Alberta Hansard — 8 February 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 Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Issue 2 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) O lson, 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

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 5 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 8, 2012 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Welcome back. Let us pray. Life and health are precious. When they are lost, all of us are imp acted. Let us remember those who are no longer among us with the most positive of thoughts, and let us reach out with compassion, understanding, and prayer to those who suffer. May blessings be upon them, and may they find eternal salvation in an eternity of peace. Amen. Please be seated.

Hon. members, on our first day when we return, we take the time after prayers so that we may pay tribute to a former colleague who has passed away, and in respect would you all stand, please. Mr. Brian C. Downey November 5, 1950, to January 12, 2012 The Speaker: Mr. Brian C. Downey, former Member of the Legislative Assembly, passed away on January 12, 2012, at the age of 61 years. Mr. Downey was first elected in the election held May 8, 1986, and was re -elected on March 20, 1989. He served until April 8, 1989.

During his years of service he represented the constituency of Stettler for the Progressive Conservative Party. During his term of office Brian Downey served on the select standing committees on Private Bills, Public Accounts, Public Affairs, and as chair of the Special Committee to Prepare and Report Lists of Members to Compose the Select Standing Committees. With our admiration and respect there is gratitude to members of his family, who are with us today in the Speaker’s gallery, who shared the burdens of public office. Our prayers are with them.

In a moment of silent prayer I’d ask each of you to remember the hon. member, Brian C. Downey, as you have known him. Rest eternal grant unto him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. Amen. Please be seated. head: Introduction of Visitors The Speaker: Hon. members, it’s an honour for me to rise today to introduce to you guests who are seated in the Speaker’s gallery. These guests are family members of our former colleague Brian Downey. I’d ask them to r ise, please, as I mention their names: Mrs. Trudy Downey, widow of Mr. Brian Downey, former MLA for the constituency of Stettler.

His parents, Cliff and Frances Downey, are here with members of their family as well, including Brian’s daughter, Allison Down ey-Damato, with Marc Downey - Damato; Brian’s son, Dustin Downey, and Jovina Downey; and grandchildren Matteo Downey -Damato, Kestrel Damato, Duke Downey, and Jasmine Downey. Please offer them the warm welcome of the Assembly. head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Creek. Mr. Zwozdesky: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It’s a great pleasure for me to introduce to you and through you to all members of the House here some very special visitors from Velma E. Baker school in my constituency. They are accompanied by their teacher, Ms Peacock, and by parent helpers Mrs. Erickson, Mrs. Krysa, Mrs. Schmidt, Mr. Ruda, and Mr. Ollerhead. Velma Baker has the distinction of being absolutely one of the finest schools in all of Alberta, and these students are a testament to that outstanding education system we have.

I would ask all of these members from the school and the parent helpers and teachers to please rise and receive the warm applause of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood? The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Mr. Berger: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly a unique group of University of Alberta students. They are the stars of a program called Heifer in Your Tank. This program was started by Dr.

Frank Ro binson, professor, who wanted the animal science class to develop something more original than a term paper. The result is project-based learning. The students perform live skits based on the rural chautauquas of the past to educate the public on the scien ce related to the production of animals and their by - products that we use every day. I saw the students in November at Farmfair and was truly impressed with these young people and their program. They truly are the future of agriculture. With that, I would like to introduce Dr.

Frank Robinson, Martin Zuidhof, Dana Penrice, Dustin Banks, Erica Posteraro, Lucas Nickel, Airell Deslauriers, Chelsea Geiger, and Jami Frederick. I would ask them to rise and receive the warm traditional welcome of this Assembly. Thank you for coming. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for the second chance that you have afforded me. I would like to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly Brian Topp.

Bri an is one of the candidates for the federal NDP leadership, and this evening he is participating in a debate with other candidates organized by the New Democratic Youth of Alberta and the Edmonton-Strathcona federal NDP. Brian Topp is a former Montreal business owner, Credit Union director, and a board member of ROI venture capital fund. He has also served as staff to former NDP leader Ed Broadbent and former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow. I appreciate all of the candidates for the visits that they have paid to Alberta. I now ask Brian to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: We’ll just move on to Edmonton-Decore, please. Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to rise today to introduce to you and through you to all Members of the Legislative Assembly 13 guests seated in the members’ gallery here in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese.

I would ask them to please rise as I say their names: Gladys Brown, Edmonton diocesan Catholic Women’s League president for the archdiocese of Edmonton; Gwen Elliott, Catholic Women’s League president -elect for the archdiocese of Edmonton; June Fuller, past president of the Edmonton diocesan Catholic Women’s League; Mable Solomon, past president of the Edmonton diocesan Catholic Women’s League; Ardis Beaudry, honorary life member of the Catholic Women’s League, diocesan provincial and national president of Canada. Life members of the CWL and chairpersons of the upcoming national convention of the

6 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 Catholic Women’s League, scheduled to be held in Edmonton in August, include Connie McBride and Mary-Lou Veeken. Mr. Speaker, remarkable information collected regarding the preservation and distribution of a hundred years of commemora- tion of the Catholic Women’s Lea gue, Edmonton diocese, its faith and service, also includes Rose-Marie McCarthy, Mary-Anne Warren, and Natalie Carley. Also , we have Cecile Shaul, a member of Catholic Women’s Lea gue, St. Charles; Vera Huber, a member of Catholic Women’s L eague, St.

Charles; and Mary Hunt, council officer for the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese. I would ask all those here toda y to give them the traditional warm welcome. Thank you. 1:40 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-McClung. Mr. Xiao: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Monday evening a very successful Queen’s Diamond Jubilee dinner was held with over 315 guests in attendance. Twenty-four hon. members participated in that event, including yourself, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Premier, the Official Opposition H ouse Leader, and I were joined by representatives from the judiciary, the military, the business community, and the public at large. The dinner committee presented a cheque for over $10,000 to Valour Place, a privately funded, assisted living residence for the bereaved families of fallen members of the Canadi an Forces, wounded and injured soldiers, members of the RCMP and their families who are undergoing rehabilitation in Edmonton, a well-recognized regional centre of excellence for rehab medicine in Canada.

In the Speaker’s gallery is Captain Robert Clarke, chairman of the Diamond Jubilee dinner. I woul d thank Captain Clarke for his leadership and for the work of his committee and invite him to rise and receive the warm traditional welcome of this House. The Speaker: The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you the love of my life and my better half, Sharon MacLean, seated in the Speaker’s gallery. I’d like to ask her to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. Mr. Speaker, I have one other introduction.

It’s a young fellow who at the age of 13 volunteered on Grant Mitchell’s campaign. He also ran federally in Red Deer and finished very close in the mayor’s race in Edmonton recently. He is now my constituency assistant, Andrew Lineker. I’d like Andrew to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. Mr. Hehr: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour to introduce three people to you a nd through you to this honourable Assembly. The first is Mr. Peter Rilstone. Peter has been a teacher for the Calgary board of education fo r the last 40 years.

He is now retired. He’s helping me out door-knocking in Calgary-Buffalo and has been a tremendous amount of support both to me personally and to my family over the course of the last 30 years. I’d also like to introduce to you my mother, Judy Hehr. Having two children who are lawyers who are sometimes argumentative, she still provides us with advice, love, and nurturing on an unconditional basis. I love you very much, Mum. The last introduction is my father, and I will share with you that my father and I, growing up, would watch Stampede Wrestling.

Even as I got older, we’d watch WWF, and maybe that’s why I’ve chosen this profession, Mr. Speaker. Bret Hart would say before his wrestling matches that he was the best there was, the best there is, the best there ever will be, and that saying can apply to my father. Thank you very much. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly three guests from the New Democratic Youth of Alberta, part of the growing wave of young people joining our party.

Sean Weatherall and Jenna Hienemann are two students who recently started a new NDP club at MacEwan University. Bradley LaFortune is joining them. He studies at U of A and is helpin g organize tonight’s federal NDP leadership debate. I’d now like to ask all three of my guests to stand as I call their names and receive the traditional warm welcome of the assembly: Bradley LaFortune, Sean Weatherall, and Jenna Hienemann. Welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Mr. Mason: Thank you for that third opportunity that you’ve afforded me, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure to introduce a group of very bright young students from Delton elementary school. They are accompanied by their teachers Mrs. Dao Haddad and Miss Michelle Auger, who is their educational assistant. Delton elementary school is participatin g in the School at the Legislature program this week, and I’m l ooking forward to speaking with them tomorrow. Thank you very much. Please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome. The Speaker: Are there others? The hon. Member for Calgary- North Hill. Mr. Fawcett: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly someone that’s going to be very important in my life for the next couple of months, and that’s my campaign manager, Kirsten Sztain. Kirsten has a master’s degree in political science and worked in my office for a couple of years, at which time she then left to work on a civic campaign in Calgary in which she brought her candidate to within 3 per cent of defeating an incumbent city councillor, so I do know I’m in very good hands. I’d ask Kirsten to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: Hon. members, a couple of anniversaries to acknowl- edge. Yesterday, February 7, the hon. Member for Lethbridge-West, the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, reached another milestone in his life and today the hon. Member for Calgary-North West. Happy birthday to you, sir, as well. head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore. Catholic Women’s League, Ed monton Diocese Centennial Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my honour and privilege to rise today in recognition of the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese, for 100 years of faith and service.

While the league was formally incorporated in Montreal in 1920, Edmonton is the birthplace of the Catholic Women’s League in Canada. The Catholic Women’ s League is now a national organization with a proud and ex tensive history and which is

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 7 comprised of many councils throughout Canada, including the Edmonton diocese. History notes that during the 1900s while travelling throughout the United Kingdom, Edmontonian Katherine Hughes became acquainted with their recently organized Catholic women’s leagues. Upon her return the league concept went forward with Bishop Émile Legal, Oblate of Mary Immaculate, OMI, of Edmonton. In 1912 the women who founded the Catholic Women’s League began with a mission to protect and support immigrant women and girls seeking work in Edmonton and to promote spiritual and temporal good works.

