mrs. Ady: Mr. Speaker, my first supplemental is to the same minister. It’s great to see industry work together. Do you think that this is going to move into other sectors of the oil and gas industry? Are we going to see that kind of co-operation in others? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs. McQueen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Certainly, we encour - age it not just in the oil and ga s industry but in all industries when it pertains to environmental protection. We encourage all of this kind of collaboration to happen. We think that this is the first step. Industry in the oil sands is taking a big step to come together, and we encourage that practice in other industries across the province. Mrs. Ady: Lastly, to the same minister: how do you plan on working with this group? They’re a private industry group. Are you as government going to be able to work with them with the stuff you’re doing? Mrs.

McQueen: Well, what we’re very happy about is that the initial focus they’re looking at is on our own issues that are important to us in Alberta Environment and Water, and that is dealing with the four main areas of tailings, water, land, and greenhouse gases. So we plan to continue to work with them so that they will find solutions that will meet the challenges we are facing in Alberta to reduce environmental issues. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona Grimshaw Holy Family School . Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

An independent report to government on Holy Family school in Grimshaw uncovers a laundry list of problems that no family would accept in their own homes let alone in a place they send their children to. To the Minister of Education . This report shows there is both merit and urgency to the community’s request. So if the reason for ignoring the school’s unsafe condition isn’t related to their video and isn’t related to their, quote, upsetting comments, what else could it possibly be? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, a lot of things can be learned from that situation.

As I’ve said on a number of occasions, I’m looking forward to working with that particular board. I myself have seen that school, and I agree that you don’t need an engineer to tell you that this building needs to be replaced. But other things need to be learned. The oldest part of the school is 50 years old; the newest is about 20 years old. The whole building has to be bulldozed down. I also need to find out why. I think that n ot only this government but other school boards can learn to make sure that this doesn’t happen again in any other jurisdiction.

Ms Notley Now, given that the report lists no fire sprinklers, deficient gas shut-off, inadequate heating, accumulated water under the floor, blocked sewers, and unsafe electrical systems and given that this description apparently represents the status quo that requires no attention within the next three years, will the minister apologize to Albertans for his government’s long -standing failure to provide safe buildings within which our children can learn? : Well, Mr. Speaker, this school has been talking to this ministry for 10 years. Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, the member is correct.

All the disrepair that she listed actually does exist. I’ve seen it for myself. All of that is happening while the school board has in excess of $7 million in their savings account. I will be working with that school board. We will probably be using this school as a model to make sure that infrastructure that is paid for by the taxpayers of Alberta is properly maintained in the future so that all children in the province of Alberta have buildings that are adequate for learning. This one is not. Ms Notley: Well, Mr.

Speaker, given that the Member for Dunvegan-Central Peace wrote local officials advising caution and diplomacy to so-called upset individuals to avoid delay of a new school and given that Infrastructure staff recommended the replacement of the school to their political masters only to be inexplicably ignored, why won’t the minister admit that this government’s decision -making is discretionary, arbitrary, political, and fails Alberta’s families every day? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, the only things political at this point are the comments by t he hon. member.

I pride myself on having a good relationship with school boards. They know how to contact me. They’re always welcome in my office, and I will be visiting them as often as I possibly can. At the end of the day we have pressures for new schools throughout the entire province, and that school will be considered like all the other school boards are being considered. Plenty to be learned. Plenty to be done. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview Funding for Private Schools . Mr. Hehr: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Education has stated that he always encourages every school to try to put the other one out of business, so I just want to ask: does the minister honestly be lieve that pitting schools one against another by encouraging schools to drive each other out of business is the best way forward for schools in this province? Mr. Lukaszuk Mr. Speaker, I have always said that having good, healthy, child-focused, curriculum -focused competition is what makes Alberta the NHL of education syste ms in the world. Parents have choice, and they choose where they want to send their children.

That is healthy competition. Competition does not pitting make. : I would like to commend this member for reading Twitter because that’s where he actually got it from. If he’s forming his policy on 144 characters, then that’s not a good thing to do. Mr. Hehr: Well, I got the quote from the Calgary Herald. Nevertheless, it was on Twitter. I should have been reading there.

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 293 Is the minister by his statement actually saying that he wants more kids going to private schools and more kids going to charter schools than to our own public school system? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, I want kids going to school s that the parents approve. I want kids going to schools where they are getting world-class education, as they are. I want parents to have choice. Parents right now have the choice of home -schooling, private schooling, public schooling, Catholic schooling, charter schooling. The list goes on and on.

That is what makes Alberta education strong, where parents get to make the choice that is right for their family and for their values. Mr. Hehr: Well, Mr. Speaker, how can the minister justify this apparent embr acing of an American -style education system by funding private schools, trying to pit schools one against another? Has he not reviewed any of the information on how this actually destroys the public education system and doesn’t assist it? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, here they go again with the comfort- able slogans that they’ve been using for other portfolios.

As a matter of fact, there is a good reason why Alberta education is considered one of the top four jurisdictions in the world. One is that we have excellent teachers doing some fabulous work in the classroom. We have supportive communities and Albertans who support education. We have a government that makes Alberta education its priority, and we have choice that parents get to exercise. If the Liberals don’t like it, that’s too bad. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly - Clareview, followed by the hon. Member for Airdrie-Chestermere Mental Health and Addictions Services . Mr.

Vandermeer: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning the minister of health announced news of an investment into the Alberta Hospital Edmonton site, yet in the same announcement the health minister referred to the importance of Albertans with addictions and mental heath issues getting the help they need in the community. Building a psychiatric hospital in a fairly remote part of Edmonton seems contrary to providing mental health services and programs in the community. Can the health minister explain why we continue to inv est in this old, institutional way of treating mental illness? Mr. Horne: Mr.

Speaker, the answer is: because we need it. We need to consider both services in hospital and in the community. As members of this House will know, for a number of years now there have been questions about the future of Alberta Hospital Edmonton. This morning’s announcement, which will result in the creation of 60 new in-patient beds in that hospital, will provide some much-needed services that will not only address specialized in-patient care but will support transition for patients when they leave hospital to go back to the community. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Vandermeer: Thank you.

