Province of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fourth Session Alberta Hansard Wednesday, March 16, 2011 Issue 14 The Honourable Kenneth R. Kowalski, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fourth Session Kowalski, Hon. Ken, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, Speaker Cao, Wayne C.N., Calgary-Fort, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Mitzel, Len, Cypress-Medicine Hat, Deputy Chair of Committees Ady, Hon. Cindy, Calgary-Shaw (PC) Allred, Ken, St. Albert (PC) Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Anderson, Rob, Airdrie-Chestermere (WA), WA Opposition House Leader Benito, Carl, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Berger, Evan, Livingstone-Macleod (PC) Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Bhullar, Manmeet Singh, Calgary-Montrose (PC) Blackett, Hon.

Lindsay, Calgary-North West (PC) Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (AL), Official Opposition House Leader Boutilier, Guy C., Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (WA) 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), Official Opposition Whip Dallas, 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), Deputy Government Whip Drysdale, Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC) Elniski, Doug, Edmonton-Calder (PC) Evans, Hon. Iris, Sherwood Park (PC) Fawcett, Kyle, Calgary-North Hill (PC) Forsyth, Heather, Calgary-Fish Creek (WA), WA Opposition Whip Fritz, Hon. Yvonne, Calgary-Cross (PC) Goudreau, Hon. Hector G., Dunvegan-Central Peace (PC) Griffiths, 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 (WA), WA Opposition Deputy Leader Horne, Fred, Edmonton-Rutherford (PC) Horner, Doug, Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert (PC) Jablonski, Hon. Mary Anne, Red Deer-North (PC) Jacobs, Broyce, Cardston-Taber-Warner (PC) Johnson, Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Johnston, Art, Calgary-Hays (PC) Kang, Darshan S., Calgary-McCall (AL) Klimchuk, Hon. Heather, Edmonton-Glenora (PC) Knight, Hon. 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), Deputy Government House Leader 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, Diana, Drayton Valley-Calmar (PC) Morton, F.L., Foothills-Rocky View (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND), ND Opposition House Leader Oberle, Hon. Frank, Peace River (PC) Olson, Hon.

Verlyn, QC, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Ouellette, Hon. Luke, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (PC) Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (AL), Official Opposition Deputy Whip, Official Opposition Deputy Leader Prins, Ray, Lacombe-Ponoka (PC) Quest, Dave, Strathcona (PC) Redford, Alison M., QC, Calgary-Elbow (PC) Renner, Hon. Rob, Medicine Hat (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont-Devon (PC) Sandhu, Peter, Edmonton-Manning (PC) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC) Sherman, Dr. Raj, Edmonton-Meadowlark (Ind) Snelgrove, Hon.

Lloyd, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC) Stelmach, Hon. Ed, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (PC), Premier Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (AL), Leader of the Official Opposition Taft, Dr. Kevin, Edmonton-Riverview (AL) Tarchuk, Janis, Banff-Cochrane (PC) Taylor, Dave, Calgary-Currie (AB) VanderBurg, George, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne (PC) Vandermeer, Tony, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (PC) Weadick, Hon. Greg, Lethbridge-West (PC) Webber, Hon. Len, Calgary-Foothills (PC) Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC) Zwozdesky, Hon.

Gene, Edmonton-Mill Creek (PC), Deputy Government House Leader Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly Clerk W.J. David McNeil Law Clerk/Director of Interparliamentary Relations Robert H. Reynolds, QC Senior Parliamentary Counsel/ Director of House Services Shannon Dean Manager – House Proceedings Micheline S. Gravel Parliamentary Counsel Stephanie LeBlanc Committee Research Co-ordinator Philip Massolin Sergeant-at-Arms Brian G. Hodgson Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Caughell Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Gordon H.

Munk Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Liz Sim Party standings: Progressive Conservative: 67 Alberta Liberal: 8 Wildrose Alliance: 4 New Democrat: 2 Alberta: 1 Independent: 1

Executive Council Ed Stelmach Premier, President of Executive Council, Chair of Agenda and Priorities Committee, Vice-chair of Treasury Board, Liaison to the Canadian Armed Forces Lloyd Snelgrove President of the Treasury Board, Minister of Finance and Enterprise Dave Hancock Minister of Education, Political Minister for Edmonton Iris Evans Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations Mel Knight Minister of Sustainable Resource Development Luke Ouellette Minister of Transportation Rob Renner Minister of Environment Verlyn Olson Minister of Justice and Attorney General Yvonne Fritz Minister of Children and Youth Services, Political Minister for Calgary Jack Hayden Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Political Minister for Rural Alberta Ray Danyluk Minister of Infrastructure Gene Zwozdesky Minister of Health and Wellness Ron Liepert Minister of Energy Mary Anne Jablonski Minister of Seniors and Community Supports Len Webber Minister of Aboriginal Relations Heather Klimchuk Minister of Service Alberta Lindsay Blackett Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Cindy Ady Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation Hector Goudreau Minister of Municipal Affairs Frank Oberle Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Jonathan Denis Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Thomas Lukaszuk Minister of Employment and Immigration Greg Weadick Minister of Advanced Education and Technology Parliamentary Assistants Evan Berger Sustainable Resource Development Manmeet Singh Bhullar Municipal Affairs Cal Dallas Finance and Enterprise Fred Horne Health and Wellness Broyce Jacobs Agriculture and Rural Development Jeff Johnson Treasury Board (Oil Sands Sustainable Development Secretariat) Diana McQueen Energy Janice Sarich Education Teresa Woo-Paw Employment and Immigration

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 DeLong Forsyth Groeneveld Johnston MacDonald Quest Taft Standing Committee on Community Services Chair: Mr. Doerksen Deputy Chair: Mr. Hehr Allred Anderson Benito Bhullar Chase Johnston Notley Rodney Sarich Taylor Standing Committee on the Economy Chair: Mr. Bhardwaj Deputy Chair: Mr. Chase Amery Dallas Fawcett Hinman Johnson Lund Taft Tarchuk Taylor Woo-Paw Standing Committee on Health Chair: Mr.

McFarland Deputy Chair: Ms Pastoor Forsyth Griffiths Groeneveld Horne Lindsay Notley Quest Sherman Swann Vandermeer Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Chair: Mr. Mitzel Deputy Chair: Mr. Lund Bhullar Blakeman Campbell Hinman Lindsay MacDonald Marz Notley Quest Rogers Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Chair: Mr. Kowalski Deputy Chair: Mr. Campbell Amery Anderson Bhullar Elniski Hehr Leskiw Mason Pastoor Rogers VanderBurg Standing Committee on Private Bills Chair: Dr.

Brown Deputy Chair: Ms Woo-Paw Allred Benito Boutilier Calahasen Dallas Doerksen Drysdale Hinman Horner Jacobs Kang Lindsay McQueen Morton Redford Sandhu Sarich Taft Xiao Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Chair: Mr. Prins Deputy Chair: Mr. Hancock Amery Berger Calahasen DeLong Doerksen Forsyth Groeneveld Hinman Jacobs Leskiw Lindsay McFarland Mitzel Notley Pastoor Quest Sherman Tarchuk Taylor Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair: Mr. MacDonald Deputy Chair: Mr.

