Alberta Hansard — 16 May 1975, Morning sitting (10:00) (Legislature 18, Session 1)

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Alberta — Debates (Hansard)

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 5 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA Title: Friday, May 16, 1975 10:00 a.m. [The House met at 10 a.m.] PRAYERS [Mr. Speaker in the Chair] head: INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS M R. NOTLEY: Mr. Speaker, in this period of gentle non-partisanship that follows rather than precedes an election, I'd like to introduce to the members of the Assembly three of the candidates for the federal leadership of the New Democratic Party: the Member of Parliament for Oshawa-Whitby, Ed Broadbent; the Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, Lorne Nystrom; and Mr.

John Harney — all three of them federal candidates for the New Democratic leadership. DR. HOHOL: Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to the House, 60 Grade 5 students from the J.A. Fife School in my constituency, attended by a teacher. They are in the public gallery. I should like them to rise and be recognized by this Assembly. MR. MINIELY: Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to introduce to you and through you to the members of this Assembly, a group of 40 students from Alberta College in my constituency.

They are accompanied by their teacher, Terri Wright, and are seated in the members gallery. I would ask them now to stand and be recognized by the members of the Assembly. MR. MOORE: Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to introduce some 16 very fine young people from the hamlet of Tangent in my constituency. They are seated, together with their teachers, in the members gallery, and I would ask them to stand and be recognized. head: TABLING RETURNS AND REPORTS M R. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to table a copy of the statement by the Premier to the first ministers conference on oil and gas pricing in Ottawa. MR.

SCHMID: Mr. Speaker, I would like to file a list of grants provided under policy, and Position Paper No. 7, which policy provides that we preserve that part of our cultural heritage worthy of preserving, enrich our cultural present, and enhance cultures of Alberta's backgrounds in the future. I would like to file this return. MR. LEITCH: Mr. Speaker, I wish to file the annual report and financial statements of the Alberta Investment Fund.

6 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 head: MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Department of Education MR. KOZIAK: Mr. Speaker, I wish to announce that The Great Canadian Content Machine , Alberta Education’s travelling display of Canadian resources, is parked on the grounds of the Legislature building today, and all hon. members are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to view the contents of the van. The 68-foot trailer was designed and fitted by Alberta Education to make Alberta teachers and the public aware of the large amount of Canadian materials available for use in our schools.

There will be opportunity for visitors to examine books, pictures, films, filmstrips, tapes, and kits during their visits. A small lounge area is located in the rear of the van, where a resource person will be on hand to answer questions. The Great Canadian Content Machine will be attached to the Candev Caravan of the Devonian group of Calgary and will travel to over 50 communities in Alberta during 1975 and 1976. The display will make teachers and adults more aware of the importance of Canada, both in the past and the present.

I encourage all hon. members to take advantage of the opportunity to visit and explore the contents of the van, following adjournment this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, as a companion to this project, Alberta Education has prepared a catalogue, entitled Canadian Resources 1975, for use in language arts and social studies in Alberta schools. The catalogue is designed to help clarify just what Canadian resource materials are available for language arts and social studies. Strict guidelines were established for the selection of the resource materials that have been included in the catalogue.

Canadian content has been defined by five criteria: (

a) Authored or designed by a Canadian or landed immigrant, (

b) about Canada or presenting a Canadian perspective, (

c) edited by a Canadian or landed immigrant, (

d) designed to meet Canadian needs, and (

e) published or manufactured in Canada. Mr. Speaker, copies of the catalogue are being distributed to all hon. members. head: ORAL QUESTION PERIOD Auditing of Grants MR. CLARK: I’d like to direct the first question to the Provincial Treasurer. In light of the recent experience of grants being paid to non-existent organizations, what steps has the Treasury or audit department taken to prevent the recurrence of such events? MR. LEITCH: Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to respond to the question of the hon.

Leader of the Opposition by advising him that I have had a number of discussions with the Provincial Auditor, and he is now undertaking an audit of all grants for the current fiscal year. I would anticipate, Mr. Speaker, that his report would be available toward the end of June or the early part of July. MR. CLARK: A further supplementary question, Mr. Speaker, to the minister. Did the minister say, for the present fiscal year? Did he in fact mean the last fiscal year? MR. LEITCH: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I meant the fiscal year that ended just the past month. MR. CLARK: A further supplementary, Mr.

Speaker, to the minister. When the Auditor has completed the report, I assume it will be made available to members of the Assembly. MR. LEITCH: Oh, of course, Mr. Speaker. Cultural Grants MR. CLARK: A further supplementary then, Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Culture. Has your office conducted a review of the departmental operations to satisfy yourself that no other grants have been paid out in such a haphazard manner? MR. SCHMID: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we have checked all the applications for grants. We are satisfied that they went to bona fide organizations.

We, of course, have also requested that all policies and guidelines regarding the payment of grants be adhered to more strictly.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 7 MR. CLARK: A further supplementary, Mr. Speaker, to the minister. When might we expect regulations under The Cultural Development Act, 1972, which were supposedly approved by the Assembly, so that the public would know what guidelines the minister was using in making the grants? MR. SCHMID: Mr. Speaker, the original act was proposed, I think, by the hon. member just asking the question. We have operated under this act since then. I understand that possibly we are looking to a new amendment act some time this session. MR. CLARK: Mr.

Speaker, perhaps the minister didn’t understand the question. We are referring to The Cultural Development Act, 1972, which according to the Provincial Auditor is the legislative authority under which you paid these grants. When do you expect to have regulations? MR. SCHMID: Mr, Speaker, we are presently considering regulations under this act. DR. BUCK: A supplementary to the minister responsible for unconditional grants. I would like to know if the minister is aware that some of the cheques are made out to individuals rather than to groups. MR. SCHMID: Mr.

Speaker, that depends entirely on the submission for the grant. For instance, if a school principal applies for a school to receive a grant to take either a school band or something similar to another country or another province, it is made out to the principal because he is, in this case, the responsible person for disbursement of funds through the different authorities. Petrochemical Development — Permits MR. MANDEVILLE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct a question to the hon. Premier.

The question is: has the cabinet completed the study on Energy Resources Conservation Board reports which recommend ammonia plants for Medicine Hat, Brooks, and Raymond, and is consideration being given to approval of such plants? MR. LOUGHEED: Mr. Speaker, I refer the question to the hon. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, the Energy Resources Conservation Board has recently recommended to the Executive Council certain permits as a result of public hearings which they held.

Those reports from the board are presently being evaluated by various departments of the government and will be presented to cabinet committee for evaluation as to possible approval and, if they are approved, what conditions might be attached to them. That is the present status of those reports from the Conservation Board. MR. MANDEVILLE: Supplementary question to the minister, Mr. Speaker. What other applications involving petrochemical developments are being considered by cabinet at this time? MR. GETTY: Well, Mr.

Speaker, the process is that the applications go to the Energy Resources Conservation Board to obtain an industrial development permit if they are to use Alberta natural resources. Therefore, there may be some who are contemplating going before the Board that the government is not aware of. The ones that are before the government are the ones the hon. member mentioned in his first question. MR. NOTLEY: Supplementary question to the hon. minister for clarification.

Can the minister advise the Assembly in a little more definitive way what timetable we're looking at for cabinet consideration and resolution of these applications? MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, the only judgment I could give on that would be the time it would take to give the best possible evaluation. MR. TAYLOR: Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Is some thought being given to using coal as the fuel in these petrochemical plants? MR. GETTY: Mr.

Speaker, one of the interesting parts of the board's recommendation was that, should the permits be approved by the Executive Council, the board was going to put as a recommended condition that the applicants must during the term of the permit, which the board was recommending as 15 years in each case, provide to the board an evaluation of the feasibility of converting from natural gas to coal, either as a feedstock or as a heating fuel. Therefore, before any additional permit was granted beyond 15 years, this feasibility of coal would have to be evaluated.