Mr. Speaker, the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi states: for it is in giving of ourselves that we receive. Truly this simple statement personifies the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese. Throughout the hundred years the outreach activities of the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese, included in the early days establishing a hostel fo r girls, visiting hospitals, and providing employment services. Today their focus includes charitable involvement with Catholic Social Services and an initiative called Back Porch, which provides resources and information on unplanned pregnancies.

Indeed, these are the living examples of the Alberta spirit. Mr. Speaker, more than 10,000 Catholic women belong to the Catholic Women’s League in Alberta and the Northwest Terri- tories. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation and admiration to all the women of the past, present, and future of the Catholic Women’s League, Ed monton diocese, for adding immeasurably to the creation of healthy, caring communities within our great city, province, country, and throughout the world.

The longevity of the Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese, is truly a testament to a membership that inspires faith, hope, and humanitarian contributions within our communities. My sincere congratulations and best wishes, and God bless the continued great success of th e Catholic Women’s League, Edmonton diocese.* Thank you, Mr. Speaker. head: Statement by the Speaker Rotation of Questions and Members’ Statements The Speaker: Before we proceed, hon. members, as chair I would like to make a brief statement about the rotation of oral questions and members’ statements.

As has been the situation often during the life of this Legislature, there was a further realignment to the caucus memberships over the period of adjournment, with the result being that there is one independent member since the Assembly last met. The current situation with one independent member and one member of the Alberta caucus is identical to the situation that existed when the Assembly convened on February 22, 2011, nearly one year ago. The rotation of oral questions was distributed with my letter to you dated January 27, 2012, concerning the Fifth Session of the 27th Legislature.

Attachments 3 and 4 to the Speaker’s procedural letter outline the Oral Question Period rotation and the projected sitting days calendar, which includes the rotation for Members’ Statements. These schedules again mirror the rotations for both items of business that were in place one year ago. Accordingly, the Member for Vermilion-Lloydminster is entitled to a question once every four days. As was the previous independent member, he will be entitled to the sixth question on day 3. Today is day 1 on the sitting calendar, so the independent member will be able to ask a question next Monday, February 13, 2012.

He’ll be entitled to present a member’s statement once every two weeks. His first opportunity will be next Wednesday, February 15. 1:50 head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Provincial Budget Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to congratulate the Premier for recognizing in the Speech from the Throne the value of what Alberta Liberals ha ve been saying for many years: the Alberta government has both a revenue problem and a spending problem.

Will the Premier take the next bold step and implement a fair tax formula so that we don’t have to sell off pieces of the family farm to pay the bills? The Speaker: The hon. the Premier. Ms Redford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am certainly looking forward to the Minister of Finance presenting the budget tomorrow. The throne speech was a hallmark in terms of saying that we as Albertans, all Albertans, need to be talking about what our fiscal framework is.

We beli eve it’s very important to make sure that Albertans are getting valuable services for the money that’s spent, and we’re looking forward to continuing that debate after tomorrow. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, personal and corporate income taxes don’t even cover what this government spends on health care, so will the Premier be honest and tell us how the government plans to raise enough revenue to pay the rest of the bills? Ms Redford: Well, Mr. Speaker, as I said, I’m looking forward to the Minister of Finance’s speech and the presentation of the budget tomorrow.

You know, we have the tremendous privilege in this province of being the governing party that has been able to balance those issues very effectively, and we’ll continue to do so. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, if there was any balancing happening, we wouldn’t be firing nurses and teachers. Given that the Speech from the Throne suggests the Premier will yet again review problems without solving them, when will the Premier have the courage to do something about it instead of just talking about it? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, every day since the 1st of October this government has stood up in this House.

We have solved problems. We have identified problems. We have acted where we needed to with respect to budgeting. We’ve acted where we’ve needed to with respect to legislation. We’ve acted where we’ve needed to with respect to making decision s in government that favourably impact Albertans, and we’ll continue to do that. The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Electricity Prices Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speech from the Throne included no plan to address one of this government’s most obvious policy failures, electricity deregulation, which has led to higher power bills across the board. Why hasn’t this Premier done anything to give consumers relief from skyrocketing power bills? *The text in italics exceeded the time limit and was not read in the House.

8 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, what the Speech from the Throne did yesterday was refer to the fact that we have tremendous opportunities for economic devel opment, that we have very important natural resources that have to be managed for the benefit of Albertans. As we move through doing what government needs to do with respect to legislation and policy development, we will do what this caucus and cabinet cares about. That is ensuring that Alberta is competitive.

It’s ensuring that Alberta consumers are paying rates that are competitive and fair and ensuring that industry is going to be able to afford to keep operating. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell you what they will ensure. They will ensure that on the coldest day in the winter a shortage of electricity shot it up to over 90 cents a kilowatt hour. Ninety cents. Will the Premier admit that the assurance of lower prices from deregulation is yet another one of this government’s broken promises to the people? Dr. Morton: Mr.

Speaker, we are well aware of the fact that electricity prices have been higher in December and January. It’s due to the unfortunate outage of three different power plants. I’m happy to report that one of them is back online now and that the regulated rate option for next month is predicted to be lower than it is this month. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, given that the recent TransAlta example proves there is enormous profit to be made by breaking price gouging laws, will the Premier make sure that the fines for law-breaking are actually higher than the profits from cheating? Dr. Morton: Mr.

Speaker, the incident with TransAlta prior to Christmas shows that the system does work. The irregularities were spotted at the very hours that they happened. They were reprimanded. I’m happy to report to the House and to Albertans that the price for electricity in this province for the last five years has averaged 8 cents a kilowatt hour. It’s totally competitive. The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. PC Caucus Meeting in Jasper Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In November the Premier said: I believe it’s important for political parties to pay for partisan activity that their leader undertakes . . . I think it’s critical that if there are expenses related to pur e political activity that they not be paid for by either the government of Alberta or the [people] of Alberta, and we’re completely above board about that. Will the Premier please explain how the PC caucus and many unelected Tory candidates going to a retreat immediately prior to an election can be considered anything other than a taxpayer- subsidized political activity?

Ms Redford: Everyone who sits in th is House who ran for the Progressive Conservative Party is sitting as a member of the government caucus. There are many people in the opposition, who are members of other caucuses, who also receive caucus budgets, Mr. Speaker. We know that we follow the rules with respect to how we spend that money, and I presume that all hon. members on the other side do exactly the same thing. We had a very successful caucus. There is certainly no doubt that everyone in Alberta knew that we were ha ving a caucus, and we got some good results. Dr. Sherman: Mr.

Speaker, it must have been nice to load up the luxury bus to go for a nice little retreat. Given the Premier’s insistence that the government will be more accountable and transparent than it has been in the past, will the Premier make all the receipts associated with the Jasper junket/retreat publicly available? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, there is a system in place in this House that ensures that all spending is accounted for, that rules are followed, and of course we will follow those rules. Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, rest assured that this team will stretch those rules as far as they can.

Given that also in November the Premier said that she believes it’s critical to be transparent about this kind of spending, what proof will the Premier give Albertans that shows her caucus didn’t bend the rules by using taxpayer money for electioneering? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, the LAO, as I understand it, is the office that ensures that caucuses spend their money appropriately. We have a whip that I trust to do that. We have an LAO that I presume has systems in place that audit that. We are incredibly confident that there was absolutely nothing untoward, and there’s no reason to suggest otherwise.

Provincial Tax Policy Mr. Anderson: Mr. Speaker, the Alberta income tax advantage of a 10 per cent flat tax is something that most Albertans are proud of. It’s a tax that doesn’t punish success, treats everyone equally, and makes our province attractive for highly skilled workers. In yesterday’s throne speech it was noted that this government plans on reviewing income taxes, which likely means raising them. To the Premier. As you know, shoul d Albertans choose a Wildrose government in the coming weeks, we will not raise income taxes.

Will you clearly commit to Albertans that should a PC govern- ment be re-elected, you will not increase income taxes? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, the throne speech yesterday set out a very important discussion that we need to have as Albertans. We need to talk about how we spend, and we have to talk about revenue. We have to talk about the heritage fund, and we’re going to do all of that. I’ll tell you that I’m looking forward to, as I said before, the budget tomorrow.

The other thing is that I’m looking forward to this House passing this budget so that when we go to the polls, Albertans know exactly what this government stands for. Mr. Anderson: I’m really trying to help you out here, Premier. Given your refusal to commit to not raising income taxes should you be re-elected, will you at the very least commit to Albertans that you will under absolutely no circumstances increase income taxes or implement any other kind of tax increase without dis- closing your plans to do so before Albertans go to the polls on election day? 2:00 Ms Redford: Mr.

Speaker, there is a budget coming to this House tomorrow that is going to set a very clear fiscal plan for the future of this province. I think that’s what Albertans wa nt, that’s what they expect, and that’s what they’re going to see. There will be no doubt with respect to that. Mr. Anderson: Well, that was as clear as mud. Premier, given that your Fi nance minister has openly mused about a provincial sales tax and bringing back a health tax and now you are floating the idea of an increased income tax, will you

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 9 prove wrong all those who are out there saying that you are the most liberal tax-and-spend Premier in the history of this province and make it clear to Albertans that under no circumstances will you increase their taxes or that if you do increase their taxes, you will at least tell us which taxes you plan to increase and by how much before – that being the key word – Albertans go to the polls? How much are you going to raise taxes, Premier? How much? Ms Redford: Mr.

Speaker, in the budget to be brought to this House tomorrow, that will be passed before we go to the polls, it will be very clear to Albertans what this government stands for. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Electricity Prices (continued) Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On the weekend my wife and I looked at our electricity bill. My wife dug out the power bill from a year ago, and we compared them. We compared the bills, and she was shocked to see that, in fact, our power bill is double what it was a year ago.

I want to ask the Premier: why is she prepared to let ordinary Alberta families remain at the tender mercies of the big power companies, who are reaping huge profits, and force people to pay double what they were paying a year ago for their power bill? Dr. Morton: Mr. Speaker, I’ve already indicated to the House that the system we have has provided competitive electricity rates with all nonhydro jurisdictions. For the last five years it has averaged 8 cents a kilowatt hour.