Rodney Allred Anderson Benito Calahasen Chase Dallas Elniski Fawcett Griffiths Groeneveld Kang Mason Sandhu Vandermeer Xiao Standing Committee on Public Safety and Services Chair: Mr. Drysdale Deputy Chair: Mr. Kang Boutilier Brown Calahasen Cao Forsyth Johnson MacDonald Rogers Sandhu Xiao Standing Committee on Resources and Environment Chair: Mr. Prins Deputy Chair: Ms Blakeman Anderson Berger Boutilier Hehr Jacobs Marz Mason McQueen Mitzel VanderBurg Select Special Ombudsman Search Committee Chair: Mr. Mitzel Deputy Chair: Mr. Lund Blakeman Hinman Lindsay Marz Notley Quest Rogers

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 385 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, 2011 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Good afternoon. Let us pray. As Canadians and as Albertans we give thanks for the precious gifts of freedom and peace which we enjoy. We give further thanks for the gifts of culture and heritage which we share. As Members of this Legislative Assembly we rededicate ourselves to the valued traditions of parliamentary democracy as a means of serving our province and our country. Amen.

Please be seated. head: Introduction of Visitors The Speaker: The hon. the Premier. Mr. Stelmach: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a man who has inspired millions of peopl e with his courage and his vision. Twenty-five years ago his Man in Motion World Tour did what many people thought was impossible. He rolled his wheelchair around the entire globe to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries. He showed Canada and the entire world what can be done when someone has heart, determination, and courage to make it happen.

Over the past 25 years his foundation has helped raise money to fund important spinal cord research that is changing the lives of so many people. Now, 25 years later, he is planning another Man in Motion marathon across Canada. He is honorary chair of the A l- berta Premier’s advisory council for persons with disabilities and is here today to raise awareness of his upcoming relay. He is seated in your gallery. He’s accompanied by Mr. Mark Aston and Nadine Jarry.

I would ask Rick Hansen to give us a wave and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. [Standing ovation] head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathmore-Brooks. Mr. Doerksen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two introductions to make this afternoon. First of all, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly members of the Brooks composite high school jazz band. They were in E d- monton thi s morning to compete in a jazz band competition and have taken the opportunity to come and observe question period with us here today.

They are accompanied by their teacher, Mr. Brian Stone, and parent helper Mrs. Karen Peters. I’d ask them all to rise and enjoy the warm welcome of this Assembly. They’re in the visitors’ gallery. My second introduction, Mr. Speaker, is to introduce southern Alberta irrigation districts representatives. They were in Edmo n- ton this morning to provide the Premier with an educa tional video series called The Story of Water Management on the Bow River . They are the chairman of the Bow River irrigation district, Mr. Harold Unruh; the vice -chairman of the Bow River irrigation dis- trict, Mr.

Ron Schlaht; the BRID manager, Mr. Richard Phillips; the chairman of the Western irrigation district, Mr. Dan Shute; a director of the Western irrigation district, Mr. Doug Brown; as well as the executive manager of the Western irrigation district, Mr. Jim Webber. They are accompanied up there in t he members’ gallery as well by Mr. Mike Scarth, who is the executive director of the Alberta WaterPortal, and Mr. Jim Dau. They’re all standing, and I’d invite you all to give them a warm welcome to the Assem- bly this afternoon. The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs. Mr.

Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s a privilege for me to honour a great Albertan who’s actually joined my office for the short term of a week, filling in for another staff member. Sherry Wynnyk works in the c orrespondence management unit at Housing and Urban Affairs, and tomorrow is actually her second anniversary with the government of Alberta. She’s a strong adv o- cate for animal rights, which makes for a lot of interesting conversation. I try not to hold it against her that she’s a fan of both the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Eskimos. Please join me in welcoming Sherry to this Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View. Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great pleasure to introduce to you and to all members two new friends from Calgary, Christopher Tahn and Vivian Jones. In 2005 Mr. Tahn volunteered in relief efforts in New Orleans, Louisiana, fo l- lowing the Katrina and Rita hurricanes. That experience inspired him to pursue his dream of providing equipment and services designed to mitigate loss of life and property from natural and man-made disasters through his company, EnviroDam Canada, a made-in-Alberta emergency service solution provider.

Ms Jones served first as a nurse and as an addictions counsellor at Alberta Health Services adult addiction services in Calgary. She perso n- ally assessed and counselled over 100,000 Albertans in her 30- plus years, focusing primar ily on skill development, group the r- apy, and addictions behaviour. She has selflessly dedicated her life to the health and well -being of others, and we’re grateful for her service. I’d ask all members to give them the usual welcome. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure to intr o- duce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly Eric Musekamp and Darlene Dunlop of the Farmworkers Union. As a paid farm worker Eric deserves the same protection from occupa- tional health and safety and WCB legislation as all other workers in Alberta. I’m glad that they’re here today to help us celebrate farm safety week. I would ask all members to extend the trad i- tional warm welcome. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is my pleasure to intr o- duce to you and through you to all members individuals representing the Alberta Federation of Labour: Joanne O’Hare, a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3550; Xavier Cattarinich from the Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre; Alex Shevalier, Calgary & District Labour Council representative. Our caucus had the pleasure today of meeting with these members to discuss women’s equivalency and women’s rights in the wor k- place.

I can tell you that they are truly remarkable Albertans, and I strongly believe that as a result of their efforts we are moving towards our goal of greater labour equality for women. I would like all members of this House to extend the traditional welcome to the three individuals standing.

386 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands - Norwood. Mr. Mason: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Legislature members of the Nigeria Association of Alberta. The Nigeria Association is a not-for -profit group established in 1985 by Nigerian -Canadian professionals with the aim of providing a conducive environment for their generation and future generations of Nigerians who want to make Edmonton home. The association helps nourish a united community to promote Nigerian cultural heritage.

I would like to welcome the members of the Nigeria Association of Alberta, who are seated in the public gallery, to the Legislature. I would ask that they rise as I read their names to receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly: Dr. Mike Afara, Ikechukwu Okoro, Dr. Bede Eke, Dr. Patrick Iroegbu, Wi l- liam Nwaribe, Cajetan Ngede, and Dr. Eugene Nnamani. I apologize for the pronunciations. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m pleased to rise today to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Legisl a- ture two representatives of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. We met today as part of the Alberta Feder a- tion of Labour’s lobby day and, like the previous member, had a good discussion on issues around women’s rights and equality. These particular members work in the building trades.