8 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 Petrochemical Products — Export MR. MANDEVILLE: Supplementary question to the minister, Mr. Speaker. Has the provincial government approached the National Energy Board in reference to possible regulatory activity by the body? I'm referring to shipments of ammonia to the United States. MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, not that I am aware of. However, there may have been discussions between the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and the National Energy Board on this matter. I could check into that for the hon. member.

Other than that, because it is an intergovernmental matter, I could pass it to my colleague, Mr. Hyndman. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask a supplementary of the hon. minister. Is the minister in a position to indicate to us what percentage of the product produced by these plants will be shipped to the United States? MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, the general intentions of the applicants were assessed during the hearing before the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board. In the contents of the report there is reference to the amount that they believe will be used in Canada and in the United States.

However, as all members know, there has been discussion on the matter before in the House, and the government has said that the interests of Albertans and Canadians would have to be protected first. So should there be a difference in demand at the time the plants come on production, should they even be approved, I suppose [it] would be very dependent on the demand at that time. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, can the hon. minister indicate if 50 per cent or 90 per cent of the product will be shipped across the border? I mean, the minister must have some idea. MR. GETTY: Mr.

Speaker, the honorable gentleman is referring to three very detailed reports from the board. They vary, and if he would like to put the matter on the Order Paper, we will get it for him in the detail he wants. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, may I ask the minister a question. Is it true that 90 per cent of the Raymond plant will be shipped across the 49th parallel? MR. GETTY: I don't know, Mr. Speaker, because . . . DR. BUCK: You're the minister. MR.

GETTY: . . . the board and the applicants have had some discussion of this, but what actually happens if the plant is approved in the time period it might come on stream, which is two years from now, would be complete conjecture on my part. Their intentions are covered in the report. If the hon. member would like some details out of the report, which is, by the way, a public document, I'd be glad to find it for him. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Spirit River-Fairview with a final supplementary, and perhaps we could come back to this topic, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton Kingsway. MR. NOTLEY: Mr.

Speaker, I had a question rather than a supplementary question. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member, now that he has the floor, might proceed with the question. Petrochemical Development - Red Deer MR. NOTLEY: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to direct this question to the hon. Premier. It concerns the Alberta Gas Ethylene Company Ltd. proposal for Red Deer. I would ask the hon. Premier whether or not the government has made a final decision yet with respect to public hearings, and whether or not there are tentative dates for public hearings on this matter? MR. LOUGHEED: Mr.

Speaker, all I can report to the House on that matter is if that project proceeds, Alberta Gas Ethylene would be applying for an industrial development permit which, pursuant to the legislation, requires a public hearing, and further that the chairman of the Energy Resources Conservation Board has advised that the public hearing would be held in the Red Deer vicinity if that was required and fitted the application. MR. NOTLEY: Supplementary question for clarification, Mr. Speaker. Can the hon. Premier advise the Assembly of the extent and the scope of the public hearings.

Will they be narrowly drawn or will they be substantive and broad enough so that there could be input from the people of Red Deer, not only on the environmental and the very specific questions, but on some of the broader implications as well?

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 9 MR. LOUGHEED: Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the intentions of the chairman of the board would be to have a broad hearing and give full opportunity to all people to be heard. MR. NOTLEY: Further supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Has the government at this point in time considered the extent of possible loan and equity involvement, not only in the initial plant but in the derivative plants concerning this petrochemical complex? MR. LOUGHEED: Mr. Speaker, there has been nothing definitive that I can report to the House in that matter. MR.

NOTLEY: Further supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Has the government given any further study, and is it in a position to report to the House, on the extent of possible cushioning of natural gas pricing for natural gas used in the petrochemical complex. MR. LOUGHEED: I'd have to refer that question to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. DR. PAPROSKI: Mr. Speaker, a question to the minister . . . MR. SPEAKER: Perhaps, I believe the hon. minister is about to answer the supplementary, and then we might go on to the hon. Member for Edmonton Kingsway. MR. GETTY: Mr.

Speaker, the discussions regarding the petrochemical development, which may be proposed and an application made for in the Red Deer area, have been between myself and my colleague, the Minister of Business Development and Tourism, regarding the impact of increasing natural gas and oil prices, how that might affect the petrochemical development, but nothing definitive has been established. However, the matter has been discussed. Misericordia Hospital Strike DR. PAPROSKI: A question to the hon. Minister of Hospitals and Medical Care or the Minister of Labour regarding the Misericordia Hospital strike.

What is the status of negotiation with regard to the strike in Edmonton of non-medical workers at the Misericordia Hospital? MR. CRAWFORD: Mr. Speaker, I think, in view of the fact the question relates specifically to the negotiations, perhaps I might answer the hon. member's question. The situation in recent days has been largely unchanged in that the workers are still out on a strike, which is a legal strike. The management and union people have been meeting however, admittedly with variable success.

The situation as of this morning is that efforts are being made within the labor relations division of the Department of Labour to explore the remaining areas of disagreement with the parties and try to bring them back together within a reasonable time. DR. PAPROSKI: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. What is the main issue of dispute in addition to the dollars involved in negotiation? MR. CRAWFORD: Mr.

Speaker, I think the number of items between the parties on the bargaining table, in the particular circumstances of the last few days, would be such that it would be almost impossible to pick a principal item beyond ones that probably relate to the wage package, and to the management rights clause. But even both those issues have changed as between the parties in their significance to the failure or success of the negotiations as the days have gone by. DR. PAPROSKI: One final supplementary, Mr. Speaker, if I may.

Is the minister now considering intervention, in view of allegations of some other hospital authorities in Edmonton which have taken the many patients from the Misericordia Hospital that overcrowding in those other hospitals is causing a threat to the well-being of patients? MR. MINIELY: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that the operation and administration of hospitals is by boards in the various hospital institutions within Edmonton.

The responsibility rests with boards of course, to ensure that the seriously ill are adequately cared for in the institutions that are open and to advise me as the Minister of Hospitals and Medical Care if this is not the case. Mr. Speaker, I have had no such advice, and I only can go on that being the current situation. MR. R. SPEAKER: Mr. Speaker, a supplementary to the Minister of Labour. In light of the seriousness of the situation, does the minister plan, during the next three days, to become involved directly or on a personal basis in the dispute?

His bid, I understand, as new minister, is to be more accessible and to be available to both parties. Will he initiate that program over the weekend?

10 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 MR. CRAWFORD: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is aware of the irrelevant innuendoes in his question, and I won't comment on that. My own intentions for the next several days are the same as previously. The way the mediation work is being done is in the normal course of events, and that is by very senior officials of the department. Dental Care MR. TAYLOR: My question is to the hon. Minister of Social Services and Community Health. Is the government planning a dental care program? MISS HUNLEY: Mr. Speaker, we have had a dental care program under consideration.

Of course, this has been stated before in this House. I've had a review of the programs presently in effect, and I find they are quite extensive, perhaps even more than many members realize. I'll look forward to an opportunity to enlarge on those. We do have some proposals under consideration at the present time. I would not be prepared to give any undertaking that a denticare program, as such, is in the immediate future. Oil and Gas Drilling Activity MR. GHITTER: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

My question results as an offshoot of the fact that since the spring of last year some 50 drilling rigs have left Canada, along with their attendant personnel and casings and the like. I'm wondering if the hon. minister regards the situation as serious enough to take some remedial action at this time? MR. GETTY: Mr. speaker, the matter is certainly one the government is trying to monitor on a very current basis. While in our statistics there has been a movement of some 40 rigs to the United States, with personnel, there has been a movement into Alberta from other provinces of some 13 rigs.