My next question is to the same minister, who also announced this morning increases to psychology and counselling services through primary health care. I have had constituents tell me that it takes weeks or even months to get access to a psychologist through their doctor’s office because there are not enough of them and those that are available privately cost at least $150 an hour, which many of my constituents can’t . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister. 2:30 Mr. Horne: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Well, it is true that psychology services are not currently covered under the Alberta health care insurance plan, but as the hon. member points out, the demand for psychology and counselling services is increasing, has been increasing for a number of years. We feel there’s an opportunity to offer psychology services along with other counselling through our primary care networks, through other primary care delivery models, thereby getting to people sooner and avoiding some of the very unfortunate circumstances we hear about when problems are not addressed. Mr. Vandermeer: To the same minister.

The announcement also talks about focusing programs on children and youth, yet nothing was mentioned about the PCHAD Amendment Act, a key piece of legislation that can help the children who are most vulnerable. My question to the hon. minister is: why haven’t you proclaimed the PCHAD Amendment Act? Mr. Horne School Board Funding : Well, Mr. Speaker, I am in discussions now with the Minister of Human Services about that precise issue.

This morning’s announcement did provide an additional $8 million to support the mental health capacity building initiative, which is a tremendous project that encompasses many schools across the province, providing much-needed wr aparound addiction and mental health services to children and youth. The Minister of Human Services and I will continue to work toward proclamation of the PCHAD legislation as quickly as possible. Mr. Anderson: Mr.

Speaker, in a letter written to a school board advocating publicly for a school in desperate need of repair, the Member for Dunvegan-Central Peace said, “In order for your community to have the opportunity to receive a new school, you and your school board will have to be ve ry diplomatic from here on out.” It goes on: “Your comments could be upsetting to some individuals. This could delay the decision on a new school.” What shameful behaviour from an elected member of this government. To the Minister of Education: what are you and this Premier doing to hold this member accountable for such blatant thuggery? Mr.

Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, I think the Premier has spoken eloquently on this topic. I have made my comments as well. The member has done the honourable thing and has removed himself from a committee. This member has a record of serving Albertans with a great deal of di gnity for many, many years. As a matter of fact, this unfortunate letter will not affect the relationship between this minister or this Premier or this government or the school board in any way. Mr.

Anderson Minister, will you commit – commit right now – to immediately publish a list of all school board funding requests for new schools and school maintenance, from highest priority to lowest priority, right across the province as well as the set of objective criteria used t o arrive at that priority so that communities and parents across Alberta can feel safe that you and your government will not politically extort or punish their children for their parents committing the cardinal sin of speaking out against the PC government? Will you do that, sir? Publish the list. : So no accountability whatsoever.

294 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 Mr. Lukaszuk Mr. Speaker, yes, as a matter of fact, we will be releasing a list of priorities for schools, and the members will see objectivity. But also, then, this member has to promise us that he will no longer be holding rallies at the front stairs of the Legislature, convincing the government that schools in his riding are the most important. : Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, I would advise this particular member to start adhering to the code of conduct that the member to whom he was referring has been adhering up to now. Mr.

Anderson The final question: a re you telling me that your government spends hundreds of millions every year on new schools and maintenance but has no objective priority list for deciding which school board gets how much? If you do have such a list, why won’t you make that secret list p ublic? Is it because you enjoy being able to hand out money to reward supporters and punish those who speak out? Publish the secret list, Minister, and stop the culture of corruption. : Minister, we all know school boards all request funding for their top priorities.

I’m talking about how you choose which boards to fund and for how much. Mr. Lukaszuk I’ll tell you one thing. There is no secret list. Schools are prioritized every year based on the capital plans of each school board. That’s how decisions are made. Frankly, we will have to probably build approximately 40 schools per year for the next 10 years to catch up to the infrastructure pressure that we have.

But if this member is questioning the objectivity, I would again ask this member, then, to stop holding rallies at the front stairs of the Legislature to pressure this government to build schools in his riding as opposed to in other ridings if he wants a decision . . . : Mr. Speaker, yet another secret list. If it’s so secret, how does he know about it? The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Cross, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview Safe Communities Resource Centre . Mrs. Fritz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A significant step was taken recently in reducing and preventing crime when a new Safe Communities Resource Centre was announced in Calgary, and that was to provide services to individuals that are indentified by their probation officers a s being at high risk to offend. My first question is to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. How will this community resource centre’s programs differ from those that you’re already offering to high-risk offenders? Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, thank yo u to the member for the question.

One of the things that we’ve found is that we have many services available, but they’re not always as easily accessible as perhaps they might be, particularly when we have repeat offenders who seem to be on a cycle in and out of the court system. We see this as an opportunity to innovate and to provide services in one place where we can be especially effective in breaking that cycle. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Fritz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the same minister: wil l you consider expanding this program to all offenders who are a risk to public safety? Mr. Olson: Well, Mr.

Speaker, the people who are the focus of the initiative, that was just announced about a week ago in Calgary, are people who are on probation, so t hey’re under court supervision. That makes it possible for there to be some direction as to what programs they should become involved in, so this is an opportunity for them to have addiction counselling, mental health counselling, housing assistance, any number of other types of supports in one spot. We would like to expand that to many other areas of the province. This is a pilot project that will run for three years, and we hope to be able to expand it.

The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Fritz: Well, than k you, Mr. Speaker. My second supple - mental is for the Minister of Health and Wellness. Given that your ministry’s programs will be aligned with Justice services – and the minister has mentioned some of the health programs that will be available – would y ou please let us know what else you’ll be offering by way of community services? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Horne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are participating in this in a collaborative way, as the minister had discussed in his previous answer.