I find it interesting that as we are talking about the need to increase the number of temporary foreign workers and foreign workers in the province and at the same time have a huge wage gap between men and women in this province, we haven’t done more to increase the number of women in the trades. These women serve as a fabulous example. I would now ask Amber Gaddy and Robyn Schaapman, who are seated in the members’ gallery, I believe, to rise and r e- ceive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. 1:40 The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Sustainable Resource Deve l- opment. Mr.

Knight: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure and a surprise for me today to be able to introduce to you and through you to all Members of the Legislative Assembly a very good friend and colleague of mine that I notice is in the members’ gallery. Mr. Tom Burton has been a very long -time public supporter from the point of view of municipal represent a- tion, worked in the fire department in the community of DeBolt, worked tirelessly in th e recreation area with respect to that whole community around DeBolt.

I’d ask Tom to please rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly. head: Members’ Statements The Speaker: The hon. Member for Strathmore-Brooks. Water Management on the Bow River Mr. Doerksen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning a number of colleagues and I had the opportunity to participate in the pr e- miere of a new educational video series, The Story of Water Management on the Bow River . This premiere is timely as this is Canada Water Week, when all of us are reminded of the impo r- tance and significance of water to the things we do every day.

Water is a primary resource in southern Alberta as it is the lif e- blood of much of the economic and people activity in the region. Mr. Speak er, it was an eye for opportunity that initiated the construction of irrigation infrastructure on the Bow River more than a hundred years ago and has resulted in the dynamic and balanced development of this region in the interests of agriculture, industry, and people, and it is opportunity that will continue that growth into the future. Innovative, efficient, responsible, and i n- creased use of the precious resource, water, will make that growth possible. Mr.

Speaker, I would like to commend the Eastern irri gation district, the Bow River irrigation district, and the Western irrig a- tion district for their foresight in producing this educational series of videos and the Alberta WaterPortal for agreeing to host it on their website. It highlights for all Albertans a better understanding of the important linkages between rural and urban Alberta created by wise stewardship of water and the many benefits that have occurred because of conservation efforts on the Bow River.

I would encourage all hon. members to visit www.albertawater.com to view the videos and learn more detail about the story of water management in the Bow basin and trust you will encourage your schools and community groups to do the same. This high -quality video series very effectively links the proud history with the dynamic of today and a bright and optimi s- tic future for residents of southern Alberta. I would like to table a copy of the video series if I could, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark. Gender Equality Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today the Alberta Fe d- eration of Labour is making the government aware that Albertan women are falling behind in gender equality. This unfairness is felt at all levels of society as on average women earn 72 cents f or every dollar that a man earns, and Alberta women with university degrees earn only 67 per cent of the wages earned by men with similar degrees. At the same time Alberta families headed by f e- males alone are the most vulnerable, with the highest lone- parent poverty rate in Canada.

Alberta is the only federal, provincial, or territorial jurisdiction in Canada that does not have any institu- tional voice for women on women’s issues and gender analysis of policy. The Alberta government is lagging behind other provinces in acting to address gender inequality. Mr. Speaker, our province needs to improve family leave bene- fits and child care spaces so that women and our mothers may have the freedom to choose to raise their families without neg a- tively impacting their careers or the well -being of their children, our future. Women’s voices must be heard if this unfair treatment is to end.

We have a very distinguished history of women pioneers in this province from the Famous Five to the Hon. Lois Hole and many elected women in this Legislature today, some of them mi n- isters. Alberta used to be at the forefront of the fight for equality. It is time for Alberta to take that leadership role back in this nation. The Alberta Federation of Labour hopes that this government and all Albertans join together and take action now to end gender ine- quality. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder.

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 387 Nanotechnology Guinness World Record Achievement Mr. Elniski: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this m o- ment to tell the members of this Assembly about a recent technological achievement in Alberta. More to the point, this achievement has earned a spot in the Guinness book of world records. Specifically, Dr. Robert Wolkow and his research team members, Dr. Mohamed R ezeq and Dr. Jason Pitters, at Canada’s National Institute for Nanotechnology in Alberta have created the world’s sharpest object. They achieved this milestone using pa- tented fabrication technology.

Of course, we all know the importance of a fine edge on a tool. Well, Alberta really does have the finest edge possible on the smallest tool one could ever imagine. The world’s sharpest object is a valuable tool in the specific scientific discipline of nanotec h- nology, where it allows for more accurate electron microscopes. Many Albertans may be surprised to learn that nanotechnology research has been going on at our universities for decades.

Alberta researchers were in on the ground floor of this new and emerging science, and to help us stay ahead of the pack, our government continues to support nanotechnology research and commercializ a- tion. Mr. Speaker, the creation of the world’s sharpest object is only one of the exciting projects going on in Alberta’s nanotechnology community. Hitachi, the world’s leading manufacturer of electron microscopes, is working with the National Institute for Nanotec h- nology and the University of Alberta to commercialize improved instruments using these sharper scanning probes.

Acticoat ba n- dages using nanosilver particles are manufactured in Alberta, and they are used world-wide. GE is working with Alberta researchers to use nanotechnology in applications that reduce the environme n- tal impact of industry on our air and water. And right now students in Alberta universities and technical colleges are learning about nanotechnology and preparing for exciting careers in the field. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my thanks to Dr. Wolkow and his team. Finally, I would encourage all Albertans to learn more about Alberta’s burgeoning nanote chnology community at nanoalberta.ca.

Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mackay. Immigrant Nominee Program Ms Woo-Paw: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this week our government was proud to announce the changes to the Alberta immigrant no minee program. This change will not only make applying easier for temporary foreign workers with Alberta trade certification; it will also strengthen our province’s workforce. Each year the federal government caps the number of new AINP nominees to Albert a at 5,000. This relatively low number means that Alberta needs to make the most of our newcomers who want to live and work in this province.

That is why foreign wor k- ers who are classified under one of the 31 designated optional trades in Alberta are now able to apply directly through the strat e- gic recruitment stream without an employer’s application. Previously optional trades applicants had to apply under the e m- ployer-driven stream. This is a significant and positive change for temporary foreign workers in the optional trades. In the past these foreign workers would have to rely on their employer to apply with them for their permanent status, but the new change puts the future of the wor k- ers in their own hands.

If the worker falls under one of the 31 designated optional trades, they can apply directly to the program once they obtain certification from Alberta apprenticeship and industry training in their trade. Mr. Speaker, this is good news for TFWs and a big win for Albertans, too. Labour groups have also been applauding the deci- sion. I just spent an afternoon and lunch hour with some of the people from the immigrant service sector, and they’re very pleased with the change.

We are facing a labour shortage in the next few years, and making sure we have mo re certified trades- people as part of the annual 5,000 Alberta nominees will help us stay competitive in the global market as we enter the next boom. Details on the application process are readily available. Our Immigrate to Alberta information service can be reached at www.albertacanada.com. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: First Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. Patient Advocacy by Physicians Dr. Swann: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

These Tories are not interested in truth or transparency. The list of damning allega- tions against their culture of fear and intimidation in the health care system grows daily. Today Dr. Abilio Nunes, a staff anaes- thesiologist at the Grey Nuns, had this to say: I believe there needs to be a public inquiry, I have evidence that a culture of fear and intimidation d oes exist in the capital region, I personally have faced more than five years of intimidation for speaking out. End quote.