So the net effect has not had quite as large an impact as the hon. member indicates. Nevertheless, it's certainly our feeling that we are anticipating an increase in oil and gas exploration activity within our province in the coming months and years, and that it will be important we have the trained personnel and the equipment to meet the demands of the increase in activity. The government intends to do everything possible to have that trained personnel and equipment available in the future. MR. GHITTER: I wonder if the hon. minister could be more specific, Mr.

Speaker, relative to the contingency plans you suggest are available if this situation does continue? MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, there are a variety of options we are looking into. There is one currently before cabinet committee. But, Mr. Speaker, I couldn't at this time go into the options in more detail since some of them will obviously be discarded. MR. GHITTER: A further supplementary, Mr. Speaker.

I'm wondering if the hon. minister has been examining the potentials of a natural resource development fund to assist many small Canadian independent companies in their needs for lending capital, in that they can't receive funds from the normal sources these days? MR. GETTY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, there has been a very effective presentation of the problems being faced by some of the small independents, particularly from the MLAs in the Calgary area. We are assessing, as one of our options, a natural resource development fund or something that could be described along those lines that might be put into effect.

As I said, that's one of the options and is currently being assessed. MR. GHITTER: A final supplementary, Mr. Speaker. I'm wondering if the hon. minister could provide some form of timetable as to when we might expect your views relative to this situation? MR. GETTY: I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that we could have something definitive in this matter before the end of the session. MR. R. SPEAKER: Mr. Speaker, a supplementary question to the minister. Of the 40 rigs that have gone to the United States, how many are deep-well rigs, and how many of the 13 that have come to Canada are deep-well rigs?

What's the breakdown? MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, I had the information with me; it may even be in a file I have here. But in order to adequately answer the hon. member's question as to what he would consider a deep-well rig and what he would think would be a shallow-well rig, it might be best that he place the matter on the Order Paper so we know exactly what he wants.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 11 School Transportation Assistance MR. ZANDER: My question is directed to the Minister of Education. Is your department reviewing the funding of school bus transporation in the province, and can we expect greater aid in providing more funding to the school divisions and the school authorities in the province at this time? MR. KOZIAK: Mr. Speaker, the whole matter of the support by the provincial government of the cost of transportation of students is under consideration at this moment. A report is expected from the department fairly shortly.

However, I can't be definitive as to when that report will be available. But I would imagine proposals from that report would be considered in connection with the school finance plan which is being prepared and which will be available, probably this fall, for expected implementation in the 1976 calendar year. MR. NOTLEY: Supplementary question to the hon. minister. Will there not be any consideration given to additional assistance for the current budgetary year, because many school divisions are now facing very serious deficits? Part of that deficit is because of the school busing system. MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, I believe that question would probably have to await the budget speech and the Budget Address. DR. BUCK: Supplementary to the minister, Mr. Speaker. Is the minister giving any consideration to having the bus rates, as far as the payment per mile and the bus drivers, paid on a uniform basis? Because the problem which really arises is that poorer municipalities usually have the poorer roads, and they have the poorer rates of return to the bus driver. Is any consideration being given to having a uniform rate right across the province? MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, the report which is presently under consideration would deal with trying to make funding for transportation as equitable as possible for all school boards. That's the goal we would be serving in preparing a plan in this regard. As to the details, I just can't give those answers now. DR. BUCK: Supplementary to the minister. The point which has really bothered many of the bus drivers is that it costs the same price to buy a bus in Strathcona as it does say in Lac La Biche, but the rates of pay are quite a lot different. This is the thing they are concerned about.

So if the hon. minister would look into that aspect of it. Senior Citizen House Improvement MR. KUSHNER: Mr. Speaker, if I may ask a question of hon. Premier Lougheed. I have just had a couple of calls from Calgary from my constituency. Some people are of the opinion the senior citizens grant of $1,000 for housing may have been cancelled. I wonder if the Premier would be good enough to clarify that point. MR. LOUGHEED: Mr. Speaker, I'd be happy to refer that question to the hon. Minister of Housing and Public Works, Mr. Yurko. MR. YURKO: Mr.

Speaker, during the course of an event which caused considerable discomfort to some people, which occurred in this province . . . DR. BUCK: Yes, the people. MR. YURKO: ... in the last few months, during the course of that event the Premier had occasion to announce some new thrusts in the area of housing. One was in connection with supplying $1,000 to senior citizens across this province for a home improvement program.

I would like to advise the House that this program is under very active consideration by the Alberta Housing Corporation, and we are proceeding in terms of its implementation in the most expeditious way. MR. NOTLEY: Supplementary question. Can the minister define what he means by "the most expeditious way", in terms of when the program will in fact be ready? MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, a number of alternatives are being examined intensively as to the manner in which this program can be brought to fruition.

It is anticipated that the program, as we envision it now, will come into practice perhaps in the early part of 1976. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh. MR. TAYLOR: Supplementary to the hon. minister. Will the $1,000 be payable to people after they move into their first home, be retroactive to March 26?

12 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, there are many details being worked cut with respect to the program. These details, when finalized, will be made public at the earliest opportunity. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the hon. Premier a supplementary question. Would the hon. Premier not consider that is misleading the people of this province when . . . MR. SPEAKER: Order please. Order please. DR. BUCK: [Inaudible] dollars, and nothing's going to happen? Brother! MR. CLARK: Mr. Speaker, a further supplementary question to the Minister of Housing.

Why isn't the government bringing forward legislation to amend The Alberta Housing Act so this program could be effective by July or August of this year? MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, the government is bringing forward a new department of housing and public works act. If the hon. member will have patience, he will be able to examine some of the clauses in that new act as to whether or not the implementation of this program can be done through that act. MR. CLARK: Mr. Speaker, would the minister be prepared to give more priority to senior citizens and less priority to his new legislation for his department? DR.

BUCK: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Would the hon. minister consider making this program retroactive, so that people in need of repairs to their housing could go ahead with it now and be able to make the application retroactively? MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, I feel I was very explicit in indicating that as scon as the details of the entire program are worked out, they will be made public so everybody knows exactly where they are with respect to the program. MR. R. SPEAKER: Would the minister outline for the House what the difficulties are in implementing a program such as this?

We've had housing programs, money has been given out. Basically what are the difficulties in going ahead with the program right now? MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, a program of this nature involves the transfer to the public of considerable sums of public money. When considerable sums of public money are being transferred in the form of grants from the government to the public, certain conditions under which this transfer is made have to be laid down and followed in accordance with good government practice, and this is what's being [interjections]. MR. NOTLEY: a supplementary question to the hon. minister.

Can the minister advise whether during this spring session of the Legislature there will, in fact, be any commitment or statement concerning the retroactivity aspect? MR. YURKO: Mr. Speaker, I cannot advise the hon. member with respect to that question at this time. MR. TAYLOR: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Realizing that a program like this does require some time, and we certainly don't want a radio station to apply for a house, I'm wondering if the hon. minister is giving consideration, and I say, giving consideration, to making the program retroactive to March 26, 1975? MR. YURKO: Mr.

Speaker, that certainly is one aspect of the program being given a lot of consideration. DR. BUCK: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker, to the hon. minister. If the grant is for $1,000, will you get an automatic $2,000 without even asking for it? Canadian Resources 1975 MR. YOUNG: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the hon. Minister of Education, with reference to his announcement today about The Great Canadian Content Machine. Mr.

Minister, my query is whether, in the preparation of The Great Canadian Content Machine, deficiencies were found in some areas, for instance social studies too, in terms of Canadian content? In short, to paraphrase, was it found that the content is great, or the machine is great, or some portions of the content are great? MR. KOZIAK: Mr. Speaker, the whole area of knowledge of Canadian history by students is a matter that's presently in the public eye.