Albertans should know that if they don’t like the regulated rate option, almost all customers have the option of a contract which will lock them in at a rate. Right now those contracts are running 8 to 9 cents per kilowatt hour. You can get them for three to five years. The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, you know, my neighbours and the people in my constituency and, in fact, all over Alberta are calling and e-mailing me about their power rates. Whatever the minister has said, the power rates are just way too high.

I want to ask the Premier: why is she not going to take action to protect ordinary Alberta families from these outrageous power bills? Ms Redford: What we know is that, as the Minister of Energy has said, with a deregulated market we are able to provide some o f the lowest cost electricity in the country, Mr. Speaker. Over the long term that’s very important. Sometimes with respect to markets we do see increases; we also see decreases. When we comparatively look over time, what we see is Alberta consumers having very competitive prices with respect to electricity. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr.

Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Just last week I was visiting some of my seniors in my constituency, and they raised the question of the power bills that they have to pay on fixed incomes. Power rates go up and down like crazy, and they’re wondering, you know, what the government is going to do to protect them from these rising prices, that they just can’t afford to pay. Why doesn’t the Premier have an answer for them? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the privilege of serving in a department called Human Services.

I was asked to do so by the Premier because this Premier focuses very much on vulnerable Albertans and how we support them. If there are any vulnerable Albertan s who are in distress because they cannot afford to meet their bills, Alberta Works and Alberta Supports will be there to help them. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie. Poverty Reduction Mr. Taylor: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

On Monday the groups Vibrant Communities Calgary and Action to End Poverty in Alberta released The Costs of Poverty, an externally reviewed study that shows that keeping people in poverty costs Alberta between $7.1 billion and $9.5 billion a year. If poverty were a government ministry, only health would consume more of the provincial budget. Will the Premier commit today to do the right thing and the fiscally responsible thing and invest in a poverty reduction strategy? The Speaker: The hon. the Premier. Ms Redford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report on Monday was very interesting.

I think it gathered a lot of information that many of us who’ve been active on these issues have known for many years. We know that it’s the right thing to do not only because it has an economic interest for us but also because we want to make sure we’re supporting vulnerable Albertans. That’s why we created the Ministry of Human Services, so that we had the ability under a very strong minister to bring services together to develop policy and to create a social policy framework. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier.

Since the approach to poverty that she inherited, a system of benefits and services for the poor which it sounds as though she w ants to continue, actually keeps people poor rather than giving them a hand up, will she follow the recommendation of the former Standing Committee on the Economy and ask people who’ve had the experience of living poor what they need to get themselves out of the poverty trap? Mr. Hancock: Mr. Speaker, we’re on precisely that trail with our social policy framework discussions.

Over the past two months I’ve been meeting with people who deal with social agencies across the province as well as people engaged in business. We’re also going to be talking with people who are actually in poverty and people who are the recipients of social agencies as we move forward to develop a social policy framework which deals with both how you help people in need and how you pre vent the situation where people get to need. [interjection] The Speaker: The hon. member, please. We’ll get to the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre in question 17. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier.

I keep hearing about this social po licy framework, and I’m hoping that all you’re doing is hanging a different name on a poverty reduction strategy because maybe you think it’ll sell better that way. Given that Calgary reported its first homeless population decrease in 20 years this week, w ill the Premier acknowledge that the 10 -year plan to end homelessness is working and, since housing is part, as is electricity deregulation, of the poverty

10 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 picture, make the same commitment to poverty reduction that her government has admirably made to ending homelessness? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the 10 -year action plan to end homelessness is working across this province, and it is a model. It’s a model of how social agencies can work with government and community to create the opportunity for individual Albertans to be successful, and it’s working.

Unfortunately, it’s probably the poverty reduction strategy that should be renamed because it is broader than just poverty reduction. It’s about how people balance that income gap and those other things which affect social cohesion and how govern- ment and community work together to help people stay out of poverty as well as to get the tools they need to support themselves and their families and to be contributing citizens. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathcona, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Ambulance Services Mr. Quest: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is to the Minister of Health and Wellness. We’re almost three years into the transition of ambulance service from the municipalities to the province, yet I in Strathcona and the Member for Sherwood Park, I know, and many of my colleagues here continue to hear about problems with response times, consolidation, and dispatch. Can the minister please tell us when these problems will be solved and Albertans will see a more seamless ambulance service? Mr. Horne: Thank you to the hon. member for the question. I think it’s important to note that we have seen improvement over the last three years in Alberta.

In the case of Edmonton, for example, I had the opportunity to go on a ride -along with EMS staff here a couple of weeks ago, and I was pleased to see some of the advances that have been made in dispatch, the opportunities for EMS staff to hand off patients to other crews to reduce their waiting time and allow them to get back on the road. That said, there are many challenges, Mr. Speaker. I think the first improvement in the discussion about this issue will be with better data. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Quest: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My supplemental to the same minister.

We’ve heard about lots of challenges, especi ally here in the capital region. Can the minister tell us what he personally has done to ensure that the people of Edmonton continue to receive a higher quality ambulance service as this transition continues? Mr. Horne: Well, Mr. Speaker, a number of thing s have been done already. In the case of Edmonton we know that additional stations are needed, and plans are in place to open an additional five stations over the next few years. In addition to that, we need to ensure that we have adequate numbers of staff on the road.

All the while I think it’s important that we recognize that the volume of visits in our emergency departments is increasing. In the last six months alone the volume of ED visits in Edmonton is up as much as 20 per cent. So while we continue to make improvements in resources that are allocated to EMS workers, we also have to continue our work to reduce waiting times in the emergency department. The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Mr. Quest: No supplemental. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar, followed by the hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. 2:10 PC Party Benefit Plan Trust Mr.

MacDonald: Thank you. In Alberta donations to political parties are eligible for a tax credit of up to 75 per cent, a benefit that costs the Treasury as much as $5 million each year. My first question is to the Premier. Do donations to the PC Party fund the Premier’s salary top -up, also known as the benefit plan trust? Those donations are eligible for at least a partial tax credit. The Speaker: Well, we’re on the edge here, but if you wish to proceed, proceed. Okay. Second question, please. Mr.

MacDonald: Again to the Premier: why is it necessary to top up your $215,000 annual salary with a benefit plan trust that is subsidized by the taxpayers of this province? Is your power bill that high? Ms Redford: I vividly recall this discussion from last session, and I very clearly said at that time that this trust that this hon. member is referring to is not a trust that I have any knowledge of. It is not possible for me to answer questions about it. It is not something that touches my life in any way.

I have no answer to the question because it is not connected to me as either Premier of the province or Leader of the PC Party, Mr. Speaker. Mr. MacDonald: Again, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier: given that the former Premier, the hon. Member for Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville, had a benefit plan trust set up for him from the PC Party, are you telling this House and taxpayers across the province that you are not to receive a benefit plan trust as the former Premier did? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, I will say, as I said two minutes ago and as I said all of last fall, that I do not receive a salary top -up.

I do not receive anything remotely related to anything that the hon. member is referring to. Whatever may have come before with respect to those arrangements has nothing to do with me. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View. Impaired Driving Ms Pastoor: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation regarding the impaired driving legislation. Certainly there is support for it in my constituency, and they have certainly gotten the message about drinking and driving. No one wants to get hit or killed by a drunk driver.

At the same time I’m getting lots of questions about how it will work, when it’s coming forward, how it will be implemented, and whether it’s okay to have a drink with dinner. Can the minister offer some clarification to these questions? The Speaker: Hon. minister, try one. Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, this legislation is about making our roads safer for all Albertans. Let me clarify that this does not change the limits and what it means to be impaired. This also does

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 11 not prevent an individual from having a drink or going out after work with friends or with family. The only thing that’s been changed . . . The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps the minister can continue that. Also, which part of the legislat ion is going to go first? You’re obviously targeting criminal offe nders and repeat offenders the most. So which part of the legislation will be implemented first? Mr. Danyluk: Mr. Speaker, I’ve always tried to make it clear that this legislation will be implemen ted in phases.

What we hope will happen and what we’re working towards is to ensure that the .08 and above is dealt with or implemented probably at the beginning of summer. Also, the .05 would be implemented at the end of summer. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why will the penalties for the .05 to .08 take longer to implement? Mr. Danyluk: Well, Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure with what we’re doing that we do it right, that we get the tracking system in place.

More critically important, we need to ensure that there is a public education portion, and presently we are working with the hospitality and restaurant industry. At the end of the day this is to ensure that our highways are sa fer, and we are working with industry and with people in Alberta to make sure that this does happen. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View, followed by the hon. Member for Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Accommodation and Health Care for Seniors Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Certain phrases from the Speech from the Throne yesterday were very disconcerting for many Albertans, including myself, concerned about the future of health care in Alberta. The Premier has already indicated that she intends to encourage further privatization of long-term care and lift the cap on accommodation fees, which makes long-term care unaffordable for many Albertans. To the Premier: why would you choose higher costs for seniors’ care? Ms Redford: The hon. member’s suggesti on that this is the new order of the day is simply not the case.

What we have is the opportunity right now to create institutions that will be more than places for people to be housed. We are going to create homes for people who are going to be able to have a quality of life through the entire time that they choose to be in some form of continuing care and assisted living. There will be a number of options available for seniors – and that’s important – but no one will be left behind, Mr. Speaker. Dr. Swann: If they can afford – if they can afford – the new levels of care.

Is the Premier aware that study after study has shown that the introduction of private, for-profit health care leads to not only increased costs but reduced quality of care? Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, the suggestion in the hon. member’s question that health care would be privatized in any way is absolutely false. We have a system in Alberta where we have accommodation and we have health care that are combined and delivered in one facility. We will do very creative work that will matter to Albertans with respect to accommodation. No Alberta senior ever has to be worried that their health care will be impacted. Dr.