When will the Pr emier finally concede that the only way to fully address this government’s culture of fear and intimidation is a public, judge-led, independent inquiry, as called for? 1:50 Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, if you want to see a demonstration of an organization’s culture, you look to its leadership. There has been leadership through the three associations – Alberta Health Services, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Alberta Medical A ssociation – who issued a joint statement in terms of how to support patient advocacy by doctors and other health care workers.

Subsequent to that, there were bylaws that were agreed to by 90 per cent of the physicians. Over a thousand physicians replied to a poll in terms of the medical staff bylaws. It’s all in the staff bylaws. There is ample opportunity for any doctor to come forward. Dr. Swann: Mr. Speaker, we’ve gone way beyond a reassuring letter from Alberta Health Services. Will the Premier ensure that Dr. Nunes receives complete i m- munity from any disciplinary action for his comments condemn- ing this government’s culture of intimidation, or will he allow what was done to me to be done to Dr. Nunes? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, further to what I just said, there is also a letter that was distributed, signed by Dr. Chris Eagle and Dr. David Megran and Dr. Francois Belanger, that very clearly identified what the processes are for physicians and other front - line health care providers to provide evidence and advocate on behalf of patients. I will table those documents at the end of que s- tion period. Dr. Swann: Mr. Speaker, the Premier doesn’t get it. He needs to take a reality check and realize that doctors don’t trust Alberta Health Services to deal with th ese issues. They’re not indepen d-

388 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 ent. Sorry, Mr. Premier. Calling the cops is an absolute farce, and the only way to restore confidence is through a public inquiry. When will you do the right thing, sir? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, when you see someone stealing a car in the back alley, you don’t call for a public inquiry; you call for the police. If there’s anything that’s happening out there that is wrong, that’s where it goes to. A public inquiry? The Speaker: The hon. leader. Health Quality Council Review Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Health Quality Council review on wait times for emergency rooms and cancer patients is a necessary first step, but it cannot clear the air on the issue of i n- timidating doctors and financial misconduct. Only a full, public, judge-led inquiry can subpoena witnesses and provide immunity. Everybody knows this. The evidence of intimidation continues to grow, and Dr. Paul Parks said this today: the public have the right to fully deman d we get to the bottom of thi s. A nything less is unacceptable. End quote.

Will the Premier finally agree with the many medical experts and call a judge-led public inquiry and put this issue to rest? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said before, the Healt h Qual- ity Council will have the opportunity to look at any accusations that come forward, any allegations, this allegation about two sets of books. We have an honourable group. Alberta’s Auditor Ge n- eral has no evidence of any two sets of books. But if some body has some hidden books somewhere in Alberta, man, we’ve been at this now – for what? – since November.

You would think we’d be able to find them and bring evidence to the Auditor General or to the police. Dr. Swann: How hard have you looked, Mr. Premier? The Premier likes to call the Health Quality Council . . . [inter- jections] The Speaker: The hon. leader has the floor. Dr. Swann: The Premier likes to call the Health Quality Council independent. I’m sorry; we all know that isn’t the case. Who does it report to but the minister of health? How can you be called i n- dependent if you report to the minister? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, again yesterday this hon. member asked us, the government, to then make public a disclosure stat e- ment that was entered into by the Alberta Medical Association and the physician in question. We’re not even a party to that agree- ment, and he wants to give this government power to open up a personal disclosure document that we weren’t a party to. That is absolutely ridiculous. The Speaker: The hon. leader. [interjections] Actually, here’s how it works.

When the Speaker designates someone and that person rises, the television cameras go directly to him, his micr o- phone is live, and nobody hears anything else. Proceed, please. Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier has just given all the more reason to have a public inquiry. Will the Premier stop playing word games with the public and agree to a public inquiry that can define its own terms of reference and that can report d i- rectly to the Legislature. That’s what we’re asking, Mr. Premier. Will you do that, sir? Mr. Stelmach: Mr.

Speaker, as I said countless times, all of these matters will go to the Health Quality Council. This is a group of doctors and professionals in the fiel d of medicine. They have tr e- mendous respect in this province, have brought forward recommendations in many other areas that we’ve asked them to as the people of Alberta, and they’ll continue to do that. This is the best opportunity to once and for all deal with some of the wait time issues and cancer surgery wait times and, most importantly, get to the bottom of these allegations that have been raised in the House.

The Speaker: A number of quotations were made during the e x- change of these two first questions. I’d ask that the documentation be tabled this afternoon at the appropriate time. Third Official Opposition main question. The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. Settlement Agreements with Physicians Mr. Hehr: Dr. Ciaran McNamee was let go from his emplo yment as a surgeon and accordingly filed a lawsuit against this gover n- ment. Dr. McNamee believed that he was let go because he was advocating for his patients and that this was making the gover n- ment uncomfortable.

As a result of calls for a public inquiry, the need for it backed up by Dr. McNamee, members of this gover n- ment have given their

interpretation of what a statement of claim is, what a statement of defence is, and so on. It’s been a virtual law school class in here, Mr. Speaker. Continuing on that theme, I’d ask the Justice minister to tell this honourable House what a settlement is. Speaker’s Ruling Legal Opinions The Speaker: Look, you boys are both learned members of the Law Society of Alberta, and you lawyers like to do this sort of stuff. One o f the things that is not part of question period is legal

interpretation. If the hon. member who is a trained lawyer is as k- ing another hon. member who is a trained lawyer for an

interpretation, perhaps the two of you might just get together, have coffee, go for a walk in the park this afternoon, and we’ll move forward. Ms Blakeman: Point of order. The Speaker: I will invite the hon. Minister of Justice and Atto r- ney General to respond if he wishes. Settlement Agreements with Physicians (continued) Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, perhaps I could give just a general comment. In my experience people who make settlements are usually both unhappy. The person who received any kind of co m- pensation feels they should have received far more because they were right.

The person who had to give any compensation is very unhappy because they should have never had to pay anything be- cause they were right. The Speaker: That really clarifies government policy. You want to proceed with your second question? Mr. Hehr: It’s helping me a lot, Mr. Speaker. My question is again for the Justice minister. As a result of Dr. McNamee filing a statement of claim, a settlement was reached with him whereby

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 389 money was given to him to settle the lawsuit. Is that what ha p- pened? Mr. Olson: I don’t know. Mr. Hehr: My final question is for the Justice minister. It’s our understanding that a settlement was reached with monetary value. Is it standard practice of this government to settle claims where there’s no validity to them at all? Mr. Olson: As far as I know, the government of Alberta was not party to any such settlement. Agreement in Principle with Physicians Mr.