We are primarily concerned with addictions and mental health services, and we see the ability to provide those on - site in co njunction with probation as a tremendous support to the overall intended impact of this program. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview Administration of Elections . Dr. Taft: Thanks, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Justice minister. The federal robocall scandal gives an urgent warning to this government about the upcoming election here in Alberta. After all, Alberta’s election determines control of the largest energy reserves in the western world.

When the stakes are so high, some people are bound to fight dirty. They could be anyone from anywhere, and it seems they can disappear without a trace. To the minister: will this government undertake an urgent review of the Election Act before the next election and bring forward amendments that r educe the risks of robocall -style election abuses? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Olson But in answer to the member’s question, no, there is no plan to make any urgent amendments. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the member for the question.

I suppose it’s not surprising that this might come up in question period just because of the he adlines, but we don’t make policy based on headlines. We are always interested in updating the Election Act. As a matter of fact, there are periodic reviews. Mr. Chase: Lorne Gibson, 198 recommendations, all ignored. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity, did you want to raise the question? I sure recognized Edmonton-Riverview. Dr.

Taft Given that the courts have made it clear through a series of rulings that governments have an active obligation to ensure that the administration of elections is effective and fair, will this government consult with Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer to make sure he has enough funding and staff to handle the risk of a whole new type of election fraud? : I appreciate that. Thank you.

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 295 Mr. Olson: Well, Mr. Speaker, speculation and allegations on the federal scene about voter fraud do not translate to the same thing in Alberta. We are always aware that there may be risks, but that’s why we have a Chief Electoral Officer, who is an independent officer of the Legislature, who oversees and manages this. I have every confidence that the Chief Electoral Officer can run a very good and fair election. 2:40 The Speaker: The hon. member. Dr. Taft: Well, thanks, Mr. Speaker.

Given the severity of this problem and the fact that it threatens the very base of democracy, the Official Opposition, at least, is prepared to fully co -operate with a review of the Election Act. Will this government do anything to prevent a replay of the federal robocall scandal here in Alberta? We should act now. Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, after the last election there were a number of suggestions, recommendations made by the Chief Electoral Officer. This Assembly considered them very carefully. We actually adopted a number of the recommendations. They were made as amendments t o the act.

The Chief Electoral Officer will provide a report with recommendations after the next election, and we will certainly consider them. We had a very extensive debate before Christmas about amendments to the Election Act. Members opposite had every opportunity to raise this type of an issue, and I don’t remember it being mentioned at all. The Speaker Land Conservation Trusts : Hon. members, we have a request from the Minister of Finance to supplement a response to a question that arose on Thursday, February 23. Mr. Liepert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On Thursday, February 23, the Member for Edmonton-Centre The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission has had three requests from land conservation trusts. One received a casino licence in 2012 and is slated for another later this year. Another application from a land trust from southern Alberta is currently pending, waiting for some follow -up information. The third application: the Edmonton and Area Land Trust applied two years ago and was denied a casino licence because of how the organiza- tion is structured.

This group never appealed, and the file has been closed.* as part of her question asked why conservation land trusts in this province are being denied casino licences, and I’d like to provide a brief response. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre , you have the right to a supplemental question. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My under - standing is that part of the problem might have been that they are structured as a

part 9 company, an d we are hearing rumours that the AGLC will no longer allow any kind of licensing to a not -for- profit organization that’s registered as a

part 9 company. Can you tell me if that’s, in fact, true? Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that information. I’ll endeavour to get it. The Speaker We are going to continue with the Routine, and we’re going to return to Introduction of Guests. : Hon. members, 17 members were recognized today for 102 questions and responses plus the three supplementary ones as well. head: Introduction of Guests (continued) The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lacombe-Ponoka. Mr.

Prins Paul was also involved in the creation of the Kimberly protocol, which is the international agreement on marketing diam onds, especially those originating in Africa. Mr. Speaker, if you have ever watched the movie Blood Diamond, at the end of the movie there’s a picture in Brussels, I think, or in Antwerp about the protocol for marketing diamonds. Paul was one of the member s of the group that put together the international protocol. He’s lecturing on west African history tonight and tomorrow night as well at The King’s University College.

I would like to ask him to stand and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. : Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s really an honour for me to introduce to you and through you to all members a great friend, and I have another introduction after that. My friend is Reverend Paul Kortenhoven from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a missionary in Sierra Leone from 1980 to 2002. I first met him in 1984 in Sierra Leone and have worked with him many times. He continues to work in Sierra Leone and consult in the peace and reconciliation process subsequent to a 10-year civil war.

Some o ther guests that I have are Peter and Andree Verhoog and their children Ginelle, Micheline, Janice, and Suzanne. They’re home-schoolers from Ponoka. They’re interested in Bill 2, and they’re with us as well today. If they’re still in the galleries, I would ask them to rise and receive the warm welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Creek. Mr. Zwozdesky: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to also introduce some special guests who were here for the education rally this afterno on and who also are home - schoolers and tremendous supporters there, too.

Unfortunately, they had to leave a short while ago, but for the record I’d like to note that Kathrine Baer, Tylor Baer, Kristina Baer, Landon Baer, and Austin Baer were all here in su pport of home -schooling. Thank you very much for your attendance. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fish Creek. Mrs. Forsyth Secondly, I would like to introduce Alison Landreville. Alison is a registered nurse h ere in Edmonton, working in medication safety and quality. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing here at the University of Alberta. She’s a mother of two children. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you the Wildrose candidate for Sherwood Park, Garnett Genius. Garnett is executive director of Responsible Electricity Transmission for Albertans and an associate fellow at the Canadian Centre for Policy Studies. Garnett has told me that he’s knocked on every single open-access door in the riding, and we’re very proud to have him on our team. We’re very happy to have them both here today. I’ll ask them to rise and receive the warm welcome from the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Intergovernmental, Inter - national and Aboriginal Relations. Mr.