Swann: Well, Mr. Speaker, the Premier assiduously avoids saying that this will be publicly funded and publicly delivered. By so doing, it’s clear the agenda is private alternatives. Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, this hon. member’s conclusion is not connected to his supposition. The fact that we are going to have an accommodation system that will allow Alberta seniors choice while still taking care of all seniors is what Alberta seniors have said that they want. We in this government have guaranteed that publicly funded health care will be available for all Albertans, including seniors. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Bonnyville-Cold Lake, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Fish Creek. Athabasca Oil Sands Area Transportation C oordinating Committee Mrs. Leskiw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year the government signed an agreement with the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo committing to a number of initiatives intended to improve planning and co-ordination in the Fort McMurray oil sands region. My first question is to the Minist er of Infrastructure, responsible for the oil sands secretariat. What tangible progress has been made in implementing this agreement? [interjection] The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. Johnson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great question. The MOU is a very important agreement with both the government of Alberta and the Fort McMurray community, and we all know the pressures that they’re dealing with up there. To better co-ordinate and do forward planning, there were two main commitments in this MOU. One was to establish the transportation co-ordinating committee; the other was to es tablish an urban development subregion. Both of these w ould empower the community and industry to do better forward planning, and we’ve made some good progress on those. Mrs.

Leskiw: My second question is to the same minister. Who is on this new committee, and what is its mandate? Mr. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, the transportation co-ordinating com- mittee, which was announced in January by both the Minister of Transportation and myself and reports to both the Minister of Transportation and myself, include s representatives from the Oil Sands Developers Group, the municipality, the Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Fort McMurray Airport Authority, the Northern Alberta Development Council.

Really, it’s a formal mechanism for these groups to come forward and do forward planning, help with high-level prio rities and potentially alternative funding ideas on the transportation needs of the region. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mrs. Leskiw: Thank you. My second supplemental question is to the Minister of Transportation. How does the work of this committee tie in with the work done by Alberta Transportation?

12 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 2:20 Mr. Danyluk: Well, what happens, Mr. Speaker, is – I find it very interesting that the member opposite that represents the area talks about it being run by bureaucrats. In fact, the situation is exactly the opposite. I look forward to the advice that is coming from the committee that involves industry, that involves municipalities, that involves people of Fort McMurray to help decide what the transportation priorities should be. It is critical that we work with the community and not charge ahead with a plan that has no focus or direction. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary-Fish Creek, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. PC Caucus Meeting and Cabinet Tour Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are about how this government defines results -based budgeting when it comes to Bill 1. Albertans have a few ideas about what getting results for their tax dollar means. It means prioritizing spending on front-line services, supporting our health professionals who hold our health system together, and, most importantly, balancing the books. It definitely doesn’t include spending $70,000 on a government getaway to the Jasper Park Lodge.

Can the Treasury Board president then explain to Albertans how their two-day government getaway at the slopes is a priority for Albertans? Mr. Horner: Well, as the Premier said, each of the caucuses in this Legislature is allotted an amount of money to be used for their caucus meetings, their caucus retreats, their expenses as a caucus. In fact, some of the caucuses even pay members that are outside of their particular sphere of influence, in some cases some leaders and whatnot. These caucus funds are all monitored by the Legislative Assembly. Under your auspices, Mr.

Speaker, we have a set of rules that we must all follow, and this government caucus did follow those rules. Mrs. Forsyth: Sir, you didn’t answer the question. We’re talking about priorities for Albertans. Given that this government spent over a hundred thousand dollars of hard-earned tax dollars of Alberta families on a pre- election cabi net tour as the budget was already at the printing presses, can the Treasury Board president let Albertans know if that’s what they call getting results for Albertans? Mr. Horner: Mr. Speaker, I recall being on several cabinet tours.

In fact, the only reason I missed the last cabinet tour was that I stepped down from cabinet to run for the leadership of our party. I can tell you that the tour last February was very well received by Albertans because they want us to be out there with them, not stuck in here all the time. They want us to be in their community, to be talking to them directly every year. We will continue to do that. Mrs. Forsyth: Mr. Treasury Board President, that’s your job as an MLA. How can you, Mr.

Treasury Board President, even rationalize spending over $170,000 in the last month, and how can you even consider that a priority for Albertans? Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, Albertans have told us that their priority is for us to listen to them. That means getting into their communities and talking to them, and that’s exactly what we did. We will continue to do that. The next election is four years away. We’re not going to stop talking to them. The next election is four months away. We’re not going to stop talking to them. We’re going to continue. Aboriginal Education Mr.

Hehr: Over half the inmates in our prisons are aboriginal. Yesterday’s throne speech said that this government will try to create educational opportun ities for our First Nations commu - nities, but the federal government, which funds First Nations education 30 per cent below the rest of society, has decided to build prisons instead of schools and handed us the bill. To the minister of aboriginal relations . It has become clear that this government will not stand up for Alberta when the feds are passing along costs for their insanity.

Accordingly, I’ll ask the minister to get a backbone and refuse to pay the bill for more prisons and demand that these millions be put into keeping people out of jail . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister, please. Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, this is a very inaccurate and unfair portrayal of what the federal government has done and is doing. As a matter of fact, I have to report to the Legislature that some three months ago I met with Minister Duncan, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.

We have decided to approach aboriginal education in Alberta together as partners, whether it’s on- or off -reserve, to share our expertise both in delivering education and in federal government aboriginal relations, an d to look at children as children irrespective of whether they live on- or off-reserve. Mr.

Hehr: I appreciate the minister’s enthusiasm for answering that question, but it was meant for the minister in charge of aboriginal relations when I asked him whether we’re going to pay for this insane prison program the federal government is running, or are we going to pay to put some schools on native reserves? Mr. Dallas: Well, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member raising the issue of education.

It allows us an opportunity to talk about the initiatives that are under way with the MOU, the discussions that we’re having with aboriginal leaders, aboriginal communities, the federal government, and certainly our ministries to advance very important issues around aboriginal education, critical issues to the people of Alberta. Mr. Hehr: So a follow -up question to the same minister: are we simply going to pay the bill, then, for these prisons? Are we not going to say anything to the federal government about this? Mr. Dallas: Mr.

Speaker, the issue of paying bills is not relevant to the initiatives that we have in that we’re working very closely with aboriginal peoples from around the province on to advance educational issues, recognizing this is an important pathway to achieving economic and social success for aboriginal communities throughout Alberta. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mackay, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Homelessness in Calgary Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Some research has identified Calgary as the centre of homelessness in Alberta due to the attractive job market but lack of affordable housing. A recent report on the state of homelessness in Calgary which says that the

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 13 number of people living on the streets in Calgary is down 11.4 per cent is certainly very, very good news. To the Minister of Human Services: how do you plan to ensure that this number continues to decrease and keep the momentum in this positive direction? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Indeed, the preliminary count results that came out this week in Calgary are very, very encouraging.

By the straight numbers that’s 411 fewer people on the street than the previous count, and we know that that’s about 4,500 people across this province who now have places to live and the opportunity to live in dignity, access to the programs that they need to be successful. We’re going to continue that good work with the community agencies and the municipalities across this province. The action on homelessness is working. Ms Woo-Paw: Can the minister comment on the accuracy of this number in response to the recent criticism that this year’s count took place on a frigid January evening rather than in May? Mr.

Hancock: Well, no, Mr. Speaker, I can’t comment on the methodology that was used, but I can say this. On that frigid day that the count was done, approximately 98 per cent of the homeless were in some form of shelter. That was good news, that the people who were homeless were being appropriately taken care of so that they weren’t out in that bitter weather. I do know that the Homeless Foundation is also planning to do a summer count. The Speaker: The hon. member? The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity, followed by th e hon. Member for Calgary-East. Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Mr.

Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday’s speech from the throne paid lip service to finding “new and effective ways to reach out to vulnerable Albertans.” Meanwhile, a promise the Premier made during the Progressive Conservative leadership race last summer remains unfulfilled. To the Minister of Seniors. The Premier promised to increase assured income for the severely handicapped benefits by $400 a month and to double the amount recipients can earn before the government claws back their payments. AISH recipients want to know: when will the Premier’s promise becoming a reality? The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. VanderBurg: Thank you for that question. Mr. Speaker, the most vulnerable Albertans do receive great services today, and I expect in the near future we’ll hear lots of news about receiving even better service. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you. Again to the Seniors minister: given the high cost of living in this province, will this government consider indexing AISH payments to the cost of accommodation and food? Mr. VanderBurg: Well, Mr. Speaker, the member is right. There are vulnerable Albertans in many situations that are very, very difficult.

Today’s $1,188 top-up is not enough, and we have to do something. I’ve heard very, very clearly from the Premier and from my caucus to get to work on this issue. Wait till tomorrow, sir. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you. Given that AISH benefits were last increased in April of 2009, why has this government kept Alberta’s most vulnerable waiting so long? 2:30 Mr. VanderBurg: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, 45,000 AISH recipients, all different types of needs: disabilities, mental issues, sometimes both. We have great services to help those individuals, and those services will be enhanced.

Listen to the budget very, very carefully, and let’s have a discussion next week about this. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-East, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Advocacy for Seniors Mr. Amery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The number of seniors in our province is growing every day, and in the next 10 years it’s projected that that number will increase by 55 per cent to over 650,000 seniors. Their needs and expectations are changing just as rapidly, and they will need help with concerns and problems they will face as they age. My question is to the hon. Minister of Seniors.

When are you going to put a seniors’ advocate in place? Mr. VanderBurg: Well, thank you for that question. This is one of the issues that became very clear and near to me. As past chair of the Seniors Advisor y Council I heard these concerns, and I heard these concerns reinforced by the Premier. I can tell you that together with my ministry staff this is one of the goals that I will be working on. In one year from now I commit: we’ll have a seniors’ advocate. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Amery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I am so pleased to hear this answer and the good news about the future.

Can the minister tell me what he and his ministry are doing right now to help seniors with their immediate concerns? Mr. VanderBurg: Well, thank you for that question again. Mr. Speaker, it’s not news to any of us that seniors’ issues and the seniors’ population are rapidly growing in this province. I know that with my own parents going through issues at the end of t heir lives, it took a lot of support from families and communities and from, you know, groups like the Seniors Advisory Council, our Alberta Supports line. We get a thousand seniors a day calling our Supports line, sir.

Just imagine: a thousand calls a day . It makes logical sense that the Seniors ministry work with other ministers to establish a seniors’ advocate. The Speaker: The hon. member? The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre, followed by the hon. Member for St. Albert. Environmental Protection Ms Blakeman: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday’s throne speech said, “The people of this province share a deep love and respect for its environment and natural resources,” but clearly this government does not. Not once does the term or even the idea of environmental protection get mentioned.