It was felt by the Department of Education that perhaps adults, students, and teachers were not fully informed as to sources of material and Canadian resources which were, in fact, available for use as supplementary information in the preparation and presentation of courses provided for in the curriculum.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 13 A catalogue of this nature would put at the fingertips of everyone interested basic information as to what is available in the field for incorporation in, or as supplementary aids to, the teaching of Social Studies 10, I believe, in Grade 10 which is basically a Canadian history course. MR. YOUNG: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Has any analysis of the report been completed to indicate whether there is a deficiency of teaching materials in some areas relative to that which exists in other areas? MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, I'm not quite clear as to the nature of the report to which the hon. Member for Edmonton Jasper Place refers. The hon. member's raising the catalogue — this is not so much a report as it is a catalogue of material that's available, within the five guidelines presented in the foreward. MR. YOUNG: A supplementary again, Mr. Speaker, if I may. My question is: will the department continue with this line of work, to do an analysis, to prepare a report based on this document? MR. KOZIAK: Yes, Mr.

Speaker, the department will continue, in the curriculum branch, to study the present availability of Canadian resources to see if, in fact, as I think the question is, this catalogue sets out that there are sufficient or insufficient resources in this field. School Library Grant MR. YOUNG: A further supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Since the department is obviously concerned about Canadian content, has it given any thought to identifying a portion of the special grant for library purposes, which was allocated to school boards, that it must be used to purchase material of Canadian content? MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, it was hoped that the $15 library grant would be used by school boards particularly in this direction. There were no legal strings attached to that grant which would require the school board to do so. MR. YOUNG: My final question, Mr. Speaker, with respect to private schools. Would the government consider making the library grant available to all private schools in order that they might benefit from the ability to purchase Canadian content? MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, with respect to the grants available to private schools, the practice of this government has been to provide a grant which would be equal to one-third of the grant the school boards receive. For the instructional portion of the grant, the private schools receive an amount equal to one-third of that which other school boards receive. With respect to the grant which was available for library purposes, the private schools received as a result one-third of the $15 per student, namely $5 per student, for the same purpose. MR.

YOUNG: Well, is any thought being given to extending that grant, since it's not a very large grant in any event, and it would give private schools the same basis for materials, purchases as public schools? MR. KOZIAK: Mr. Speaker, I'll accept the hon. member's suggestion and take it under consideration. School Curricula — Canadian Content DR. PAPROSKI: One supplementary, Mr. Speaker, if I may, to the hon. Minister of Education. Is the minister considering any other definitive policy thrusts to assure that, in fact, Canadian content material gets into the classroom, in addition to what he stated? MR. KOZIAK: Mr.

Speaker, the whole matter of curriculum is of course under study by the two curriculum boards that operate within the Department of Education. Again, I just add that the matter of Canadian content in the curriculum is under consideration by these boards. Drilling Rigs MR. APPLEBY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the hon. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. It is a follow-up to the one by the Member for Calgary Buffalo and refers to the exodus of deep-hole drilling rigs from Alberta.

14 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 My understanding is that these rigs are constructed mostly outside the boundaries of Canada. I wonder if any investigations have been going on with Canadian industry to see if they could not be constructed in Canada. DR. BUCK: They don't need them. MR. GETTY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, the matter has been discussed. The initial emphasis has been through the former Department of Industry and Commerce and now the Department of Business Development and Tourism.

My understanding is, just on a tentative basis, that it would take some 5 to 10 years to gear up a Canadian industry to produce the types of rigs that are necessary. DR. BUCK: Supplementary to the hon. minister. Has the provincial government considered buying drilling rigs to keep them here? [interjections] MR. GETTY: Mr. Speaker, while it is one potential solution, we hope that there would be others that would be more satisfactory. Residences for Mentally Handicapped MR. R. SPEAKER: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Social Services and Community Health, the hon. Ms. Hunley.

As members in the Assembly are aware, it's Mental Retardation Week across Canada. I thought it would be an opportune time to ask the minister what is being done to establish residences for the many adult mentally handicapped who are forced to live at home with their parents at the present time. MISS HUNLEY: Mr. Speaker, I've had the opportunity to meet with a number of associations for the mentally retarded during the past week, and I've been most gratified by the efforts they are making. I cannot outline the specifics at this time because I don't have them clearly in my mind. It's a rather detailed question.

I do have a report on it, and I'd be pleased to advise the hon. member later on during the course of the question period, or provide it to you in written form if you wish. Education for Handicapped Children MR. R. SPEAKER: Mr. Speaker, supplementary to the Minister of Education. Is consideration being given to mandatory education as of September 1 , 1975, to ensure that all handicapped children in Alberta receive full educational opportunities? Mr. Speaker, I don't believe the minister heard the question. He is taking the weekend off.

The question was: is consideration being given to mandatory education as of September 1 , 1975, to ensure that all handicapped children in Alberta receive educational opportunities? MR. KOZIAK: Mr. Speaker, the whole matter of educational services provided for handicapped children is under study at the moment. I can't give a definitive answer to that question now. As the hon. member is aware, education for handicapped children is determined by the handicap the particular child has, and in most cases educational facilities are provided for these children.

However, in rare cases there are problems in providing programs for students with specific handicaps, and not only programs but also residences for those students who reside outside of the areas where those educational facilities are provided. There isn't presently a 100 per cent provision, but that's a goal that we'll be looking at. MR. R. SPEAKER: Mr. Speaker, a final supplementary to the minister. It is my understanding that proper education at the preschool age optimizes the development for handicapped children. Is it the government's intention to upgrade services also in this area? MR. KOZIAK: Yes, Mr.

Speaker. In the area of early childhood services, of course, pilot programs are being developed which will permit handicapped children below the age of four and a half to take advantage of early childhood services, so as to analyse and provide programs for them at an earlier date when it is more effective. Auto Licence Elates DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask a question of the hon. Deputy Premier. Mr. Speaker, I think it is only right that we not ignore him so he will be ready when the Premier finishes his French lessons and goes to Ottawa.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 15 I would like to ask the hon. minister if he is aware that the fact there is no year on the licence plate is causing problems for people who are in the United States. Some of them are being picked up because there is no year on their licence plates. DR. HORNER: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we're aware of that problem. As a matter of fact, letters have gone out to the various regulatory bodies in the United States, advising them of it and bringing it to their attention, and asking them to honor the plates. MR.

BATIUK: Is it right that if the registration certificate is approved, the licence plate is valid for 1975? DR. HORNER: I'm not aware — I'll take that under advisement and refer it as a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, to the hon. Solicitor General who is now responsible for the Motor Vehicle Branch. MR. FARRAN: Mr. Speaker, since it's a question which involves an

interpretation of the law, I'd like to have a little time to consider it and will report back to the House tomorrow. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege to ask you and the hon. members if I may revert to introduction of guests. MR. SPEAKER: As a matter of fact, I was going to ask the Assembly whether they would give leave for the hon. Members for Medicine Hat, Highwood, Clover Bar, and Whitecourt to revert to Introduction of Visitors. HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. head: INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS (reversion) M R. HORSMAN: Mr.

Speaker, may I introduce to the House two distinguished visitors from Medicine Hat, seated in the Speaker's gallery, and ask them to rise: the Mayor of Medicine Hat, Mr. Ted Grimm, joined by Alderman George Davison who is the current President of the AUMA — two distinguished visitors from my fair city. MR. WOLSTENHOLME: Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce to you and through you to the members of this Assembly, 40 students from Okotoks School, together with their teachers, Miss Stevens and Mr. Gooden. They have just arrived in the gallery. Would they please rise and be recognized. Thank you. DR. BUCK: Mr.

Speaker, I'd like to introduce to you and through you to the members of the Assembly, approximately 60 Grade 10 students from the Ardrossan High School. They are accompanied by Mr. Dixon, and I see Mr. Marcotte up there. I would like to ask them to rise in the public gallery and be greeted by members of the Legislature. ORDERS OF THE DAY head: CONSIDERATION OF HIS HONOR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'S SPEECH Mr. King proposed the following motion to the Assembly: That an humble address be presented to His Honor the Honorable the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta as follows: To His Honor the Honorable Ralph G .