Dallas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today it is my great pleasure to introduce to you and through you some m embers of a family *See page 266, left column, paragraph 8

296 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 from my constituency. Paul van de n Bosch and his four children have joined us today from Red Deer for question period and to visit the Legislature Building. Paul and his children with him today in the gallery – Joseph, John, Frances, a nd Bernadette – are part of our province’s home-schooling community. As a government we support home education and would like to commend Mr. van den Bosch and his family for their dedication and excellent work in educating their children as bright and talented citizens of our province.

I would like to thank the van den Bosches for joining us today in Alberta’s capital city to learn more about our democratic customs and political traditions. Th e guests are seated in the members’ gallery. I’d like to ask them now to please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. Ms Calahasen: Mr. Speaker, I have the great honour of introducing to you and through you some of my constituents, who were at the rally this afternoon. They are I believe seated in the public gallery. That’s Patricia Bergen and her family as well as 28 other family members who are here today.

I know they’re very strong home-schoolers, and they produce the greatest and brightest children. I’d ask that they stand, if they are still here, to receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: The hon. Member for Little Bow. A Life in Politics Mr. McFarland: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the recognition you gave me today. Rarely do elected members of this Assembly have the opportunity on their anniversary to recognize and to thank people who help and support us in all the work we do.

We are, indeed, fortunate to have dedicated people around us in our ridings and at home, and I want to thank all the Little Bow constituents who’ve supported me for 20 years. I’m proud to have had some great friends throughout this building in all walks of life. I only wish there was time to mention all of them. Earlier I introduced one of our constituency managers, Lois McLeod, who along with Julie Annable has provided courteous, confidential, and capable assistance to our Little Bow constituents. I’ve had a terrific amount of help in the past number of years, Mr.

Speaker, from Dianne Wills, Tracy Kully, Brendalee Gardner, Phyllis Hennig, Peter Pilarski, Robyn Kowalski, and Ryan Osterberg. Thirty-five years ago, in 1977, I was elected for the first time to the county of Vulcan council. I don’ t think my wife ever thought that 15 years later I’d be elected in a by-election to this Assembly. While I was here in Edmonton, Mary was making sure that our kids were getting a proper u pbringing, commuting nearly a hundred miles each day to her psych nursing job as well as keeping our farm and our home operating.

Life for those in politics is no different when it comes to family sadness. During my time here my mother, Mary’s mom and dad, and seven out of eight of my au nts and uncles ha ve passed away, many times while I was right here. I’m proud of my family. Not too many have a kid who could have won a gold medal in a Dominion hurdle championship at the age of 15 or have a son who can take a mangled piece of autobody work and turn it into a brand new, shiny-looking product. Our second son operates that business.

Our daughter danced for 14 years in ballet, pointe, lyrical, and hip hop and worked while earning her degree in human resources. Our youngest son, one of the youngest black belts out of Lethbridge, is helping troubled youth and is going to work in July on his master’s in clinical psychology. Thank you, Mary. Thank you to all our family. Your grand- parents would have been very proud. [Standing ovation] 2:50 Saving for the Future Mr. Hehr: There once was a farmer named Jim. He had sections of land. Jim got married and started a family. He was extremely generous. They had the best of everything.

Jim and his wife thought the good times would never end. Although Jim had a great deal of land, he never brought in enough revenues to pay the bills. At the end of the year when Jim was getting his finances together, he was always short. So every year he would sell an acre or two, and that would seem to balance things off. Jim’s children: they liked living on the farm so much that they never left. Because he loved his children, he did not ask them to contribute to the bills. Jim had to keep selling off land to keep everyone happy.

Then one year when he looked at the family finances, it finally became clear that he didn’t have any more land to sell off. That farm was a memory. Nothing was left. By not asking the children to contribute and by living high on the hog, Jim was broke. This is not unlike the parable of Alberta. One of the themes that we have seen emerge over and over again is that we need to manage our province’s great wealth.

This is about the long-term future of our province and whether after it’s all said and done – when the oil has been pumped, when the gas is gone, and the bitumen has been dug up – we will have anything to show for it. For 25 years this province has spent all of its $225 billion that it has brought in in resource revenues. We pay our daily bills by spending the revenue, which is akin to Jim selling off pieces of the family farm. If we’re ever going to have anything left when it’s all said and done, we need to save. In order to do that, we’re going to need to ask citizens to pay for the thin gs they use.

They know public education and good roads cost money. They also know that once you sell a barrel of oil, you never have that barrel to sell again. It’s time to look at our tax code and to develop a fair model, a model that recognizes that it should not be our God-given right to blow every last dime of petroleu m resources to pay today’s bills. It’s not fair. It’s not fair to future generations; neither is it in the best long-term interests of this province. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. National Film Board of Canada World Premiere Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On March 4, 2012, it was my honour and privilege to attend the Global Visions Film Festival in Edmonton. This film festival, in its 30th year, is Canada’s longest running docume ntary film festival. It is dedicated to presenting socially relevant films from around the world, exploring issues of so cial, economic, a nd environmental development. Mr. Speaker, this year’s festival featured the National Film Board of Canada’s world premiere of the film The Basketball Game.

This film is produced by the National Film Board of Canada and features the directorial debut of our very own Alberta- born and -raised Hart Snider, an award-winning filmmaker. This film is significant, Mr. Speaker, because it is based on the recollections of a nine-year-old boy coming to grips with hate and discrimination in Alberta. This issue is relevant within societies around the world. The film s hows how children understand and can be impacted by hate and discrimination.

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 297 More importantly, Mr. Speaker, the film sends a profound message that when children are provided with an opportunity to resolve issues amongst themselves, in this case through a sports game, the real issues are be tter understood and potentially resolved by the children themselves. The film is also significant because it was done using animation, which is always timely, especially for attracting younger people to the story messages. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the National Film Board of Canada for their insightful decisi on to produce this short film.

Also, congratulations and specia l thanks to Hart Snider, an Albertan filmmaker who profiled a deeply human reality message when he informed audiences on how hate and discrimination impact children and how children must be involved to help resolve these problems before they become their adult problems. The film is innovative, thought-provoking, and its filmmaker, Hart Snider, is definitely a living example of the Alberta spirit. Thank you to all involved in the film The Basketball Game for adding immeasurably to our society as a whole. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona.