What we do see is the environment being dug up, clear-cut, and sold off. To the Minister of Environment and Water: how can this government claim that it

14 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 will protect the environment when every single reference in th e document, in the throne speech, talks specifically about how to develop it? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs. McQueen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Member, for the question. I would politely disagree with the hon. member. I think the actions speak louder than words with regard to the actions our Premier has taken and that we have taken with regard to environment al protection.

I speak to last Friday’s announcement, where I stood hand by hand and side by side with Minister Kent with regard to environmental management and how we’re going to make sure that we increase the monitoring with regard to the oil sands. That’s just one example of the many things that we’re doing to ensure that we have a balance in this province with strong . . . The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Ms Blakeman: Well, thank you. But I am talking about action. I’m not talking about press relea ses. I’m not talking about reviews. I’m not talking about possible plans. I’m not talking about vague budgeting.

I’m talking about environmental protec- tion. When are we actually going to see it, not a bunch of plans and weird budgets and vague comments? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs. McQueen: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would say that we had quite a bit of very positive response to that announcement because it is action driven. It is about taking action on the ground right away to make sure that there will be doubling of monitoring stations in the oil sands area, for one example.

The feedback we got from scientists, from industry, from academics was that this was a great announcement, this timely announcement, and let’s get on with it. That’s exac tly what we’re doing. We’re showing action in environmental protection. Ms Blakeman: Well, then, back to the same minister: why does this government, this minister persist in the fantasy that anything they do is world leading or world class or even action based when they were dragged kicking and screaming, their little feet pounding on the ground, all the way to the monitoring table by the federal government? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs.

McQueen: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll just allude to a conversation with Dr. Schindler with regard to the way we are moving forward so that we would have action here. The first step we did when we announced it was to make sure that we wouldn’t lose this spring season. We know how important the monitoring on this spring season is. We had a great conversation with Dr. Schindler and others, and they agree with that. Let’s move on with the monitoring this spring. Then let’s move on to the next steps of external bodies to govern this. We are taking action today, and we took action on Friday.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie. Wills and Succession Legislation Mr. Allred: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s very important for Albertans to have a well -prepared estate plan, including a will, to make sure their wishes are carried out after their death. To the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. I understand new legislation has been proclaimed that changes the rules for certain estate plans. Could the minister ple ase explain what impact this new legislation has on wills and estates in Alberta? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr.

Olson: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank the hon. member for the question. He will recall that this impor - tant legislation was actually passed over a year ago, in the fall of 2010, but it was just proclaimed February 1. This legislation modernizes wills and estate law that had not previously been updated going back as far as the 1920s. There are changes. I can’t possibly go through all of the changes that would impact Albertans, but there are some changes. Some may affect some Albertans; others may not. My best advice to all Albertans is to talk to their advisers and make a will.

The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Allred: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of my constituents have concerns that their current estate plans will be affected by a rule that would allow a surviving spouse who takes their matrimonial property from his or her spouse’s estate to also inherit from the estate. Could the minister please explain the intentions of this rule? Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, there were many consultations that happened both before the legislation was passed in the fall of 2010 and since.

One of the reasons for giving a year bef ore implementing the legislation was so that people in the industry, if I can call it that, could speak to their clients, speak amongst each other, and identify any issues. There was an issue, but there is a very important principle that has been developed in the consultation, which was that the spouse of a deceased should be no worse off when their spouse dies than if they were divorced. We are having another look at that issue. Mr. Allred: Well, thank you for that explanation.

Given that this inheritance issue can affect the estate plans of some Albertans, could the minister tell us what he is doing to resolve this issue? Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, I was aware and am aware of the concerns that had been expressed, particularly with respect to the transition. When we proclaimed the legislation as of February 1, we specifically did not proclaim the part that dealt with the amendment to the Matrimonial Property Act.

I have asked my department to engage in further discussions with experts in the area, people who are the front -line practitioners, so that we can reach an agreement as to how best to implement the new legislation. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Ellerslie, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Creek. Skilled Labour Shortage Mr. Bhardwaj: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. During my meetings with many business owners in my constituency of Edmonton-Ellerslie excellent feedback was received regarding what we’re doing well and what we need to work on.

One of the major concerns that was expressed to me had to do with the labour shortage that Alberta will be facing in the near future. My questions are to the Minister of Human Services. Given that

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 15 Alberta’s population is continuing to age at an increasing rate, what is the government doing to help attract and retain quality, skilled workers to our province? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is indeed a concern. I mean, we have the benefit, as we look around the world and see what’s happening in many other places and the unemployment circumstances there, that we have an economy that’s growing. Indeed, it’s a great problem to have. We do need more people.

We need more people because we have 19,000 people every year retiring as the baby boomers get older. I wasn’t anticipating that you would be one of those, Mr. Speaker. I anticipate that you will go on to long, more enjoyable practices for the good of Albertans. But we need people, so we need to engage aboriginal people, mature workers, women in nontradi tional occupations, persons with disabilities, youth, and we need programs . . . 2:40 The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Mr. Bhardwaj: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Attracting these workers to our province is one thing, but a number of my constituents have expressed concerns that a number of these workers are coming to our province and then leaving soon after. What additional programs are in place to make sure they reside in Alberta and become permanent residents here? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr. Speaker, there are two aspects to that.

One is that we do need to work with social agencies in our communities to help immigrant workers particularly, people coming from other parts of the world who perhaps need help with English as a second language, so that they can have the language of work but also so that they can settle into the community, have access to the schools, and be comfortable in the community. We need to work with them on those issues. We also, of course, have temporary foreign workers, and we need to make sure that those temporary foreign workers also fit well into the world of work and the communities in which they live.

The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Bhardwaj: No more questions. The Speaker: Hon. members, that concludes the question -and- answer period for today. Nineteen members were recognized; 106 questions and responses were given. We’re moving along quite well, so we’ll take a 30 -second break before we continue the Routine. head: Members’ Statements (continued) Provincial Fiscal Policy Mr. Hehr: What has been lost in the conversation regarding the Alberta Liberal platform is that we will probably balance the budget.

Let’s think about this for a second, not think about left or right but simply what is best for today and for tomorrow. Unless you’re totally going to dismiss the role of government, there are expenditures that need to take place: roads, schools, universities, police, ambulance, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and the hiring of people to work in these endeavours. Money to pay for these services comes from income tax, fossil fuel, and gambling revenues.

Currently these essential services cost some $40 billion a year: $12 billion from taxes, $2 billion from gambling, $10 billion or so from fossil fuels, and the rest are user fees and federal transfers and for the last four years by using the sustainability fund, which is now all but used. Take away resource revenues, gambling, and now the sustainability fund; it is clear we have a structural deficit. Since 1985 the Alberta government has spent over $200 billion in fossil fuel revenues. Despite this largesse at different times Alberta has faced cycles of cuts to services and spending of epic proportions.

See Ralph bucks. Furthermore, we have not saved a dime in our heritage trust fund, a fund that was set up to recognize that using all of our fossil fuel revenues to pay today’s bills would be like a landowner selling off pieces of the family farm to go on vacation. In our plan we show a way to provide essential services and a way of saving for the future, all this without increasing the taxes of 90 per cent of Albertans. This is a responsible position. Even if you believe in a tax advantage, there’s no need for a tax holiday. We will still be the lowest taxed ju risdiction in Canada.

If we carry on with business as usual, our citizens will be shortchanged, and future generations will be put at a disadvantage. Accordingly, I’m hopeful that tomorrow’s budget will address a more fair and reasonable taxation policy in order that Albertans can have a real conversation about what our future should look like before the election, not after. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Leduc-Beaumont-Devon. Black History Month Mr. Rogers: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to ri se today in celebration of Black History Month 2012. Every year since Canada’s Parliament passed

an act in 1995 to recognize these celebrations, Canadians from coast to coast to coast have taken pause to reflect on the many contributions of black Canadians from the dawn of our history to modern times. I’ve been asked many times: why the need to celebrate black history? My response: black history is really just Canadian history with a little colour. Mr. Speaker, we have much to celebrate from those who sett led on our east coast, whether they were Maroons from my homeland of Jamaica in the 1600s or came via the Underground Railroad, fleeing slavery in the southern U.S.

A large group came to Alberta at the turn of the 20th century and formed famous settlements such as Amber Valley, Campsie, in your constituency, Mr. Speaker, Wildwood, and Breton, west of my home in Leduc. Mr. Speaker, the descendants of these pioneers were not only great farmers and ranchers and ball players. They became great political leaders like Lincoln Alexander, the former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL, long before Grant Fuhr and Georges Laraque.

We have been blessed with great artists like Oscar Peterson; medical greats like renowned cancer specialist Dr. Tony Fields of Alberta Health Services; humanitarians like Dr. Fil Fraser, a chair of the Alberta Human Rights Commission and also a well -known author and broadcaster; and the list goes on and on. As the first serving member of our c ommunity to sit in this esteemed Assembly, Mr.

Speaker, it gives me great pride along with the Member for Calgary-North West , the second such member, to encourage all Albertans to join us and use the many events planned over the next month to learn more about the many contributions made by black Canadians. I’d like to congratulate all the volunteers who put these celebrations together.

16 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. Cabinet Tour Mr. Boutilier: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. A couple of weeks ago the Alberta government went on a cabinet tour at taxpayers’ expense supposedly to listen to Albertans, yet it was heavily criticized by Albertans, by the media, and even by the former Treasury Board president, now the independent Member for Vermilion-Lloydminster, as a ch arade. It’s so refreshing to hear Albertans who call a spade a shovel.

That being said, I witnessed 18 cabinet ministers come to my hometown of Fort McMurray, the oil sands capital of the world, in case they hadn’t heard. In fact, they didn’t travel highway 63. All 18 cabinet ministers flew in, unlike the families. We travel the highway. They should try travelling it sometime. I thank all the organizers of the Golden Years Society, who set up a meeting with ministers to ta lk about a long-term care centre that was promised four years ago but has not yet broken ground.