Anderson: Yesterday, when asked if the government’s rel a- tionship with Alberta doctors had broken down, the minister of health said that we now have an agreement in principle between the gover n- ment, Alberta Health Services, and the [Alberta Medical Association that] is a very positive sign that we are moving forward and that there is a relationship that is beginning to work. Mr. Minister, do you stand by that statement? Is the relationship between your government and our doctors a positive one? Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure if he quoted exactly everything that was there.

I don’t have Hansard just in front of me, but I believe what I said is that we have a working relatio n- ship and we’re working toward improving it, or words to that effect. The fact is that we do have a relationship with the AMA. They have a relationship with us, but they’re in the midst of neg o- tiations right now. Neither I nor the president of the AMA, to the best of my knowledge, is at the negotiating table. There are issues there that are very serious. As we know with negotiations, they take them seriously. Mr. Anderson: A good relationship, Mr. Speaker.

Minister, why, then, in a letter released 48 hours ago does the president of the AMA say that during the negotiations for this new agreement that you’re talking about, “for the first time ever – Government threatened the loss of programs and services to try and [threaten] physicians,” and that doing so diminished the ongo- ing relationship with the medical profession . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Anderson: Minister, please explain the misinformation you gave . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr.

Speaker, I want to call a point of order on that because I gave no wrong information yesterday whatsoever. What I’m going to be interested in is to see which parts he quoted and which parts he left out. That will be of interest, hon. member. What I did say was that we do have an agreement in principle and that the rep forum recommended that or sent it out or wha t- ever they did with it. They got it out to their members, and they’re waiting for ratification for it. My position on this is that I support those programs. I support those benefits for doctors . . . 2:00 Mr. Anderson: Yeah. Right.

You’re on top of those things. The Speaker: Okay. Let’s get on with the question. There are no

preambles. [interjections] Mr. Anderson: I know. It i s embarrassing. It is embarrassing for the government. I agree. Will you now call for a full independent public inquiry, with full judicial powers to get to the bottom of what has become a complete breakdown in the relationship of trust between Alberta’s health care professionals and this government? A total breakdown of trust, Minister, between the doctors and this government. Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, there’s no breakdown of trust. What there is is an agreement in principle.

I’ll tell you that what I find shameful is for this member to stand here and pretend to be a defender of health care when their chief strategist is out of the country trying to somehow take doctors from here to support a private hospital elsewhere. Explain that one to the public of Alberta. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands - Norwood. You’re recognized. You’re on TV. The mike is on. Patient Advocacy by Physicians (continued) Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You’ll find it a little harder to use that dodge on this party, Mr. Minister.

The minister keeps referring to agreements with the Alberta Medical Association and Alberta Health Services as an example of the wonderful wor king relationship that this government has with doctors. But to quote from the same letter from Dr. White, the president of the AMA: [The] Government threatened the loss of programs and services to try and intimidate physicians. And it repudiated the philo so- phy of collaboration and of shared responsibility and leadership that epitomize the current . . . master agreement. So, Mr. Minister, how can you continue to pretend that you have a proper relationship with the . . .

The Speaker: The hon. minister. The hon. minister has the floor. Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, what I’m surprised at is that that member doesn’t understand how union-type negotiations can sometimes go. They can go a number of different routes. I’m not going to inflame the situation any further. I’m sure the AMA has its reasons for putting things out the way that they did. Unfort u- nately, we’re not in a position where we can negotiate through the media. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Well, given that the doctors are saying that you’re intimidating them, the head of the Alberta Medical Association, and that the United Nurses of Alberta have added their voices to the call for a full and indepen d- ent public inquiry and given that the president says that intimidation is not new to nurses and that pressure to keep silent about less than desirable patient care conditions is common, how can you say that you have the confidence of anyone in the health care system? Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, what I can tell you is that Albe r- tans by and large do have huge confidence.

But I’ll tell you where confidence breaks down. It breaks down when unsubstantiated allegations like this start to create fear, fear for patients who are out there with their loved ones waiting for some surgery. They’re on a wait -list here, perhaps just like they might be in some other province. [interjections] If they would just shut up for a little

390 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 while and listen, that would be wonderful. [interjections] Well, Mr. Speaker, there are just so many interruptions. The Speaker: Okay. Please sit down. I want to make it clear again. The way this thing works is that if I give you permission to talk, the light goes on. The mike is on. Nobody hears anything else. You speak to me. I like to listen. I’m actually a pretty good listener. Continue, please, Minister. Mr. Zwozdesky: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I was saying, the point here is that we have an independent review, which this hon. member who asked the question asked for just a week or two ago. The Speaker: Unfortunately, we’ve now run out of the time all o- cated. The hon. member. Mr. Mason: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Well, given that the current Alberta Health Services code of conduct explicitly prohibits health professionals, including nurses and others, from speaking out publicly against what the government is doing if it affects their patients’ health and that it says specifically that they can be terminated for doing so, why won’t the health minister admit that his government is responsible for creating a culture of fear and intimidation in the health care system that has affected patient care? Mr. Zwozdesky: Simply because we’re not.

I don’t discount that there might be a few people who feel differently; however, it’s very clear here in the recently released Alberta Health Services medical staff bylaws, which this member should have a copy of, on page 38, where it says that “individual members of the Medical Staff have the right and the responsibility to advocate on behalf of their Patients.” And I applaud them for doing so. Speaker’s Ruling Tabling Cited Documents The Speaker: Okay. Before we move to the hon.

Member for Calgary-Currie, to the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Pr e- mier, the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere, the Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, and maybe the Minister of Health and Wellness: everybody quoted from documents. You’ve got about 35 to 40 minutes to have it all ready for tabling at the a p- propriate time. The hon. Member for Calgary-Currie. Health Quality Council Review (continued) Mr. Taylor: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Quality Council of Alberta, created by the government 20 years ago, a completely independent, self -supporting entity with a mission to promote the use of quality methods in both the private and public sectors, says that it is extremely concerned with the decision to charter the Health Quality Council to investigate recent allegations concerning the health care system. The QCA has reviewed the HQCA’s research on two previous occasions and described the 2010 sati sfaction survey and the 2009 ER patient experience r e- port as junk science. I will table those documents.

To the Premier: will he now do the right thing and call the full public inquiry that my colleagues in the opposition have been . . . The Speaker: The hon. the Premier. Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, as I have said countless times in the House and I continue to say, this matter is all going to the Health Quality Council. They will do a good job of evaluating all of the evidence and all of the allegations that are going to come forward once the terms of reference are set and the membership of that council is made public. Mr. Taylor: Well, Mr.

Speaker, given the QCA’s charge that the Health Quality Council pretended “that a 38% response rate on a discretionary sample qualifies as a random sample. It doesn’t” and that the 2010 report is “guilty of flagrant overreaching,” can the Premier perhaps explain to a skeptical public why they should trust the results of a Health Quality Council review? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, the Health Quality Counc il has the respect of Albertans. They’ve done very good work in the past, and they’ll continue to do that.