Alberta Business Awards of Distinction Mr. Quest: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to rise today to speak about an exciting event held on March 2 at the River Cree Resort and Casino. Hosted by the Alberta Chambers of Com- merce, this year’s Alberta business awards of distinction was the 21st annual awards gala celebrati ng the best in Alberta business. Awards were presented to a number of Alberta companies and organizations chosen for exem plifying excellence in their respective industries. The hon.

Minister of Intergovernmental, International and Aboriginal Relations presented the aboriginal woman entrepreneur award, which recognizes aboriginal businesswomen as positive role models. This year’s winn er was Isabell Ringenoldus of TAWS Security Ltd., a company based in Fort McMurray. The hon. Minister of Human Serv ices presented the employer of persons with disabilities awar d to Long View Systems, an information technology company with offices in Calgary and Edmonton. This award recognizes leading-edge practices in the hiring, training, and career de velopment of employees with disabilities. The hon.

Minister of Human Services also presented the employer of youth award and the very prestigious Premier’s award of distinction to Alberta Blue Cross Benefits Corporation. Mr. Speaker, this government is proud to support the Alberta Chambers of Commerce in recognizing excellence in the province’s business community, and we look forward to continuing this valuable partnership for years to come.

I would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners and nominees for their tremendous accomplishments and important contributions to our province’s diverse economy and, on behalf of this government, thank them for the outstanding work that they’re doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. Donation to Olds Colle ge by Jack Anderson Mr. Marz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize a remarkable act of kindness and generosity, one that will benefit future generations of Albertans. Mr.

J.C. (Jack) Anderson, a Calgary businessman and rancher, is donating the proceeds from the sale of a hundred vintage cars and trucks to Olds College in my riding to mark their centennial in 2013. The auction of Mr. Anderson’s prized collection, which ranges from a 1984 Rolls-Royce to a 1968 Corvair, is expected to raise more than $2.5 million. This is not the first time Mr. An derson has made a generous gift to the college. In 2007 he gave the school $1 million. This latest donation, the largest in Olds Co llege’s illustrious history, has more than monetary benefit. The auction of Mr.

Anderson’s collection will shine a bright spotlight on the college as it celebrates a hundred years of education excellence in the fields of agriculture, animal sciences, business, and technology. Mr. Speaker, as a businessman and supporter of lifelong learning opportunities Mr. Anderson fully appreciates the programming offered by Old Colle ge and the quality of its graduates. In addition to empl oying Olds graduates in his business, at 84 he still attends se minars at the college, proving you’re never too old to learn something new. Mr.

Anderson shares our government’s goal of inspiring Albertans to reach their full potential through advanced educat ion. He is an inspiration to anyone at any age seeking to keep their mind and body engaged by actively pursuing knowledge and experience. On behalf of this government and the citizens of Alberta, especially those attending Olds Co llege, I would like to thank Mr. Anderson for his historic donation. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Bonnyville Primary Care Network Mrs. Leskiw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure to rise today to speak about the successes of the Bonnyville primary care network, or PCN. Created in 2005, it was the first rural PCN established in Alberta and currently serves a community of approximately 15,000 people. Le d by a team of health professionals consisting of 15 fami ly physicians, four registered nurses, and two licensed practical nurses, it provides patients with improved access to the right care from the right health professional at the right time. The Bonnyville PCN plays such an important role in my constituency, Mr.

Speaker, offering several programs, including the chronic disease management pr ogram, the well baby program, the well women and teen clinic , and the obstetrics program. The chronic disease management program is the largest program offered by a PCN and helps to treat patients with diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, blood disorders, mental illness, arthritis, and much more. In addition to this trea tment, nurses also offer a public education program to help raise awareness about chronic disease, its management, and prevention. Mr.

Speaker, the PCNs play an important role in building a health care system that is sustainable, accessible, and provides quality care for all. The Bonnyville PCN continues to strive for excellence in rural primary care and is interested in helping Alberta Health Services determine the direction of family care clinics in Alberta. I would like to thank them for the wonderful work that they are doing in my community and for the high bar they have set for PCNs across this great province. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 3:00 The Speaker: Hon. members, Standi ng Order 7(7) has been arrived at. The hon. Opposition House Leader.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. Could I ask the co-operation of the House to unanimously waive 7(7) to allow us to complete the Routine of the day? [Unanimous consent granted]

298 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge -East National Social Work Week . We’re continuing on with members’ statements. Ms Pastoor People in this field work tirelessly for the vulnerable Albertans in our communities. This line of work isn’t easy, and their caring, hard work is often behind the scenes and goes unnoticed. What is noticed are the results of their work: happy children, healthy families, and people who are able to make positive changes in their lives and to create stronger communities. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. March 4 to 10 is National Social Work Week.

This is a time to acknowledge social work professionals for the exceptional job that they do. This year’s theme is Social Work: Celebrating the Person and the Professional. In Lethbridge just recently a young man in his early 20s came by a residential home for youth. He had been a resident there about five years earlier. He wanted to thank the staff for all the hard work they had done with him. He is doing well and has not forgotten the difference made in his life by the social workers and youth workers who came into his life when he needed them the most and when he was so alone.

Like him I would say thank you to the people in this field for their dedication, professionalism, compassion, and for all the hours they put in that are far and above their duties. I would also recognize the partnership that the Al berta government has with the Alberta College of Social Workers. This partnership creates opportunities for continued professional development, which is important to maintain our skilled workforce and leadership within that social work field. In addition, there are many social workers with contracted agencies who work to make a difference in the lives of Albertans.

Social workers in these agencies work directly with families, providing valuable services such as early intervention services for children, par enting classes, and in -home support. As dedicated professionals they have a critical role in our province. Alberta is a better place because of the selfless work that they do. Thank you to our social workers. head: Introduction of Bills The Speaker: The hon. Member for Red Deer-North Bill 5 Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Act . Mrs. Jablonski Mr.