Steinhauer, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Alberta: We, Her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly now assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honor for the gracious speech Your Honor has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session. MR. KING: In so moving, Mr. Speaker, may I say how much I have appreciated coming to know our Lieutenant-Governor during the past year. His Honor represents two apparently contradictory characteristics in our society.

On the one hand, there are many people who view the monarchy and its related institutions as being outmoded, the dead hand of history, innocuous and static. On the other hand, there are also many people who view the relationship between native and non-native people as being tension filled, dynamic and

16 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 destructive. In one person we see embodied cur conceptions about two very different social realities. His Honor, in reconciling these different social realities within himself, is demonstrating that many of our conceptions are, in fact, misconceptions. The institutions of the monarchy are not passive. They may have an active, cohesive effect on our whole community, as our Lieutenant-Governor has attempted to demonstrate. The relationships between native and non-native communities can be based on a creative rather than a destructive tension.

Differing points of view can be stated frankly and, among people of good will, they can be considered without ill feeling. From His Honor’s service we may be fortunate enough to rediscover a dynamic aspect of the monarchy, and a mutually enlightening relationship between the peoples of our community. Mr. Speaker, I have valued your service to this Legislature during the past three years. I have appreciated your defence of the rights of each and every member on whichever side, and of the rights of the Legislature as a whole.

In view of your understanding of this institution, and in view of the strength of your convictions, I interpret your re-election as Speaker to be one more expression by this Legislature of our continuing commitment to open, responsible, and representative government. I would like to thank the Premier for the privilege of speaking on this occasion. I have decided in the last few minutes that it's a dubious honor. I’m very nervous. I don't like to be nervous, and I'm not very often nervous. It’s a surprise to me that I feel this way at this time, but I am, nevertheless.

I do thank the Premier for the honor of speaking at this time. I'd like to congratulate all my colleagues in this new Legislative Assembly, many of whom I have had the privilege of knowing for more than a couple of months. I'm looking forward to the next four years with all the members in every part of the House. I had hoped there would be good representation in the press gallery, and that I would be very well reported through all the Edmonton media, but that was an unreasonable expectation.

So I'd like to thank at least two members of the press gallery for already having been more helpful to me than they would have been had they stayed to report what I'm about to say. Mr. Speaker, in terms of our experience in this Alberta Legislature, the throne speech is unusual by virtue of its brevity. There are some, I am sure, who would argue that its brevity isn't a virtue. But I believe that at this time it is. This government is going to follow through on the commitments which we made during the Fourth Session of the 17th Alberta Legislature, including . . . DR. BUCK: Tell Yurko. MR.

KING: I'll get to the election in a moment. . . . including, but not limited to, reductions in personal income tax, which are proposed to be the lowest in Canada; improved benefits under The Workers' Compensation Act, which are proposed to be the very best in Canada; and an assured income program for our senior citizens, which is proposed to be the highest in Canada. This government doesn't feel the need to repeat commitments once made.

The commitments made during the throne speech in the last session of the 17th Alberta Legislature do not need to be repeated in this throne speech for the people of the province to have confidence that they are going to be acted upon. In addition to the commitments we have made, and upon which we are going to act, we are going to create the legislative framework for the reorganization of government departments, which has been promised by the Premier and is designed to provide effective, efficient, and equitable public service.

We are going to proceed with priority commitments made during the recent general election related to housing, irrigation, and the development of the Alberta heritage savings trust fund. This, Mr. Speaker, is a sufficient agenda for any Legislature. I suspect that in other times and places, any politicians would consider themselves fortunate and ambitious if they were associated with such an agenda. Perhaps, though, there are some who do not feel that way about this throne speech.

I question their perspective, and in support of my questioning I would like to draw some conclusions from my experiences prior to and during the recent election. Mr. Speaker, I suppose it's only natural for anyone who is fortunate enough to be able to attend in this session of the Legislature to say that I enjoyed my recent campaign in Edmonton Highlands. I enjoyed meeting new constituents. I enjoyed renewing acquaintances with old friends, and I enjoyed the friendly and honest relationship with the candidates of the ether parties.

May I take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all those people interested and concerned enough to have voted, to all those people interested and concerned enough to have worked for any candidate of any persuasion in any constituency. I particularly would like to express my appreciation to the people of Edmonton Highlands who, by their hard work and their votes, supported my candidacy. Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed the personal contact with my constituents. But I don’t always enjoy what I see or what I hear, even though it's almost always enlightening.

Edmonton Highlands is probably one of the most cosmopolitan constituencies in the province. Its people include Anglo-Saxons, Ukrainians, Italians, Portuguese, Chinese, Natives, Blacks, and many others. Their educational level varies from Grade 3 to postgraduate. They include the elderly and the very young, new Canadians and fifth- generation Canadians. Their economic status runs from real poverty to real comfort.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 17 The physical characteristics of the constituency vary as much as the social characteristics. Highland Court comprises some of the worst housing in the city; Ada Boulevard some of the best. The constituency contains some physical features which dominate and are often detrimental to the surrounding community: Clarke Stadium, the Exhibition Grounds, and the Capilano Freeway are examples. Different communities have responded to these challenges in different ways. Some have been more successful than others. In some cases the outcome is as yet undecided.

In Edmonton Highlands the main conclusion, time and time again, has to be that people, individually and in groups, are having things done for them and to them by government at every level, by business, and by private agencies. Very often they are no better off for it. Very often they are worse off. One of the characteristics which typifies the better educated or more financially secure of my constituents is their greater ability to insulate themselves from other people’s poorly thought-out good intentions. They affect the decisions which are going to affect them before the decisions are effected.

I should say, they effect the decisions which are going to effect them before the decisions are affected. They are able to say . . . The other way around? I was right the first time. They are able to say, no, thank you, I have the resources to look after that myself. In going door to door in my constituency during the election campaign and prior to the election campaign, I have sensed two developing meeds among my constituents.

In those opportunities which I have had to visit other constituencies in other parts of the province, both rural and urban, I sensed the development of these same feelings in other parts of the province. The first is a mood of great uncertainty about whether or not the future is going to be like the present or past. One man wants to know if he should invest $5,000 or $6,000 in a new car, or will the development of alternatives and the cost of gasoline, insurance, and maintenance make private cars obsolete in the urban environment within three or four years.

Another man wants to know if he should take a jot as a car salesman, or is he shortly going to have to find another occupation. The City of Edmonton wants to know if it should expand its roadways, or will they shortly lie unused. On the basis of our experience today, none of these questions is unreasonable. And on the basis of the evidence available, no one answer is obvious. In any other area that you care to consider, the situation is the same. Is our economy inflated or is it depressed? That seems largely to depend upon which day you talk to John Turner.

Have we or have we not enough of every kind of resource to sustain our North American life style and perhaps even extend it to the people of other areas? Can our environment withstand further stress, or do we stand near the point of no return? In my own personal view, this feeling of uncertainty is well founded. There is every reason to believe that the cumulative effect of social, technological, and organizational developments during the past 30 years means an end to an old society and the beginning of the creation of a new and a very different society.

As Alvin Toffler has described it in a couple of his books, we are in an age of transition, and that means uncertainty. It doesn't necessarily mean pessimism. The public know that they are not the only ones who are uncertain. They know that we politicians feel uncertain too. They have rightly concluded that generally it isn't superior native intelligence that separates politicians from the electorate. Rather, it is control over and access to resources, especially information and money.

In such a situation, I think it's only rational to expect the development of this second great feeling that the people themselves, the affected people, should be meaningfully involved in the decision-making processes, preferably they should be able to make the decisions themselves. In my constituency, senior citizens want a voice in the design of senior citizens housing. The social allowance clients want a global budget which would force them to be responsible for some decision-making in their own lives. They don't want a system which penalizes them for working.