The Minister of Health and Welln ess, the Minister of Seniors, and the Minister of Infrastructure, the Member for Athabasca- Redwater, were all there. Interestingly, they heard from Mr. Dave McNeilly. He ended the meeting as an 80-year-old resident who is v e r y w e l l r e s p e c t e d . He built our community for over 40 years, and he’s a former school principa l. Interestingly, he told the ministers that he was one of the first six citizens who formed the Conservative Party back in 196 8 with Peter Lougheed.

But he remarked 40 years later that this government and these ministers are acting just like that governme nt then. They were no longer listening. The question he asked was: why are you no longer listening? It can be quite simple . Listen to us, the grassroots Albertans, and you will be rewa rded. He believes that because you’re not listening, you will be punished in the next provincial election. Sheldon Kennedy Mr. Groeneveld: Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to recognize an outstanding Albertan and a constituent of Highwood, Mr. Sheldon Kennedy.

Sheldon’s NHL career spanned eight years, including two seasons with the Calgary Flames. It was during his time in Calgary that Sheldon made the cour ageous decision to charge his major junior hockey league coach with sexual assault for the abuse he suffered over a five-year period while a teenager under his care. Mr. Kennedy’s story has resonated throughout the world, bringing much-needed attention to the problem of sexual abuse of young athletes. Being a victim himself, Sheldon has done a tremendous job of raising awareness for the past 15 years.

Through his cross-Canada in-line skating fundraiser, autobiog- raphy, and through Respect Group Inc., the company he cofounded, Sheldon has become a spokesman for many abuse survivors. He has continued tirelessly w ith his efforts and recently presented his ideas to both the Canadian government in Ottawa and a U.S. subcommittee in Washington, DC. Sheldon has urged governments and sports groups to make training mandatory for anyone working with children and hopes that actions taken in Canada towards this can be a model for other countries to follow.

It takes a lot of courage to speak so openly about this subject and his experience, and it’s hu mbling to witness someone take such a profound experience and transform it into the positive and empowering message Sheldon continues to share with all of us. 2:50 I would like to thank and commend Sheldon for the difference he has made and for shining the light on a very dark and serious subject. Today he remains a dedi cated volunteer for community fundraisers in support of all youth sports, charities, schools, hospitals, wherever he is needed.

Sheldon Kennedy, Highwood and indeed all of Alberta are proud to call you ours. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder. Helmets to Hardhats Program Mr. Elniski: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to applaud Alberta’s new partnership with the national helmets to hardhats program. This nonprof it program connects Canadian Forces members with quality career training and employment opportunities in the construction industry. Alberta, Edmonton in particular, is home to many veterans and military personnel making the transition from active duty to civilian life.

Approximately 5,200 men an d women on active service, disabled, or in the reserves leave the military each year in Canada. These soldiers are well trained and well prepared for a rewarding career in construction after their military service. Mr. Speaker, taking advantage of these skills will not only show support for the veterans in this province but provide a co-ordinated approach to ensuring that opportunities exist in the private sector.

Alberta has long been a leader in recognizing military certificates of achievement as the equivalent of trade certificates in 10 trades related to the construction, transportation, and hospitality sectors. Helmets to hardhats opportunities are not limited to on-site construction jobs or apprenticeships. Openings in administration, engineering, hum an resources, and other skills are part of the program. Mr. Speaker, I believe we have a responsibility to serve our soldiers as they have served our country. Programs such as helmets to hardhats help us live up to this responsibility.

Thank you. head: Presenting Petitions The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathmore-Brooks. Mr. Doerksen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a petition signed by many individuals from the constituency of Strathmore-Brooks. The petition reads: We, the undersigned residents of Alberta, petition the Legislative Assembly to: urge the Government of Alberta to commit to having Highway #1 continue to pass through the Town of Strathmore, following its present route, and to abandon all plans to have Highway #1 by-pass the Town of Strathmore. Thank you very much. head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: Hon.

Member for Edmonton-Centre, do you have one for the hon. Leader of the Official Opposition? Ms Blakeman: I do, and I have several for myself. The Speaker: Go ahead. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m tabling on behalf of the Leader of the Official Opposition a document that he and the rest of us consider truly bold and visionary and which

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 17 would improve the lives of Albertans, the 2012 Alberta Liberal platform. I will table that for your entertainment and education. Further, I have sev eral tablings from constituents. The first is from Barry Cattapan, who is asking the question again: will the Premier stick to her promise and raise the AISH money, and when would that be happening? That’s from Barry. The second tabling is from a constituent, Anna Koop. She is a computer science graduate and is very concerned over the cuts to the University of Alberta and the effect that has on the quality of education.

My third tabling is not from a constituent; it is from a frequent correspondent. She i s writing about why Spray Lakes Sawmills has been given permission to clear -cut in the Castle when that is supposed to be a protected area and goes on to talk about the effect on the bears, which are black and grizzly bears. My next tabling is a wonderful document called Poverty Costs: An Economic Case for a Preventative Poverty Reduction Strategy in Alberta.

This document was launched either last week or Monday – I’m sorry; I can’t remember – and was put together by both the Vibrant Communities Calgary, w hich is the city of Calgary, and Action to End Poverty in Alberta, which is a provincial organization. My thanks to Joe Ceci and the rest of the advisory council, writers, and researchers for this document. Very useful and valuable for us. My final tabling, Mr. Speaker, is another document that has come from a great deal of community consultation, and this was produced and released in the city of Edmonton last week.

It is the report of the Community Sustainability Task Force dated February 2012. The members of this task force included Michael Phair, Teresa Spinelli, Councillor Batty, Barbara Fung, Nancy MacDonald, Tegan Martin- Drysdale, Simon O’Byrne, Jana O’Connor, Trustee Cindy Olsen, Trustee Catherine Ripley, Christopher Smith, Rosalind Smith, Michael Splinter, Brian Staples, David Veitch, and Peter Wong. It’s a very wide group of people in the city, the school boards, and the community, and I thank them very much for their work. It’s how to rebuild the centre of Edmonton. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two sets of tablings. The first comes from a lady by the name of Marilyn Marks, who has been an advocate for grandparents’ rights and grandchildren’s rights. Marilyn has created a website, which is www.albertagrandparents.ca, and has an e-mail address, albertagrandparents@shaw.ca. In working with Marilyn over the years, I’ve brought forward the motion on a unified family court and tried to better the lives of both grandparents and their grandchildren. My second tabling, Mr.

Speaker, consists of e -mails and four letters from the following individuals who are seeking the preservation of the Castle wilderness, many of whom have personally visited the Castle and all of whom believe that clear - cutting will damage the ecology, watershed, wildlife, and natural species and must be prohibited at all costs.

These particular messages come from Jim Pissot, Hilah and Norman Simmons, Eileen Kosior, Bev Mazurick, Adam Storms, Marion Wright, Judy Huntley, Jeff Grossman, Brad Jone s, Brian Horejsi, Derek Thompson, Madeline Wilson, Richard Burke, Ross McLean, John Groeneveld, Dorothy Dickson, Pam York, Daphne Smith, and Nicole Baker. They’re the first of a series that I’ll be tabling. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona, do you have one on behalf of the hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands- Norwood? Ms Notley: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On behalf of the Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood I’d like to table the appropriate number of copies of a petition signed by at this point 1,200 Albertans. The petition reads: “We, the undersigned residents of Alberta, petition the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to take immediate action to regulate electricity prices, recognizing that electricity is an essential service.” Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Government House Leader. Mr. Hancock: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In anticipation of Government Motions later in the afternoon but for the benefit of members I wanted to table a calendar relative to the anticipated budget main estimates schedule, which identifies where the various committees would meet and which committees are dealing with which budgets. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. Ms Blakeman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sorry; I made a mistake. I omitted the participation of the province of Alberta in the Elevate report of the Community Sustainability Task Force. My apologies to the Minister of Human Services, who participated in funding this project.

The Speaker: Hon. members, Standing Order 7(7) says, “At 3 p.m. the items in the ordinary daily routine will be deemed to be concluded and the Speaker shall notify the Assembly.” We have only one item left in here which may or may not be pertinent to the cause. If somebody would request to waive that, we would then be able to go to the next section, Tablings to the Clerk. Hon. Members: Agreed. head: Tablings to the Clerk The Clerk: I wish to advise the House that the following documents were deposited with the office of the Clerk. On behalf of the hon. Mr.

Lukaszuk, Minister of Education, a memorandum dated December 22, 2011, from the hon. Mr. Lukaszuk, Minister of Education, to the hon. Mr. Kowalski, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, providing information on how each school jurisdiction used its portion of the additional $107 million in funding and a letter dated December 20, 2011, from the hon. Mr. Lukaszuk, Minister of Educatio n, to Mr. Anderson, the hon.

Member for Airdrie-Chestermere, responding to a question raised during Oral Question Period on December 6, 2011, regarding the selection of appropriate instructional resources in Alberta schools. 3:00 head: Orders of the Day head: Government Motions 2. Mr. Hancock moved:

Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly resolve into Committee of the Whole, when called, to consider certain bills on the Order Paper. The Speaker: This motion is not debatable. [Government Motion 2 carried]

18 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 3. Mr. Hancock moved:

Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly resolve into Committee of Supply, when called, to consider supply to be granted to Her Majesty. The Speaker: Once again this motion is not debatable. [Government Motion 3 carried] Consideration of Main Estimates 6. Mr. Hancock moved:

Be it resolved that the following procedures apply for the consideration of the 2012-2013 main estimates.

(1) When they are laid before the Assembly, the main estimates stand referred to Committee of Supply and the policy field committees as outlined in the attached schedule.

(2) Standing Order 59.01(4) shall apply to consideration of the main estimates in policy field committees and in Committee of Supply except that after the time allocated to the third party in suborder (4)(c), (

a) for the next 20 minutes the members of the fourth party and the minister or the member of Executive Council acting on the minister’s behalf may speak, and (

b) for the next 20 minutes the members of any other party represented in the Assembly or any independent members and the minister or the member of Executive Council acting on the minister’s behalf may speak.

(3) Standing Order 59.01(5) and (6) shall apply with any necessary modifications to the consideration of main estimates in Committee of Supply.