This matter is going forward to the Health Quality Council, and the sooner we can get it to the coun- cil, we’ll resolve a lot of these issues and just settle down many of the allegations, all of which have been totally unsupported by any evidence. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Taylor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the QCA says that it does not believe that these past efforts of the Health Quality Council have demonstrated the level of quality that would warrant entrusting it with this new and important investigation, will the Premier enlighten us as to how he expects this review of theirs to clear the air?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, in the direction that I gave the minis- ter of health, I wanted him to ask the Health Quality Council to look at waiting times in emergency, look at waiting ti mes in can- cer treatment, and look at how best to ensure that those waiting times are reduced given the five- year funding commitment that’s going forward, given the fact that we’re training 2,000 more nurses by 2012, all of those huge increases in not only dollars going to health but also in staffing. On these other allegations that have been raised in the House, we’re waiting for further proof. The Speaker: The hon.

Member for Calgary -Bow, followed by the hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Water Quality Monitoring in the Oil Sands Ms DeLong: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Last September Drs. Kelly and Schindler released a report that measured sno w- pack depositions in the oil sands region and made conclusions that caught the attention of many individuals, organizations, and esp e- cially this government. All of my questions are to the Minister of Environment. How do the conclusions of Kelly and Schindler differ from the monitoring that has been performed by the gov- ernment and other organizations?

The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Renner: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the most obvious difference is that the conclusions with respect to human versus naturally occurring contaminants were different. The report ite m- izes a number of reasons for that, one of which is that there were differences in sampling methods. There were differences in refer- ence sites. One thing I would like to point out to the member, though, is that the report also points out that neither of the reports actually dealt with the actual concentrat ions or their effects on organisms.

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 391 The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms DeLong: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Since these conclusions were so sweeping and significant, the Premier asked for an independent committee to be formed to review the data of this report along with that of the government’s. Did this independ- ent committee affirm the potentially significant conclusions made by Kelly and Schindler’s work? 2:10 Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, the panel concluded that each of the studies presents some use ful information; however, each also suffers from some limitations.

It applies to both the government studies as well as the academic studies. For example, the panel found that Kelly and Schindler made assumptions that may be too simplistic and may not have enough data to determine the true impact of the effects of development in the region. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms DeLong: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Suggestions have been made in conventional and social media, fuelled by opposition criticism, that the m ultidecade monitoring that government has conducted is invalid. Is this truly what the independent committee suggested in their report? Mr. Renner: Mr.

Speaker, the purpose of the report was to exa m- ine why there were different conclusions, not to come to s ome kind of a conclusion over who was right and who was wrong. As a matter of fact, yesterday I met with the committee, and they a f- firmed that, in fact, the historical data that has been developed by Alberta Environment and RAMP and others is based on soli d science, but they pointed out that there needs to be an opportunity for that research to adapt and to be a much more co -ordinated system to answer the questions that are being asked. Settlement Agreements with Physicians (continued) Mr.

MacDonald: During question period yesterday the minister of health suspected that there were severance agreements and payouts to some doctors. This was in regard to my questions about some of the doctors who stood up about the flawed health care system as promoted by this government. Now, to the minister of health: where in your annual reports can taxpayers find these se v- erance agreements and payouts? Is it in book 1 or book 2? Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, I had no

part in any severance agreements or settlements or wh atever else he’s driving at, but if he has something that qualifies for a motion for a return or som e- thing that qualifies as a written question and he wishes to submit that for that level of detail, we can try our best to find it or see if someone else can. Mr. MacDonald: Mr. Speaker, taxpayers certainly deserve an answer from this government. Again to the minister of health. You, sir, are responsible. You’re the one that signs off on ever y- thing. Why does this government continue to conceal the details around these severance agreements and payouts?

What are you hiding from taxpayers? Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, there are innuendos in that ques- tion which really don’t even deserve an answer of any dignity whatsoever. The fact is that the Auditor General looks at all of these books. He indeed verifies them. The money is all accounted for. I would ask the hon. member to please clean up his questions a little bit because you’re heading into a very deep trough there, sir. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would ask the minis- ter of health to please read carefully the financial statements about who audits what and when in your own annual report. Again to the minister: who ordered these severance agreements and payouts to silence doctors who stood up and spoke out? Was it the Premier’s office? Mr. Hancock: Point of order. The Speaker: The Government House Leader has a point of or- der. Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, I don’t know what he’s driving at. Sometimes he’s 10 years ago. Sometim es he’s 15 years ago. A few days ago you told him that he was going back to 1934.

You know, if you’ve got a specific question about a specific time, about a specific case, then ask the proper channel, the proper a u- thority. Okay? Nobody is hiding anything f rom anyone here. But information with that level of detail is not something that you carry around in your hip pocket. The Speaker: That’s the third point of order. The hon. Member for Calgary -North Hill, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Photo Identification Mr. Fawcett: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had a constituent express his concern over how the government issues photo ident i- fication.

Before government -issued photo identification expires, either a driver’s licence or an identification card, the individual must turn their identification in, at which time they’re provided with a temporary ID without a photo while they wait for their new ID to be mailed to them. My question is to the Minister of Service Alberta. For Albertans who rely on ph oto identification for their livelihood or just the day -to-day activities of their lifestyle, this can cause a huge inconvenience or even impact their quality of life. How can the minister justify . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs.

Klimchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Alberta has one of the most secure drivers’ licences in North America, and we take iden- tity theft and personal information very seriously. When an individual is getting a new driver’s licence, they do surrender their old licence, and the temporary one is issued. It does not have a photo on it, and this is a further protection of their identity. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Fawcett: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My only and final sup- plemental is to the same minister.

In a time of heig htened security and more stringent measures undertaken to prevent identification theft and financial fraud, does the minister not think that it is, a c- tually, a basic necessity for citizens of our province to always be in possession of government-issued photo identification? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mrs. Klimchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the licences it’s about a three- to five-day turnaround when the new licence is mailed out. In a rare case when an Albertan requires

392 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 photo ID during a n interim period, we can provide a certified i m- age from the motor vehicle database to use in combination with their ID. As well, it’s always useful to have a passport. We have received very few complaints from the public about this process. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity, followed by the hon. Member for Lesser Slave Lake. Minimum Wage Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

For the past two years A l- berta’s minimum wage of $8.80 a hour, the second-lowest in the country, has been deliberately fr ozen by Canada’s wealthiest pro- vincial government. Over 60 per cent of minimum wage earners are women while the remainder consists to a significant degree of seniors on fixed incomes and students helping support their fam i- lies or saving for postsecondary. To the minister of employment: despite the Committee on the Economy’s unanimous recomme n- dation last October to raise the wage a measly 25 cents, why have you failed to act? Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr.