The working poor, and there are many of them in my constituency, don't want to be penalized for working either. Yet, in many cases particularly relative to the help which is available to social assistance clients, the working poor do seem to be penalized. The people of Riverdale, McCauley, Parkview, and Cromdale want a voice in the future of their communities. They don't want their future decided solely on the basis of the needs and the aspirations of people who live in other parts of the city, which needs and aspirations are interpreted by politicians who also live in other parts of the city.

The people of Boyle Street and Highland Court want to have some control over the social services provided in their communities. [interjection] I'm going to lose my train of thought if you do that once more, and then we're going to be here even longer. DR. BUCK: Can the hon. member tell us where he lives, which constituency? MR. KING: My constituents, Mr. Speaker, are talking about all of these things and more. DR. BUCK: Clover Bar. MR. KING: They are doing more than talking. They are involved. They are considering the changes they might suggest to The Municipal Government Act and The Planning Act. They are

18 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 creating social service programs and negotiating their existence with municipal, provincial, and federal representatives. They are digging for information. They are analysing it, and they are feeding the information back to the government and to their representatives. I believe that most of what is happening in Edmonton Highlands is also happening in most other constituencies. It's happening not out of a desire to strip any level of government of power, but rather in order that people can once again exercise some direct influence over their own condition.

In a sense, the people are themselves recognizing the validity of the arguments which we, as a province, have made to the federal government: that extensive centralization is no longer appropriate; that decisions and implementation must vary somewhat from one context to another, from one city to another, or from one community to another; and that to complement the position of either the provincial or the municipal government, to provide the local specifics for the larger generality, the input of the local community and, in some cases, the input of the individual is required.

In the circumstances I have described, it's essential that government, by which I mean myself, my colleagues in this caucus, and my colleagues in other caucuses, must do whatever they can to create an opportunity for what I sense my constituents want of me at this time: that is, some careful thought about the impact of some of our actions so far, some careful thought about the alternatives which are available to the province and to its people, and some careful thought about whether or not old processes are appropriate to present circumstances as we try to achieve goals for the future.

I am really pleased that our agenda is relatively brief because I believe it responds to the sentiments of the people who, at this time, would welcome less action from government in the short run, if it were traded for some serious thought on the part of everyone about our new and developing conditions. There is no doubt in my mind that on March 26 the people of the province expressed a judgment that three political parties had virtually no glimmer of a future for this province.

There's no doubt in my mind that on March 26 the people of this province expressed a judgment that those who claimed to know exactly what the problem was, and claimed that writing two or three paragraphs about it in a throne speech would solve it, were entirely lacking in credibility. Yet today, in this House, we have members who believe that the problems of a society can be easily outlined in a few paragraphs, and that in a few more paragraphs we can outline a simple, straightforward solution and promise to have it all done by next spring. In these members' views, failure to follow such a course is appalling.

In my view, to follow such a course would be appalling. May I conclude by assuring you I don't believe my own party has responded to all these developments and present situations perfectly. In some cases I expect we haven't even responded well, although, to be frank, I can't think of any examples offhand. But there's an important qualification. There is a wide variety of programs and actions initiated by this government during the past four years, in which people sense that there is an appropriate response to our present conditions and our likely future circumstances.

People have sensed in the government, I believe, some greater ability to understand the conditions of the future, to deal appropriately with the conditions of the future, and I believe it is to that that they were responding on March 26. I'd like to give a few examples. A variety of programs has put more money into peoples' pockets, so that they could make their own choices. Some are: the property tax reduction plan, the reduction in gasoline tax, the proposed reduction in personal income tax, the natural gas rebate plan, and increased benefits for workers who are on compensation.

Our handling of the proposed new planning act for Alberta, the Land Use Forum, the hearings of the Environment Conservation Authority all provide an opportunity for people, individually and in groups, to make an input into the processes of government about which they can feel confident there will be some sincere consideration and response.

A variety of grants directly into the local community has festered local initiative rather than greater centralization, and I can think of the grants to community halls, the grants under The Agricultural Societies Act, the grants for the development of recreational and cultural facilities. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to make this motion, because I believe this speech speaks to our commitments and to the needs of the province.

By its nature, it also enables us to consider the lessons of the recent campaign and the election, to consider the experiences which all of us must have enjoyed, and I believe it gives us the opportunity to do what the people of the province want us to do, and that is to take some time to consider our present and our future. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. [applause] MR. BRADLEY: Mr. Speaker, it is with a great sense of responsibility that I rise in this Assembly for the first time. I would like to thank the hon.

Premier for the honor he has bestowed upon my constituency of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest by asking me to second the motion of the hon. Member for Edmonton Highlands. At this time, I would like to note that part of the responsibility I feel is that of elevating the stature of the previous speaker, the hon. Member for Edmonton Highlands, to that of being the second-youngest member sitting in this Assembly. If it is any consolation to him, he still remains the youngest on the eastern side of the House. AN HON. MEMBER: Hear, hear.

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 19 MR. BRADLEY: I have the honor of representing an historic and diverse constituency that is a reflection of the province itself, for it has not only the Rocky Mountains, but also the foothills and prairies. The North West Mounted Police, who defined the nature of western Canada by their trek west, established one of the first farms at Pincher Creek and fostered one of the richest agricultural developments not only in the province, but in western Canada. With the discovery of coal, people from literally around the world settled in the Crowsnest Pass.

They created a high cultural variety, representing over 35 ethnic groups. It is one the privileges of my life to have grown up with people from diverse backgrounds. The constituency has had not only a tragic, but also a very colorful history.

Most people know the tragedy of the Frank Slide, but not many know about Emilio Picariello, affectionately known as "Emperor Pic", who helped countless Albertans get around the prohibition laws in the early 1910s and 1920s; or that during the labor strife and unrest of the ’30s, the main street of my home town was named Tim Buck Boulevard, after the leader of the Labour Progressive Party of that era. Pincher Creek was one of the first towns to make the transition from agriculture to an economy based on agriculture and industry.

Pincher Creek was not simply a pioneer in cattle and agriculture, but also a pioneer in demonstrating the ability of small rural towns to accommodate industrial growth. It is a constituency which reflects the diversity of the province, geographically, historically, and industrially -- one of which I am proud, and will represent to the best of my ability. The document presented yesterday by the Lieutenant-Governor outlines the implementation of the previous commitments of this government over the last four months. I would now like to make some comments about those commitments and their importance to the province.

First, on the priority given to irrigation in the Speech from the Throne, I feel that effective and responsible management of our water resources is a question of grave responsibility. Although my constituency of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest does not include any irrigation districts within its boundaries, we recognize the importance to the Province of Alberta of irrigating our dry lands. Approximately 835,000 acres of land were under irrigation in Alberta in 1974. That is about 4 per cent of the arable land of the province.

That irrigated land produced approximately 20 per cent of the total agricultural product in the province. Mr. Speaker, I should like to quote from a brief prepared by the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association, entitled, A Comparison of Irrigated Crop Production to Dryland Farming in Southern Alberta. In 1974, the gross return on all irrigated land in southern Alberta is estimated at $158,873,000. The comparative figure under simulated dryland conditions is $27,614,000. That is $190.27 per acre for irrigated land, and $33.07 per acre for dryland.

The additional per acre return to irrigation in southern Alberta in 1974 was $157.20. Mr. Speaker, from these figures you will realize that there are significant increased production benefits from irrigation in southern Alberta. With the present situation in the world, with millions of persons starving or living on subsistence diets, we have a responsibility not only as a nation but as members of the human race to ensure that we use our agricultural land as efficiently as possible to achieve maximum production of food.