Speaker, a seniors’ property tax deferral pr ogram will help senior homemakers take advantage of their home equity to defer all or part of their property taxes. These freed-up funds can then be used by the homeowner for things like home repairs and modifications, which will help our seniors to remain in their homes longer. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave to introduce a bill being Bill 5, Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Act. Supporting seniors to remain independent and in their own homes for as long as possible is a priority for our Premier, our seniors’ minister, and for me.

A seniors’ property tax program will help us to meet that priority. Thank you. [Motion carried; Bill 5 read a first time] Mr. Weadick: I would ask that Bill 5, the Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Act, as presented by the Member for Red Deer -North [Motion carried] be moved to Government Bills and Orders. head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Ms Blakeman The second tabling that I have today is from a constituent, Stephanie Reeves. She’s a U of A psychology student.

She is quite concerned about how inaccessible psychology services are, especially to low - and middle -income people and families, the irony being that these are the people that most often need it, and she notes that in the United Kingdom and Australia there has been considerable investment over the last couple of years to make these psychological therapies accessible to citizens. : Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two today. The first signs himself unhappy voter, but his name is actually Robert Fitzsimmons.

In it he makes the point that he feels that the government has “reduced the Natural Resources Royalties that were being charged American companies for the exploitation of the Tar Sands to save them money, and increase their profits – not ours.” He also notes: “It means that more than $100 Billion per year is being exported to the United States due to the [loss] of personal, business, and royalty taxation for the benefit of American companies, and personnel.” Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview. Dr. Taft Thank you. : Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

I am tabling the appropriate number of copies of a letter received from a constituent, and I’m tabling with permission the constituent’s name, Mr. Hanno Hartmann. He has attached his power bill, which he describes as outrageous. He’s deeply upset about the way that the electricity system is being managed in Alberta. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View. Dr.

Swann As a health care provider, and more importantly as a proud Albertan, I am extremely frustrated and angered that the curr ent Premier insists on insulting all Albertans with her disingenu - ous . . . distracting terms of reference for the public inquiry. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll table the appropriate number of copies of a letter from Dr. Paul Parks, the first sentence of which says: The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase My second set of tablings, Mr.

Speaker, is a letter and a brochure from Sustain Kananaskis, a group involved in raising awareness of the proposed logging in the west Bragg Creek area. They are asking citizens concerned with the effects of logging on tourism, recreation, watershed, environment, local economies, and fire protection to request a complete and facilitated public consultation before any logging starts this summer. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two sets of tablings.

The first c onsists of e -mails and 15 letters from individuals who are concerned about the proposed logging in the west Bragg Creek area, all of whom believe clear -cutting will damage essential watershed and recreation area that thousands of Albertans use to promote health and fitness and be detrimental to wildlife and natural species. They come from George Cote, Lloyd Bossert, Alvise Doglioni Majer, Wendy Hagel, Paola Romanelli, Tom Nagai, Michael Ward, Dr. Stella George, Maureen Bildfell, Michael F. Milne, Carl and G ail Peter, Tracy Davis, Jennifer Rogers, Darryl Barr, Ian Oxton, Ulla Allan, Dr.

Ina Dobrinski, Mark Verbeek, and Lara Dziurdzy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 299 The Speaker: Hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona , do you have tablings today? Proceed, please. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have several tablings. First, I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of letters regarding the Holy Family school in Grimshaw which were written by the MLA for Dunvegan -Central Peace I’d like to table the appropr iate number of copies of a consultant’s report on Holy Family school in Grimshaw dated January 2011. This is the executive

summary. Again, this report outlines the desperate need for the rebuilding of that school. I referred to this report in my questions earlier today. regarding the conduct of school officials in relation to their request for funding. As well, I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of a letter received from Velma Wildman of Lloydminster in which she enclosed her power bill for December 2011 in the amount of $523.78.

She says, “We are now faced with the dilemm a of either having a roof over our heads or food on the table but cannot afford both.” As well, I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of a letter from Dennis Aquin of Edmonton, who enclosed his January 2012 electricity bill of $194.47. H is remark: “I am a single parent of 2 boys and keep finding it more difficult to afford the basics of living.” 3:10 I’d like to also table a letter from Mercedes Allen and April Friesen of High River.

They enclose a bill of $367.51, and they note: “Despite having two incomes, a few more [bills] like these, and April and I may lose our trailer.” As well, the appropriate number of copies of a letter and bills from Stanley Nykiel of Calgary. The bills are from January 2011 and 2012, showing that the increase in e lectricity was $71.84. He notes that people “in their ivory towers making these increase decisions have no conceptions or care how others must contend to pay such bills.” That’s all for now. Thank you. The Speaker: Nothing more? Hon. Member for Edmonton- Highlands-Norwood, do you have some? Mr.

Mason: No thanks, Mr. Speaker. Not today. The Speaker head: Tablings to the Clerk : Okay. The Clerk On behalf of the hon. Mr. Lukaszuk, Minister of Education, a letter dated March 5, 2012, from Duane Plantinga, executive director, Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta, to the hon. Mr.

Lukaszuk, Minister of Education, expressing concerns regarding the scope of parental rights in the proposed Education Act; memorandum dated March 2, 2012, from the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta to its membership providing an additional update on the Education Act; and an academic paper, undated, entitled Towers, Bridges and Basements: the Constitutional and Legal Architecture of Independent Schooling, prepared by Dale Gibson. : I wish to advise the House that the following documents were deposited with the office of the Clerk. On behalf of the hon. Mr.

Hancock, Minister of Human Services, a report dated November 14, 2011, entitled Alberta Veterinary Medical Association Foreign C redential/Qualification Recognition; pursuant to the Veterinary Profession Act the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association 2011 annual report. head: Orders of the Day head: Public Bills and Orders Other than head: Government Bills and Orders Second Reading Bill 201 Alberta Bill of Rights (Property Rights Protection) Amendment Act, 2012 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Glenmore. Mr. Hinman Property rights have been built into our laws for the past 800 years, since the Magna Carta.