Speaker, first of all, to correct the member, the minimum wage is not paid by this wealthy provincial government. Wages are paid by employers and businesses and those who create jobs in Alberta. I don’t believe there is any pos i- tion within the government of Alberta that’s anywhere near the minimum wage. However, Mr. Speaker, there was an all -party committee that met and discussed what the minimum wage in Alberta should look like. They just very recently, a few days ago, reported it to my office. I’m reviewing the recommendations, and a decision will be made in due course. Mr. Chase: Very recently.

October, November, December, Jan u- ary, February, March: half a year, Mr. Speaker. Given that according to a Stats Canada figure 78,000 Alberta children are living below the poverty line within primarily single - mother-supported families, how can the minister continue to fail vulnerable families? Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, the report that was provided to me by the all -party committee gives some very good recommend a- tions, and I want to thank all members of the committee. We w ill be making a decision on the minimum wage in due course.

Let’s not forget that minimum wage is earned by a very small portion of Albertans, and those who truly are vulnerable in our province have a whole array of social assistance types of benefits offered to them by this very ministry. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How long is this minister willing to sit on his ass -umption that market recovery is just around the corner? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Just before you do, I’m sure I’m going to get 25 more phone calls today telling me I should really, really discipline whoever speaks with such foul language in this Assembly.

The hon. minister. [interjections] The hon. minister. Fine. Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker . . . The Speaker: Sorry. I called on you three times, so now we’re going on to the hon. Member for Lesser Slave Lake, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Glenmore. Slave Lake Community Building Assessment Ms Calahasen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The town of Slave Lake in partnership with this government built a beautiful, one -stop shopping, government centre, and library. People love it, and it provides a great service.

However, the town of Slave Lake has grave concerns with the property assessment placed on this facility creating a huge financial problem. My questions are to the Mini s- ter of Municipal Affairs. Why did Municipal Affairs assessors reduce the assessment on this building to less than half the actual cost? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, Crown -owned properties are e x- empt from paying property taxes, but the province does pay a grant equivalent to those property taxes. When an application for a new property is received, a review is undertaken by professional auditors fr om our assessment audit unit.

The assessments are based on market value. Current market information for the town of Slave Lake does not support the value put forward by the town. Ms Calahasen: To the same minister: of all the facilities that we have a part nership in, why was this specific property selected to be reviewed? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, all new grants in place of tax appl i- cations are reviewed by the ministry to ensure the reported assessment is reasonable and equitable within the municipality that the property is actually in.

The town was advised of the a s- sessment prepared by my department, and they were asked to provide any market data that they may have to support a higher assessment. At this point none of that information has been r e- ceived. 2:20 Ms Calahasen: Well, thank you. I’m sure they’re listening to that. Given that the town has no means to appeal and is requesting a review by an assessor, at least an independent body which will ensure fairness and transparency and be binding on both par ties, will you agree to do that, Mr. Minister? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Goudreau: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There are a number of adjustments made each year, and the adjustments may be i n- creased or decreased. All changes and comments are reviewed with the municipality before they’re made. Although there’s no formal appeal mechanism, I’m prepared to review and consider any information the town may wish to provide. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Glenmore, followed by the hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Land Stewardship Legislation Mr. Hinman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’ve understood that the advocates of central planning always – always – have envisioned themselves as a central planner, but last night I learned this truism had a name, Kip’s law. I spent last evening in Clyde, Alberta, along with 400 engaged citizens who learned of this and many other things about the case for repealing Bill 36, from Keith Wi l- son. Yesterday was a bad day for Bill 36. In the afternoon the government’s own form er Justice minister jumped on the ban d- wagon of repealing this central planner’s dream, admitting that it was big mistake. The Speaker: Okay. We’ve now reached the time to go. Som e-

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 393 body’s got to respond if they want to. A thirty -five second time limit, hon. member. You know that. Everybody else knows it. Second question. Mr. Hinman: Given that this government . . . The Speaker: That’s the second question. Mr. Hinman: The leadership candidate from Calgary -Elbow, your Attorney General at the time, wants to repeal Bill 36 because of, as she puts it, its inadequate compensation provision, its failure to protect people’s property investment, and its superseding of all other provincial regulations.

How long will it be before you rea l- ize what everybody else in Al berta realizes? You need to repeal Bill 36. [interjections] The Speaker: Okay, okay. [interjections] Settle down. We’re now going to the third question. Would you kindly ide n- tify who the question is to? Mr.

Hinman: To the Minister of SRD: given this gover nment’s horrendous culture of intimidation that permeates through caucus and into many of their departments and given that the candidate for Calgary-Elbow wouldn’t be taking this position if there wasn’t support for it in the PC caucus, how many more gover nment MLAs will have to stand up against this horrendous culture of intimidation before you follow the Wildrose lead and just repeal Bill 36? Why don’t you stop the bleeding? Mr. Knight: I’m going to relay to you, Mr.

Speaker, to the me m- bers of this House, and to all Albertans a little lesson about regional planning, which is exactly what we’re doing here. There’s a regional planning process in place in the province of Alberta. We’ve gone out and consulted with thousands of Albe r- tans relative to plans in th e region of lower Athabasca and now in South Saskatchewan. We continue to do that good work on behalf of Albertans. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Residential Building Code Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday the Minister of Municipal Affairs suggested that building inspectors in Fort McMurray were responsible for identifying major structural prob- lems at the Penhorwood apartments and recommending that tenants be evacuated. The building inspection, in this circum- stance, failed t o catch the problems, resulting in the condo board having to hire its own structural engineer. Is the minister now willing to acknowledge that this is the fact? The Speaker: The hon. minister. Mr. Goudreau: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We certainly rec- ognize that this is a difficult time for residents who’ve been affected by the evacuation order. The regional municipality of Wood Buffalo administers the Safety Codes Act in its jurisdiction and, as such, has the authority to address this particular case. The Speaker: The hon. member. Ms Pastoor: Thank you. Given that we now know there is no corrective legislation coming this session, can the minister tell Albertans in straightforward language if he believes that we have a problem with construction standards in this province? Mr. Goudreau: Mr.

Speaker, there’s no doubt that there are some issues around the province. Is it an issue that is major? For those individuals that are affected, it certainly is. When we look at the thousands and thousands of buildings being built, I would say that the majority are built according to the codes. There’s no doubt there are a few buildings that need additional attention. But in this case we continue to work with the regional municipality. The matter, I understand, is under litigation. The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Ms Pastoor: Thank you. I believe the minister was trying to a n- swer my third question.

Will the minister exercise the authority granted to him by the Safety Codes Act and help straighten out the mess facing tenants of the Penhorwood condos in Fort McMurray and other Albertans who have been victims of shoddy construction practices and poor inspection? Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, our government continues to ensure that Alberta’s Safety Codes Act is amongst the strongest in the province. To go back to Fort McMurray, it’s very inappropriate to comment specifically on that case as it’s under litigation. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods , fol- lowed by the hon.