With the emphasis the government is placing on irrigation, I believe we will significantly increase production from our agricultural lands in Alberta. Still speaking on the subject of irrigation, we have a responsibility to use efficiently those waters designated for irrigation. Our priorities are: first, to rehabilitate existing structures and systems to maximize present water usage; secondly, to expand irrigation within the boundaries of existing districts; and thirdly, to contemplate requirements for future expansion.

In terms of priorities of water usage, the government deserves recognition for placing irrigation third, behind domestic and municipal uses of water. Previously, it followed industrial usage in priority. The government, recognizing the future water demands for irrigation and other uses on the South Saskatchewan River system, has initiated studies of the Oldman River system. The first study is to determine water demand, the quantity and quality of water required for future needs. A second study is a more detailed review and analysis of potential storage sites.

The government's approach to the study of potential storage sites is significant in that it will allow for public participation through public hearings, prior to making a decision to proceed with a reservoir. I believe it is important that we continue to efficiently manage cur present watersheds prior to building further storage facilities. The government's commitment to irrigation in this province by providing $200 million over a 10-year period will increase food production in the world. The government's actions underline the primary importance of building on Alberta's basic strength, the agricultural industry.

Considerable emphasis has been placed on transportation, with the placing of air transport facilities and development under the new Department of Transportation. We all recognize the importance to the future of Alberta of the development of third carrier service to smaller vital communities. Most vital to the province, I feel, are the continuing negotiations with the federal government regarding freight rate inequities.

Presently, freight rates are not only having an adverse effect on our cattle, small business, and other industry here in the West, but are also jeopardizing our trading position to supply Ontario Hydro with thermal

20 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 coal. The hon. minister and Deputy Premier has the support of all Albertans in his future discussions to eliminate the historical injustices our province and the west have suffered from inequitable freight rate structures. Across southern Alberta there is one major highway link, known in various circles as the southern Trans-Canada, which the former Minister of Highways recognized as "Crowsnest 3".

I submit that Highway 3, from Medicine Hat to Hope, British Columbia, in conjunction with the government to the west of us, be recognized as a major interprovincial highway, that it be upgraded and promoted as such. I believe I have the support of the hon. members for southern Alberta in this matter. Historically, Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass was the only all-weather road to the west coast. Today it is not in as good condition as the other two routes through the mountains. At times during the winter months, when the Rogers Pass is closed, it is one of the roads that is open.

There are certain sections of this road in the constituencies of Medicine Hat, Cypress, and my own that require improvement. Perhaps it would be appropriate if I quoted Rudyard Kipling at this point. He said of Medicine Hat: "It is the city with all hell as a basement." I trust that in the future. Highway 3 will not be known, because of its condition, as the road from Hell to Hope, or even worse, the road from Hope to Hell.

With respect to that portion of Highway 3 which runs through the Crowsnest Pass, realizing that it has a high priority with the Department of Transportation, and that the first public participation highway impact study to be conducted in the province is about to conclude its findings on the Crowsnest

section of Highway 3, I urge that a final route decision be made in the immediate future. Almost all important industrial, residential, and muncipal programs and developments are awaiting that decision in order to execute plans for the future of the Crowsnest Pass. I would also like to mention at this point the importance to my constituents of the road north of Lundbreck, which is now being upgraded. It is certainly appreciated, but I feel that its paving should be given serious consideration.

Regarding air transportation matters in my own constituency, I am pleased to see that Pincher Creek has been designated as a developing airport. This is of great importance and benefit to the future development of our province, as it will serve not only Pincher Creek, but also the Crowsnest Pass and parts of southeastern British Columbia. Mr. Speaker, regarding the reintroduction of The Workers' Compensation Act amendments from the last Legislature, I'm glad to see that cur government intends to make benefits retroactive to April 1 , 1975.

A great number of my constituents in the Crowsnest Pass are employed in the mining of coal. This industry, traditionally, has had a fairly high number of industrial accidents which have resulted in miners being awarded disability pensions. They are grateful for our government's provisions for an increase in minimum widows and widowers pensions, increased dependants allowance, increased ceilings on maximum benefits, and they will applaud an early passage of the proposed amendments to The Workers' Compensation Act. Mr.

Speaker, I am pleased to note that priority is being given to implementing appropriate recommendations of the Industrial Health and Safety Commission. I certainly can support the recommendation of that commission as it regards establishing courses in safety and industrial health at one or more of the educational institutions in our province. There is a need to put greater emphasis on the prevention of industrial accidents.

With the development of new technology, and as new industries are established in this growing province of ours, there will be a need to establish research into the effects on workers of employment in certain industries over a long period of time. It is important that occupational hazards be recognized prior to their resulting in unnecessary disablement or injury to workers in this province. Mr.

Speaker, the government deserves recognition for the priority it has placed in recognizing the contributions our senior citizens have made to the building of this province, and its commitment to provide the resources for our senior citizens to live in decency and security in their later years. I am proud, Mr. Speaker, that the government is reintroducing those measures to assist our senior citizens, for areas of my own constituency of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest have some of the highest per capita concentrations of senior citizens in the province.

And the recognition of their contribution to the development of our province is eminently justified. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to make a few comments about our small towns, and some of the areas of concern which I feel are important. Our government is committed to the decentralization of industry in the province which, in effect, means it is committed to the location of industry in our small towns in order to give them a more stable economic base. We have done an excellent job in the locating of industry relating to the agricultural sector of the economy.

It is important to recognize that there are other small technological-based industries which are well suited to establishment in our smaller communities. The government sector, through the former Department of Industry and Commerce and the new Department of Business Development and Tourism, is developing programs which are being effective in stimulating community growth and attracting industry to our smaller areas. At present, the Crowsnest Pass area of my constituency is involved in a rural development project which will co-ordinate five communities to undertake economic and infrastructure development programs.

The goverment is definitely making moves in the right direction through the above programs, but the challenge is going to be to change traditional attitudes of industry as to where they are going to locate. We are going to

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 21 have to convince them that there is an alternative to our larger centres, that there are amenities in our smaller, vital, dynamic centres which will provide the level of services their companies require. If we are able to do this, an increasing number of firms will choose the rural way of life. One question which comes to mind, in bringing growth to our smaller centres, is the question of amenities — facilities and services.

In most cases of economic growth in boom towns, for example Fort McMurray, Grande Cache, Fox Creek, industry establishes first, then is followed by an expanding townsite with a demand for increased services and recreation facilities, which in most cases is quite a burden to the capital debt of the community. People who move to these towns make these demands for facilities and services before they finally set down their roots. If we are going to attract industry to our smaller communities, perhaps the first thing we should be looking at is providing the amenities which the employees of new industry will request.

We should determine which communities we would like to see grow and become larger centres, providing those towns with houses and services, with golf courses, swimming pools, hockey and curling arenas, and other recreational and cultural facilities which industry demands or, more important, which top management feels they require. Once those amenities are there, I feel we would have no trouble in convincing industry to locate in our smaller centres. Another area in which our small communities suffer is in the ability to attract professional services and resource people to locate in their towns.

The services of these people are important if our small towns are to remain viable. The volunteer services such people provide are invaluable. For example, CPR applies to the Canadian Transport Commission to abandon a

section of rail line, or Calgary Power applies to the Energy Resources Conservation Board to build a transmission line, the right of way of which will affect one of our smaller centres. Obviously, CPR and Calgary Power have at their disposal a battery of resource personnel to support their application. What does the small town have? A few active citizens who are concerned about the future effect on their communities of that rail line abandonment or proposed transmission line.