(4) Each department’s estimates shall receive a minimum of three hours’ consideration except for the estimates of Executive Council, which shall receive a minimum of two hours’ consideration.

(5) When a department’s estimates are considered by Committee of Supply, the committee’s consideration shall continue until it is complete notwithstanding standing orders 3(1) and 4.

(6) A policy field committee shall commence its consideration of a department’s estimates at 6:30 p.m. or, if the Assembly has adjourned later than 6 p.m., one half -hour after the Assembly adjourns for the day.

(7) After the Committee of Supply has concluded its consideration of a department’s estimates, the committee rises and reports progress without question put. All votes on a department’s estimates in Committee of Supply stand deferred until the date scheduled for the vote on the main estimates.

(8) The Committee of Supply shall vote on the main estimates on the evening of March 13, 2012, commencing at 7:30 p.m.

(9) Standing orders 59.01(1), (2), and (3), 59.03(3) and (4), and 60(1) shall not apply to the consideration of the 2012-2013 main estimates. Schedule, 2012-2013 Main Estimates February 9: Budget Address. February 14, evening: Justice and Attorney General, Public Health and Safety PFC; Intergovernmental, International and Aboriginal Relations, Energy PFC. February 15, evening: Municipal Affairs, Community Development PFC; Service Alberta, Finance PFC. February 21, afternoon: Finance, Committee of Supply. February 21, evening: Sustainable Resource Development, Energy PFC; Seniors, Public Health and Safety PFC.

February 22, afternoon: Executive Council, Committee of Supply. February 22, evening: Energy, Energy PFC; Culture and Community Services, Community Development PFC. March 5, evening: Solicitor General and Public Security, Public Health and Safety PFC; Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Community Development PFC. March 6, afternoon: Education, Committee of Supply. March 6, evening: Infrastructure, Fin ance PFC; Advanced Education and Technology, Education PFC. March 7, afternoon: Health and Wellness, Committee of Supply. March 7, evening: Environment and Water, Energy PFC; Treasury Board and Enterprise, Finance PFC.

March 12, evening: Agriculture and Rural Development, Energy PFC; Transportation, Finance PFC. March 13, afternoon: Human Services, Committee of Supply. March 13, evening: main estimates votes, Committee of Supply. Mr. Hancock: Mr. Speaker, I would move Government Motion 6, which deals with the consideration of the main estimates, in the manner in which it is printed in the Order Paper. The Speaker: This motion is debatable. The hon. Official Opposition House Leader. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I do have considerable difficu lties with where we have arrived for our budget debates at this point in time. Having served for I think this is now my 16th budget, I’ve been through a number of permutations of how these are considered. I think people in here are pretty well aware that I obey the rules. I actually embrace the rules. I think they’re a way of us getting business done in this House, and for the most part – well, actually always – I obey them. If I don’t like them, you’re going hear me talk about it, and here we are. I’m going to talk about it.

At this point I seriously considered not participating in the budget debates this year because I have found that the process has reached a point where it’s just not useful in the amount of information that we are able to pull out of the ministers, the amount of time that we have to actually have a back -and-forth debate. It’s not a meaningful process anymore, and that grieves me. I want this process to work. I want my constituents to be able to read the Hansard and understand what went on.

But right from the way the budget documents are presented nowadays – honestly, there is one line for Alberta Health Services for a $17 billion expenditure. One line. No breakdown, no listing of services, no listing of programs, no division anywhere down from that. How are any of us supposed to try and debate that? That’s not only me, but it’s members of your own caucus. I agree absolutely with the Minister of Finance that it is akin to something that comes out of the back end of a horse. I absolutely agree. He’s putting that very well on my behalf. Thank you for that.

I hear in the throne speech that the Premier would like to revisit the entire way we do this, and I hope that is true. I hope that we do get a revamped way of doing this that is more useful to members

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 19 of the opposition, members of the media, and members of all parties that are in this House, because I have to say that where we’re at now is so close to useless that I am really quite frustrated with it. What we have before us now are a num ber of sort of restatements of the way we work through the budget debates in the policy field committees and the agreements about how much time different parties get to talk about it.

I, in fact, negotiated some of this, but it really is a negotiation of diminishing returns, at the point where the Official Opposition has one hour – and half of that is allocated back to the minister – to try and debate a budget. No matter how large or how small or how controversial or how many people are affected by a budget , you get one hour, and you’re getting approximately half of that. When you have ministers who are literally trained to not give you any kind of meaningful answer, it really just does become a silly game.

I think that’s a terrible thing to be saying about a budget process in a province as wealthy as Alberta with as much possibility and opportunity as Alberta. Government Motion 6, as I said, lays out how much time everybody gets to speak. Please, you know, people that are following along at home, pick this up and read it. Go online and look at what this actually says. Really, members of the other opposition parties get 20 minutes to talk about any given ministry. Twenty minutes. Oh, yeah, there’s a bit of time at the end, and anybody can go for it, but that’ s when all of the backbenchers like to go for it, too.

So we’re all on a long list, trying to get in a few questions and, even more importantly, some concrete, meaningful answers. Not to be blown off, not to be trivialized, not to have my intelligence demeaned but to actually get some answers would be nice. You know what? Some ministers are actually really quite good at it, and there is a really good exchange. Some are not, and there’s no way to call them to account. There’s no way to make them come back and give you something after the fact.

For most of the budgets that we have to vote on at the end of this process we will not have received the answers to our questions that were promised to us at the time. So if I was waiting to hear why a given minister made a certain choice and that depends on whether or not I support that ministry’s budget and I don’t even get the answer until four weeks after I’ve had to vote on this, how is that a meaningful exchange? How is that a good debate, good transpar - ency, good accountability of what the government is putting in front of us? It’s just not. You know, we’ve got different changes in times for things now.

We start these at 6:30, after we have finished doing legislative debate until 6. If you’re trying to prepare for any of this, you’d better well do it fast. Of course, the government has an advantage on us there, and that’s just our tough luck. They’ve got three shifts they can run during this time; we’ve got one. So we’re likely to be on

schedule in the afternoon, on duty, and then also have to pound our way over to the Annex and leap into our seat and start debating a different ministry. Will I support what is now going on? You know, I have acknowledged that I have been part of the debate on this, but I have to st and up and say that I just cannot support this anymore. This is not meaningful. This has been perverted beyond the sense of a meaningful budget debate, and it does not allow in many cases now for even – we used to have budget debates, and people would come and sit in the galleries and listen.

I had dozens of seniors come for a Seniors’ debate once. Well, these debates: there are only a couple of them that take place in the afternoon, in daylight, in sunlight, in this Assembly, where it is possible for people to come and listen. Now, if they want to come at night, they can go to the Annex and try and get their way through security there and try and find the right room and squish themselves into a seat at the back. There’s no additional opportunity for them to get any kind of electronic assistance if they need to be able to read something or closed captioning or anything like that. It’s just unpleasant.

As a result, now we don’t have anybody that comes to listen to those debates. I just have to put this on the record. This process is not working, and I can’t support it. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Glenmore on this motion. 3:10 Mr. Hinman: Yes. I would like to reinforce what the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre has just said. I haven’t been here quite as long as she has, but I think in six or seven budgets it’s become more and more disappointing, first of all, in the informa - tion that we’re given. It’s line items.

As stewards of the taxpayers and how that money is being spent, there’s just no information there on what the breakdown is and how this is being spent. I find it quite amusing that the government is going to go through its own personal assessed-based budgeting. It’s just comical to me to hear them say that. You know, what have they been doing for the last 40 years? The process that’s set up, the amount of time that is allocated to the different members: it’s just almost meaningless to take the time to prepare, to ask questions. When you’re not the Offi cial Opposition, you even have less time.

Then the ministers, again, take up half of that time just pontificating in an almost laughable state on why you’re even questioning anything that they have in their budget. The process is not one that puts the int erests of Albertans first. I would’ve thought that with this Premier and her idea of new budgeting to get better value for tax dollars – I don’t think there are better eyes than to be more open with the books and to show the expanded items and how they’re broken down and where they’re being spent and the contracts that are out there. We could actually go through the contracts that are out there.

None of those things, Mr. Speaker, are available to us as opposition members. Again, the biggest problem is that the time to debate these different ministerial budgets is very, very short. The Premier today got up and said that, you know, she’s going to debate this budget and pass it, then go forward, when, in fact, there are enough holes in this budget that you could drive semi trucks with cash through there and not know where they’re spending it or how it’s actually being spent. Some Hon. Members: You haven’t even seen it yet. Mr.

Hinman: If past budgets are any indication of future budgets, we don’t need to see it . We listen to the Finance minister saying that we haven’t seen it yet. I wonder whether he’s seen it. It’s even more comical that they went out in February on a tour to say, “Oh, what do Albertans want in our budget?” when it was already printed. I mean, they’re talking about going through the budget and no unjustified increases. How can you know whether something is justified or not when all you have is a one -line item saying, you know: procurement for health equipment, $1.2 billion? It’s just ridiculous, Mr. Speaker.

So I, too, have to stand and reinforce what has been said by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre and say that it’s very disap -

20 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 pointing, the amount of time that is allocated to discussing the budget, but even more disappointing is what little information we actually have. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, am pleased to rise and outline concerns that have been similarly raised by the two previous speakers. I’m sure I’ve said previo usly in debate about the experience that I enjoyed being fairly closely involved in the legislative process in other jurisdictions.

I recall working very closely with ministers in the province of B.C., who were compelled to subject themselves and their min istries to estimates debate until such time as the opposition was finished asking questions. I know. It’s a shocking idea. In comparison, when I came here and discovered that we would be discussing $15 billion in three hours, I was really quite shocked. And I will say that having only been here since 2008, I never was part of this discussion. I’ve never actually thought it was particularly a functional process, and I continue to believe that.

This particular schedule, however, is even more offensive than what we’ve had to deal with over the course of my tenure here. When I first got elected, we would have one ministry a day, which in our caucus of two would allow us one day to prepare when you weren’t also debating legislation and one day, then, to partici pate.

Then about two years into it or a year into it we decided that we were going to have two ministries a day, which, obviously, for our small caucus meant that we were engaging in estimates debate and a thorough though very frantic review of the budget documents and background documents and annual reports and previous debates and media information and consulting with stakeholders and all that stuff every day because there were two of us. Now we have three ministries on a day. Quite frankly, Mr.