The purpose of the Bill of Rights is to guarantee every citizen the right to life, personal liberty, and enjoyment of property without intrusion from anyone or any group, including the government. John Locke said it be st when he wrote that all mankind, being all equal and independent, ought not to harm another in his life, his health, liberty, or possessions. Although he wrote these words 300 years ago, around the time of the Glorious Revolution, when the right of prope rty was secured for all Englishmen, his words still ring true today.

Locke under - stood that for a free society to flourish, the security of property is as important as your right to not be put in jail at the whim of the Crown. There is nothing that is more important when we talk about good government than preserving and protecting these rights. : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour to rise today to present Bill 201, the Alberta Bill of Rights (Property Rights Protection) Amendment Act, 2012. While the right to life and liberty are obviously important, the right to property is the cornerstone of a prosperous society in a fully functioning democracy.

Albe rta farmers, ranchers, and business owners became world leaders in their different industries based on the age -old understanding that these rights would be protected by the rule of law. As a result, collectively we have been able to build a province that i s one of the best places in the world to live. When the Alberta Bill of Rights was passed in 1972, it acknowledged these historic rights to the enjoyment of property and the right to not be deprived of it or any other freedom except by due process of law. Now, the need for an exception like this for property is as obvious as it is with personal freedom.

The government needs to be able to take away the freedom of convicted criminals, for example, and sometimes needs to expropriate property for projects deemed essential for the common good like a public roadway or a water reservoir. However, over the past several years we have seen this government take incremental steps to infringe upon these rights by creating legislation that removes the due process law provision. Put simply, while the criminal is entitled to his day in court, the government can write the laws in such a way that landowners are not.

In the last few years bills like 19, 24, 36, and 50 have become notorious for the controversy that they have sparked with regard to property rights. Each of the opposition parties has echoed the assertions of various property rights experts that these bills represent an unprecedented undermining of the rights of landowners. Every single one of these pieces of legi slation sought to take away the checks and balances in our system and give the decision-making authority on the individual’s property to cabinet.

Further, each took away the opportunity from landowners to challenge these acquisitions, to seek full compensation in a fair and timely manner, now without recourse to the courts. What this means is that people owning land or running a business on their land cannot be sure that when the next land-use

300 Alberta Hansard March 5, 2012 framework or the next declaration for a power line comes out, their livelihoods won’t be ruined without any hope for full compensation and that whether they are in the minister’s favour or not might decide their fate. It isn’t hard to argue that in respect to property rights Alberta has stepped back three centuries, and landowners are subject to the benevolence of cabinet.

It is these types of laws that infringe on the liberty and the freedom of all Albertans and hurt the reputation of our province as being home to a free and democratic society. [The Deputy Speaker in the chair] Mr. Speaker, just listen to the pieces of legislation that were passed that directly infringe on the property rights of Albertans. The passing of Bill 19 let the Minister of Infrastructure freeze development on your land indefinitely with no compensation if he thought there might be a project there in the future. I am going to say that again for emphasis.

Bill 19 allowed a member of this cabinet to decide that an Albertan can’t even build a shed on his land indefinitely without having to go through full compensation for them. There were many other serious problems that the government finally amended last fall, but it’s outrageous that it took two years of mounting political pressure to undo problems that should never have been allowed in the first place. That’s what the Bill of Rights is for, so that individuals don’t have to always rely on the vigilance of the majority to ensure that no unjust laws are passed. Mr.

Speaker, this was just the first piece of legislation that Alberta landowners needed to worry about. Bill 24 hands ownership of the pore space under their land right over to the Energy minister so that he now has the power to let companies store CO 2 under their land without needing to compensate them or even ask. It is offensive enough that the government is spending almost $2 billion of taxpayers’ money on unproven technology, but it is even worse that they are asking Albertans to allow carbon to be stored under their land without being fairly compensated.

Bill 36 gives the Sustainable Resource Development minister the power to revoke water licences, mineral leases, development permits, et cetera, with no guarantees of adequate compensation. It also gives him the power to tell municipalities that they will have to pass all kinds of byl aws that coincide with his grand plan for their region. This type of centralized decision -making has made it extremely difficult for landowners to invest in their property with any sort of confidence and has played a heavy hand with our municipalities, for cing them to coincide with the provincial government’s plan.

Last and perhaps not least, one of the most offensive pieces of legislation that is on the books is Bill 50, which gave cabinet the power to declare a series of enormous power lines critical infrastructure, thereby enabling them to skip the independent needs assessment and begin running these monstrosities over land without even having proven that we need them. Even after the prairie firestorm told this government to immediately repeal these pieces of legislation, this government continued to stubbornly insist there wasn’t a problem.

Now, I believe that most of the people who voted for these bills and who stuck with the government line about the ministerial powers being necessary did so because t hey genuinely trust their government to do the right thing. Maybe they even trust the minister much more than they trust a judge. But you don’t write laws that give the government this kind of power just because you like government. Even here in Alberta Premiers are forced out, and even if the same party is in power for 20 or 40 years, it changes from within and not usually for the better.

Bill 201 adds a clause to the Alberta Bill of Rights to ensure that the government cannot again create legislatio n that makes an Albertan’s right to due process of law void. It ensures that all legislation includes full, fair, and timely compensation for those affected by government legislation and recourse to the courts to determine compensation when someone feels t hat the government is unfair. Why do we need any courts? If we listen to the Premier and cabinet, they declare that they will put the interest of Albertans first. This is nonsensical.

It’s ridiculous. 3:20 These are straightforward requirements that even the government members have been extolling, especially last year when amending Bill 19. They will also, I believe, help preserve the spirit of the Bill of Rights and its attempt to protect property. The argument that the government will make, in private if not in public, will be that this creates roadblocks to implementing policies and plans or that we cannot afford full compensation for the land and property that we’re taking.