They do not have the local expertise or tax base to hire outside resource personnel to oppose a well-funded corporation with resource personnel. The result: the rail line is abandoned and the transmission line is approved with few changes. The small community does not have the opportunity to state its case effectively, and the emphasis is on "effectively”. When an airport is constructed at Pickering, Ontario, there is an impact study into its future effect on that area. When the rail line is abandoned there is no impact study. An airport at Pickering is an annoyance,

whereas the abandonment of rail service to a rural area can literally destroy a community. There are other types of corporate and government policy decisions which are made thousands of miles away from the areas they affect. I should like to examine a few of them with you. Policy decisions made by the federal Department of Agriculture regarding the cattle industry have had a serious effect on the cattle industry of this province and of my constituency. Those decisions were made by people far removed geographically from the areas they have affected.

In the corporate area of policy-making decision, and again I use the rail industry as an example, the decision to change from coal to diesel had a devastating effect on the coal mining communities in my constituency. I'm not saying that was a bad corporate decision for them to make, but I'm using it to illustrate the effect isolated policy- making bodies have on our smaller centres. The government of this province has been emphasizing decentralization of government services and location of industry. In some areas of the private sector, the exact opposite has been happening.

CP Transport has pulled out its services from smaller communities and centralized them in larger centres. Federal policy, in the long term, is to centralize grain terminals. Both of these types of centralizing decisions can only have an adverse effect on our small towns. There are other areas in which outside policy may have a detrimental effect on our smaller communities, that is in shared-cost capital projects. Municipalities recognize the immediate benefit of these projects.

The problem arises when they must not only retire their portion of the capital costs, but are also faced with having to pick up a continued operating deficit. In some instances these cost-sharing capital projects can turn into a monstrous financial burden for small communities with limited tax bases. The question is: are our smaller areas able to afford some of the benefits governments offer them? Nobody is looking for handouts. Our smaller centres may not wish artificial assistance. In fact, small towns are the victims of artificial prejudices, as I have outlined.

One doesn't want to build towns just because they are there, tut there are some very real values which are associated with our small towns. People feel safer in small towns. They know their neighbors. They have a sense of belonging. A lot of people in my generation are not concerned with how much their income is, or the acquisition of material things. They are concerned with the quality of life. In the past, the desire for a better economic future drew young people to the cities. Today, there has been a change of values.

People are moving back where their lives have more meaning, where one may go out and hunt and fish and not be faced with rush hour traffic. There is a concern with values, and there is no part of this country in which that is more important than in Alberta. We have a lot of space, a lot of small towns with a strong sense of identity, a sense of community.

22 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975 In my constituency, Pincher Creek was settled as one of the very early ranch towns in the province. The Crowsnest Pass is a coal mining town with a keen sense of history. Today, almost a century after their establishment, both are conscious of their origins and proud of them. Today, by forcing large bursts of population growth on small towns, we may destroy the very factors we cherish them for: their sense of community, of belonging, of identity, and of consciousness. We are not just interested in big towns, we are interested in good towns.

It is important that our small towns survive, that their economic bases are diversified so that they don't have to rely on one industry for survival, that they have a healthy growth rate, and that they continue to be vital and retain those values which we cherish in them. Our small towns are being provided with the opportunity to grow, but what is important is that they consciously participate in the decision to expand, diversify and grow. Another problem our smaller centres face, once they decide to grow and a potential industry decides to establish, is providing adequate housing.

A small town does not have the skilled labor and tradesmen to build the 20 to 25 houses the town requires for the employees of a new small industry. They must look to larger contractors in the city for assistance. But most of the major developers will not even look at coming into a smaller centre unless they are guaranteed to build at least 150 houses at one time, or 50 homes a year for 3 years. The result: because of inadequate housing, or construction of it, the community loses a potential industry. Mr.

Speaker, as an agriculturally based province there are several questions we must face in terms of agricultural land use. It is significant that the government has commissioned the Alberta Land Use Forum to find out the concerns of the residents of this province regarding that area. Basically, I have two concerns. First is the taking out of production of prime agricultural land for uses other than agriculture. Looking into the future, prime agricultural land in Canada and Alberta may become scarce for the production of foodstuffs. Canada may become a net importer of agricultural production.

One has only to look at the Niagara peninsula, historically one of the most fertile and productive regions in this country. Today, that productive capacity is rapidly disappearing. Another area in which I feel concern, and it may only be a local problem in my constituency, is that the price of agricultural land in my area in no way reflects the actual return from production. A young man wishing to go into farming or to expand his present operation would not even be able to meet the interest payments on his loan if he were to rely solely on income from that land.

The viability of the family farm as an economic unit and as a way of life is threatened. People desiring to go into agriculture cannot afford the price of land. There are those who raise the spectre of foreign ownership, but the question is much deeper than that. I believe it is one of investor confidence and also one of the large corporation versus the continued existence of the family farm. Mr. Speaker, I'm looking forward with a great deal of interest to the report of the Alberta Land Use Forum, particularly to its recommendations on the above topics. Mr.

Speaker, I should like to comment briefly on resource development as it affects my constituency. In the past, there have been serious mistakes in development of coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass as it affects the communities. Industry does not have a very good record, and the towns in the Crowsnest Pass bear those scars. The government and present industry are wrestling with those errors of lack of planning, not only of the industries but of the communities themselves. It is going to take time to turn the existing situation around, to rationalize not only industry but the communities themselves.

But let us not allow the mistakes of the past to cloud our vision of the future. It is important to distinguish between historical and, on the other hand, current and future coal mining operations in this province. There are provisions in The Coal Conservation Act and The Land Surface Conservation and Reclamation Act to ensure a cautious and orderly development of coal properties with a minimum damage to our environment and watershed. Today, coal mining is a viable industry in my constituency, employing over 600 persons.

I believe present regulations in the above acts provide the necessary controls to regulate surface mining, and that further restrictive measures, as suggested by some in this province, would threaten the viability of the industry. It is one of those policy decisions which has a definite effect on the future of some of the small towns in my constituency. But I'm not just concerned with digging coal. I'm also concerned that secondary industry, the by-product development from coal, progress hand in hand in this province and in my constituency of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest.

If we are to make textiles, fertilizer, synthetic food, and gas out of coal, those textiles, fertilizer, synthetic food, and coal gasification plants should be here in Alberta, creating jobs for Albertans. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I feel that the development of coal resources opens broad industrial opportunities for our province, and that we must approach the development of the east slopes on a multiple use basis. Mr. Speaker, it now gives me great pleasure, indeed, to formally second the motion of the hon. Member for Edmonton Highlands. MR. CLARK: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to adjourn the debate. MR.

SPEAKER: Having heard the motion for adjournment by the hon. Leader of the Opposition, do you all agree?

May 16, 1975 ALBERTA HANSARD 23 SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. MR. HYNDMAN: Mr. Speaker, concerning business of the House next week: Monday the 19th being a statutory holiday, the Assembly will not be sitting on that day. Regarding Tuesday, every year at this time we have some difficulty by reason of our early adjournment, not having Votes and Proceedings, of assessing exactly what we will be doing next Tuesday. I understand informally, though, from the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly that there would be no private members' resolutions appearing on today's Votes available for next Tuesday.

That being the case, I presume we would then proceed to consideration of the Speech from the Throne this coming Tuesday, the 20th, with the hon. Leader of the Opposition commencing debate at that time; Tuesday night the Assembly would not be sitting; Wednesday afternoon and Friday afternoon, consideration of the throne speech; and next Thursday evening, possibly all or part of the evening for consideration of legislation.Mr. Speaker, I move the Assembly do now adjourn until 2:30 p.m. next Tuesday. MR. SPEAKER: Having heard the motion for adjournment by the hon. Government House Leader, do you all agree? SOME HON.

MEMBERS: Agreed. MR. SPEAKER: The Assembly stands adjourned until next Tuesday at 2:30 in the afternoon. [The House rose at 11:47 a.m.]

24 ALBERTA HANSARD May 16, 1975

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	19750516
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L18 S1 19750516 1000 01 han.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	b71542ab049a581d13b7299c0323c5eb6a6c06ab

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