Speaker, regardless of whether we’re talking about the NDP caucus, which currently only has two members, the Wildrose caucus that has four, or the Liberal caucus with their eight, the fact of the matter is that this structure is a bullying structure. It is a struc ture that bullies the opposition into a process that is meant to look ever so slightly like it resembles a proper budgeting debate, an opportunity for members of the public to speak to their representatives and engage in significantly important decisions for the province of Alberta and the people of this province.

But it’s not that anymore, not with this particular structure. The change to three ministries a day makes, quite honestly, a farce out of the process, and under no circumstances could we ever vote for this schedule. Now, in addition, I’ve also raised with the House leader, as he knows, that notwithstanding attempts in the past to ensure that members of the opposition who have critic areas in more than one ministry do not have their critic areas do uble-booked, obviously, when you’re trying to fit three ministries a day into the schedule, it is not possible to avoid double -booking.

In my case for at least two ministries that I am responsible for as a critic, the debate occurs at the same time, Mr. Speaker. The Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development and the Ministry of Seniors occur at the same time, and I’m the critic for both areas. These are not minor ministries. These are ministries that have significant implications for the people of this p rovince. The Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development is responsible for the land -use framework.

While this government has done really nothing but meet and issue press releases on that particular area for a long time, the fact of the matter is that wer e they ever to do something on it, it would have profound implications for people throughout this province. The Ministry of Seniors is one of the areas that represents the biggest single failure of this government over the course of the last four years. It represents a daily reminder of a broken election promise from 2008. The money that is spent through this ministry is very important to a critically involved and engaged group of Albertans.

As the NDP critic for both of those ministries, I really am, of course, quite insulted by the fact that we are unable to adjust it so that I’m not double - booked. We hear a lot about, “Oh, well, this minister has an engagement in his riding, so we can’t have him that day, so it’s going to have to be a different day” and whatever the case may be. But at the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when you are scheduling three ministries on the same day, there are invariably going to be conflicts like that. That’s why we shouldn’t be scheduling three ministries on the same day.

That’s why that whole process, as I said at the outset, is a clear example of bullying tactics on the part of a government that has become so enraptured with the size of its own majority that it has lost touch with the importance of the work that is done in this Legislature and the amount of work that is done by members of the opposition in this Legislature on behalf of all Albertans, whether we represent them as elected representatives or not. Our parliamentary democracy is not a representat ive democracy.

It relies upon a robust opposition role on a daily basis regardless of what constituency you’re from and what group of people you represent. This process negates that role and shows a profound disrespect, frankly, for this forum within which that role is supposed to be played out. I cannot support this schedule, and I think that if this

schedule is any evidence of the new administration’s belief in transparency and democracy and citizen participation, then it is clear evidence that things ha ve not only not changed, but they are in fact deteriorating for the worse. So it’s a very unfortunate day that we have to address this motion. I’m sure the government will use its majority to pass it, but I think that it’s a sad day for Albertans who are concerned about participating in a meaningful way in these kinds of important decisions. Thank you. 3:20 The Speaker: Hon. members, Standing Order 29(2)(

a) is available, which affords five minutes for questions and comments. Would anyone like to participate under that segment? Are there additional speakers on this motion? Shall I call on the hon. Government House Leade r to close debate? Government House Leader. Mr. Hancock: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won’t be long, but I do want to indicate that, far from bullying, this process is quite consistent with what is in the standing orders, which allows for debate of estimates to be referred to the policy field committees, not more than two to meet at the same time. That is what’s happening.

What this really does is bring 75 per cent of the public spending back into Committee of Supply in the House, to be done in the afternoon in the full light of day. It was mentioned by one of the members of the opposition in speaking that this is somehow not being done in the light of day. Seventy -five per cent of the estimates in five departments in Committee of Supply in the afternoon: that makes it available to everyone who wants to come and be in the galleries or whatever. The committee rooms that we have are available for the public to come. Nothing is hidden there.

It is a perfectly valid and appropriate process to have 75 per cent

February 8, 2012 Alberta Hansard 21 of the estimates in the House, and then some of the other estimate departments, which are smaller in nature, go into the policy field committees as provided for in the standing orders. This motion doesn’t really change that much. It just allows for the same process to be used in Committee of Supply as is used in the policy field committees, sets the date for the vote, and sets the schedule. That’s quite an approp riate process notwithstanding the protestations of the members opposite.

What the members opposite are really saying is that they don’t have enough members to cover all th e topics that come before the House at any given time, and that ’s probably true. You know, it is difficult. All members in the House have to pick the topics that they want to debate on becaus e no parliamentary democracy, no Legislature in the world operates on the basis that every one of its members speaks to every one of the topics on the table at a time. Can you imagine the federal Hous e of Commons, with I think it’s – what? – 304 members now, having every member speak on every topic?

The Speaker: That debate is now concluded. [Government Motion 6 carried] Evening Sittings 8. Mr. Hancock moved:

Be it resolved that pursuant to Standing Order 4(1) the Assembly shall meet in the evening on the following dates: (

a) on February 13, 2012, for consideration of the 2011- 12 supplementary supply est imates, No. 2, to be followed by consideration of government business; (

b) on March 13, 2012, following the vote on the 2012- 13 main estimates and the report from Committee of Supply, for consideration of government business; and (

c) commencing March 14, 2012, every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for the remainder of the 2012 spring sitting unless on motion by the Government House Leader made before 6 p.m., which may be made orally and without notice, the Assembly is adjourned to the following sitting day. The Speaker: Hon. members, under Standing Order 4(1) this motion is not debatable, so I’ll call the question. [Government Motion 8 carried] Committee Membership Changes 9. Mr. Hancock moved:

Be it resolved that the following changes to (

a) the Standing Committee on P ublic Health and Safety be approved: that Mr. Rodney replace Mr. Ouellette; (

b) the Standing Committee on Energy be approved: that Mr. Ouellette replace Mr. Rodney. The Speaker: Hon. members, this motion is debatable if someone would like to participate. Okay. I will call the question. [Government Motion 9 carried] head: Consideration of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor’s Speech Mr. Fawcett moved that an humbl e address be presented to His Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor as follows. To His Honour the Honourable Colonel (Retired) Donald S.

Ethell, OC, OMM, AOE, MSC, CD, LLD, the 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 Honour for the gracious speech Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-North Hill. Mr. Fawcett: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m truly honoured to rise today to move acceptance of the Speech from the Throne given by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.

It is a privilege to do this on behalf of my constituents in Calgary-North Hill, which I have had the honour of serving, my neighbours, for the last four years. I would like to begin by thanking the Lieutenant Governor for both his wonderful words and his commitment to this great province. I would also like to thank him for formally beginning this Fifth Session of the 27th Legislature. Mr.

Speaker, His Honour’s distinguished career as both a member of the Canadian armed forces and as a military adviser and as a volunteer with humanita rian causes should be looked upon with the utmost respect by a ll members of this Legislature and of all Albertans. I also commend his dedication to continue serving the people of Alberta. The Lieutenant Governor stated that he arrived in this province in the early ‘50s as a young soldier and that he has observed first- hand how far we have come as a province.

His experience and insights are a testament to a long tradition of hard work and perseverance seen in Alberta, characteristics that have helped this province become a world leader in industry, research, and the production of natural resources. I would like to extend thanks and gratitude also to our hon. Premier. The past year has been an incredibly demanding year for her, and she has served in the office of Premier with integrity, fierce dedication, and unwavering loyalty to the people of Alberta.

Under her guidance Alberta continues to be a place with strong leadership, innovative solutions, and unlimited opportunity. Alberta not only continues to weather the lingering economic downturn better than any juri sdiction in Canada and North America, but it also remains a prosperous place to do business. I ask any member of this Legislature or any Albertan: where else would you rather be than right here right now in Alberta?

This is our province, and this is our time to shine, our time to secure the quality of life and prosperity of today for future generations, to which every human being on this planet aspires. While opportunities for this great province are plentiful, this government recognizes that building a land of opportunity for all comes with many challenges. As His Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor stated in the throne speech yesterday, “Albertans expect better and demand excellence.” The hon.

Premier has continued to listen and respond to what is most important to Albertans, focusing on the core building blocks of a great society, things such as education, health care, and main- taining a strong economy. This government recognizes that generations of Albertans have worked hard to create the many advantages that we enjoy today, and today we are obliged to do the same for future generations of Albertans, Mr. Speaker.

However, this government also recog- nizes that we face many difficulties in a modern society that requires innovative solutions, because exponential change is the only constant that we have today. Decisions that we make toward the continued prosperity of this province require a resilient and

22 Alberta Hansard February 8, 2012 dedicated vision, a vision with a clear purpose which has a healthy, educated, and prosperous populace at its core. Together this government will ensure that our choices will be deliberate and will help improve our quality of life and secure our future prosperity. Mr. Speaker, you as well as many in this Legislature would know that I was ecstatic to hear the Lieutenant Governor state this government’s commitment to establishing a long-term fiscal framework for our province.

This is something that I’ve long been advocating since being elected to represent the people of Calgary- North Hill. This starts with the Premier’s groundbreaking commit- ment to results-based budgeting as introduced by her as the first bill of this legislative session. Efficiency and responsibility are themes that I often hear at the do ors in my constituency, and I am sure they are echoed right across this province. This bill will challenge the automatic growth of spending by assigning funds where they are needed. It will require a zero-based budgeting process to ensure good value for taxpayers’ dollars.

Every three years each government department and program will come under close scrutiny as to the need, outcome achievement, and efficiency of its existence. 3:30 Mr. Speaker, myself and a number of my hon. colleagues in this Legislature have long advocated for such a robust and institutional review of government programs and spending. As a result of the leadership from this Premier we are now going to make significant progress and achievement in this area.

As someone who has significant professional experience in program evaluations and as the parliamentary assistant for Treasury Board and Enterprise I look forward to the poten tial impact of this on future generations of Albertans

Document details

Collection	Alberta — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20120208
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	L27 S5 20120208 1330 01 han.pdf
Language	en
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