Well, here’s what Premier Peter Lougheed said about the elements of the Bill of Righ ts, including property, when he was arguing for it back on May 15, 1972. It’s certainly [not going to be convenient] for government. Every minister and every department, I know, already is concerned with it. But these reasons are the very reasons why I feel so strongly we should propose it. Because in this modern day, and in our society today in Canada, almost every facet of our life seems to be involved with government law or government regulation, so the rights of the individual needs protection from the power of the state.

And the basic philosophy that I have, as a Conservative and as a Legislator is to assure that those rights of the individual – those six rights of Bill No. 1 – are protected. As we look around the world over the last 100 years, it’s still true today. The places with the most centralized power are the poorest, have the biggest environmental problems, and have the fewest freedoms for their citizens. By passing this amendment, hopefully we will not need another prairie uprising to stop encroaching bills because they are not going to be passed in the first place. Mr.

Speaker, the purpose of Bill 201 is to entrench the pillars of a free and democratic society that enjoys peace and prosperity. Let’s make sure we entrench property rights in to the Bill of Rights. Never in Alberta’s history has it been more needed than today. Thank you. The Deputy Speaker: Any other hon. member? The hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview on the bill. Dr. Taft: On the bill, yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe I have 10 minutes. Is that correct? The Deputy Speaker: Yes, 10 minutes. Dr. Taft: Okay.

Well, I was interested in the comments from the Member for Calgary-Glenmore I might stand to be corrected on this, but I believe the Bill of Rights in Alberta might have been the very, very, very first bill , and actually I find this an interesting bill that upon initial reading I am inclined to support. It seems to make sense, but as I think about it, I do have some questions and some issues. I think it’s worth starting by reflecting on the Bill of Rights itself, Mr. Speaker, to which this propos ed Bill 201 would be an amendment.

Bill 201, which we’re debating right now, proposes to amend the Bill of Rights, so I think we need to of course look at the initial Bill of Rights.

March 5, 2012 Alberta Hansard 301 introduced by this government in probably the fall of 1972. I think that was a visionary step, a bold step, and I must reflect on how visions have gotten smaller and smaller as we watch the nature of flagship bills in subsequent governments. Anyway, this Bill 201 proposes to add another

section to the existing Bill of Rights, and it would amend

section 1. I think it’s worth reading

section 1 of the existing Bill of Rights into the record so that we know what we’re amending. It reads as follows, Mr. Speaker: 1 It is hereby recognized and declared that in Alberta there exist without discrimination by reason of race, national origin, colour, religion or sex, the following human rights and funda - mental freedoms, namely: (

a) the right of the individual to liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law; (

b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law; (

c) freedom of religion; (

d) freedom of speech; (

e) freedom of assembly and association; (

f) freedom of the press. That is the full extent of

section 1. Now, this Bill 201 would add a significant further paragraph. I’m wondering as I stand here – and I would put this question to the Member for Calgary -Glenmore or one of his colleagues – given that the existing Bill of Rights already makes it clear under 1(

a) that “the right of the individual to liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law,” then what does this Bill 201 add to that? Perhaps a bit of clarity, Mr. Speaker? Perhaps a little bit more detail? I suppose that Bill 201, as we’re debating it today, would take the phrase “due process of law” which is in the existing Bill of Rights and expand it, and it would describe what that due process might entail. So what I’m interpreting here, Mr.

Speaker, to quote Bill 201, is that it would entail “full, f air and timely compensa- tion” and “right of recourse to the courts to determine the compensation payable.” I suppose that makes some sense, Mr. Speaker. It’s taking a fairly general statement in the existing Bill of Rights, and it’s making it more specifi c. As I look at the existing Bill of Rights, I don’t believe that that level of detail would be covered anywhere else, so that does make some sense to me.

I’m ambivalent about overentrenching, as I would say, property rights into things like, say, bills of rights, which can be taken to court or can be used or abused. I think the obvious example that the Member for Calgary - Glenmore anticipated is that if the public interest requires something to be built – a roadway, a reservoir, whatever it might be – we can’t hold the public interest entirely to ransom because one landowner maybe doesn’t want to sell their two acres of land. That doesn’t make sense. I’m concerned that we don’t set up a system where the right to property could be abused.

I also think it op ens up other debates which would be very lively in here such as the right to bear arms, which I personally don’t regard as a right but other people in this Assembly, I’m speculating, would. So is that a right, or is it a privilege? Is a gun a piece of property? Sure. Therefore, if we entrench property rights, are we entrenching the right to bear arms? That’s the kind of Pandora’s box that I worry about when we bring forward a piece of legislation like this.

On the other hand, I’m going to tell a brief account of an experience in my constituency and in the constituency of Edmonton-Strathcona with the extraordinary right that universities had to expropriate land. In this case it’s the University of Alberta, which is in my constituency. In the 1960s the Univer sity of Alberta effectively expropriated an entire neighbourhood, insisting that they needed the land and all of the buildings on it to expand because they were expanding so quickly, so many families ended up being effectively forced out of their family ho mes to make way for the university’s expansion.

Not three weeks ago I was talking to a man, who is now a senior partner in a major law firm, and his family home was one of those that was expropriated in the 1960s by the University of Alberta. What he told me, with some bitterness in his voice, is that the university, having expropriated their family home because they urgently needed the land, never did anything, and his family home still stands there. His family was pushed out, without wanting to be, on a supposed urgent need that was never fulfilled.

Forty years later his family home is still intact and used as some kind of secondary office space for the university. There’s no question that governments and public bodies can overstep reasonable bounds when it comes to expropriation. My understanding of the compensation offers from the university in the 1960s is that they were well below market value. Some of the people ended up selling their family homes below market value, not realizing that perhaps they could have taken a tougher stand. 3:30 This is a complicated issue. I think about municipal controls.

What is a reasonable enjoyment by my neighbour of his property? If he wants to build

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20120305
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L27 S5 20120305 1330 01 han.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	afaebf21f4720b7c62d026af2cd06ba322c215a1

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