Member for Calgary-McCall. Affordable Housing Mr. Benito: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Access to af- fordable or subsidized housing is an important issue in my constituency of Edmonton-Mill Wood s. My constituents are sa y- ing that they lack access to affordable housing units, especially the more than 14 per cent of single parents in my area. The minister is taking every opportunity to tell great stories about his ministry’s progress on this issue, but my constituents say that they just don’t see it. My first question is to you, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs.

What is being done specifically in Edmonton-Mill Woods for access to subsidized . . . The Speaker: The hon. minister. You’re away. Mr. Denis: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You’re quite right. We are awake on the job here today. The hon. member has made an important point about access to affordable housing throughout Alberta. It’s important to have confidentiality but also access to the four corners of this province. We are building 11,000 affordable housing units by 2012. We can’t build them on every block.

In the event that we don’t have affordable housing in a particular area, we do have a rent suppl e- ment program, which people quali fy for on an annual basis, and people in his constituency also can qualify. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Benito: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first supplemental is to the same minister. Your ministry has set a goal of establishing 11,000 affordable hous ing units in the province to serve all of Alberta by 2012. How close are we to achieving this impossible dream? Mr. Denis: Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s anything but impossible, and it’s anything but a dream.

This year we’re getting just over 10,000 affordable housing units built in this province. Next year we will have another open and competitive tendering process in which the private sector can partner with us. We’ve saved over $1 billion

394 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 over the last four years through private -sector partnerships as o p- posed to government-subsidized housing. Mr. Benito: My second supplemental is to the same minister. I need your policy confirmation, Mr. Minister. Is helping low - income families, seniors, and mentally challenged individuals your ministry’s priority? Mr. Denis: Well, Mr. Speaker, even though we have achieved a 36 per cent budgetary reduction since I took over, there is $100 million still available in this year’s budget for capital and for co n- struction.

I’m sure this member will agree with me that that deserves an award of excellence. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-McCall, followed by the hon. Member for Calgary-Nose Hill. Highway 63 Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After another tragic fatality on highway 63 we have to ask ourselves why this road has no t been twinned yet. This government has been at it since 2007 and over eight years later will still have not completed this essential project. To the Minister of Transportation: what will it take, sir, to devote the appropriate amount of resources to this project and finally finish? Mr.

Ouellette: Well, Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member was first talking about a tragic accident that happened there a couple of days ago. I have to say that that is very, very tragic news, and our prayers and thoughts are with the victim’s family. Mr. Speaker, we’r e moving as fast as we can right now on twinning that highway with what our budget allows. We’re spend- ing $190 million this year on that highway, and we’re going to move ahead as fast as we can. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speake r. I don’t think we are moving fast enough on that highway.

Given the latest tragedy why has the minister chosen the most delayed method of completing this pr o- ject? How many more deaths have to happen before we speed things up? Mr. Ouellette: Well, Mr. Spe aker, as I’ve said before, on any highway in Alberta one death is too many. I do have to say that we’re going to move along as fast as we can. We’re spending that $190 million there. I don’t know what the hon. member thinks. Money doesn’t grow on trees, and we can only move as fast as our budgets allow. The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Kang: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think money has been growing on trees here in this province, and this government has been mismanaging our money. To the minister again: will the minister commit to completing the twinning of highway 63 before 2015? Mr. Ouellette: Mr. Speaker, I’m going to commit that we’re g o- ing to move along as fast as we possibly can on that highway, and that’s as far as I can go. 2:30 Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park Dr. Brown: Mr. Speaker, all of my questions are for the Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation.

In August 2006 it was a n- nounced that a beautiful area on the Bow River west of Calgary would be purchased and developed as a provincial park, and it was anticipated that public access would be allowed into the area within a year or so. The people of southern Alberta are still wai t- ing patiently to use this park. Minister, spring is just around the corner. When are Albertans going to be able to access th is new park? Mrs. Ady: Well, Mr. Speaker, I’m not at all surprised that the hon. member is excited about this park, the Glenbow Ranch pr o- vincial park. I’ve been hearing about it for the last two years.

The number one question I get asked is: when will this beautiful park open? I’m happy to say that we are planning on opening it this summer, hon. member. We just need to make sure that it’s safe, that it’s accessible but that we also are protecting the important environment there and that we don’t love this park to death. We’ve been working really hard over the last two years, but some- times . . . Dr. Brown: Will the minister assure Albertans that unlike the natural disaster of Fish Creek provincial park, there’s going to be a proactive plan to preserve the grasslands in the new Glenbow provincial park? Mrs.

Ady: Well, Mr. Speaker, for the 3 million visitors a year who go down into Fish Creek, I don’t think they think it’s a nat u- ral disaster. I think they think it’s a beautiful park. Since 1975 that park, actually, had been farmed, so it just had a few areas where fescue was left. This park, on the other hand, has some 3,000 acres of this very beautiful fescue grass. We’ve been working with the Foothills Fescue Research Institute and the park foundation to ensure that it’s preserved. You’ll see cattle grazing in this park. Dr.

Brown: Given the expanding environmental footprint on southern Alberta’s natural areas, can the minister advise the House what plans she has for expansion of areas in our grasslands r e- gion? Mrs. Ady: Well, Mr. Speaker. I think of the OH Ranch, which is a working ranch that we brought into the parks system since I’ve been parks minister. As far as future opportunities, Mr. Speaker, that’s part of the land-use framework. We are looking at new recreation opportuni- ties and park opportunities, so we’ll have to follow along with that process before we know where those new opportunities would be.

But I would go back to the OH Ranch as a really great example also of a beautiful preservation of grasslands. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre , followed by the hon. Member for St. Albert. Water Allocation Ms Blakeman: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. In 2006 Alberta Environment stated that no new water licences would be awarded in the south. But transfers of water for money? Those are just fine.

Our watersheds cannot afford these delays in action while a mad scramble is going on to continue development and to buy water allocation for current and future use before the rules of the land- use plans get finalized if they ever do get finalized. To the Mini s- ter of Environment: does the minister not recognize that transfers will ultimately lead to higher levels of use? Mr. Renner: Well, Mr. Speaker, what this member fails to ac-

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 395 knowledge is that there is only a limited supply of water, and there are ever-increasing demands for water. The good news is that at the same time technolog y is changing so that historic users of water can become more effective and more efficient with the use of that water. That’s how we continue to have development in the area. That’s why the Water Act, not in 2006 but long before that . . . The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Ms Blakeman: Thanks very much.

Well, given that the allocation of water through existing licences is critical in Alberta, especially in the South Saskatchewan River basin, and will get worse as development pressure continues and folks race to get in ahead of the land -use plans, what specific action is the minister going to take over the next six months to address issues of overallocation in this river basin? Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, the member is suggesting somehow that there is widesp read abuse of the licences.

The fact is that in case of a drought situation, where there is pressure that’s on the system itself, we do have provisions to deal with it, and we have dealt with it in the past. So in direct answer to her question, over the next six months . . . The Speaker: The hon. member has the floor now. Ms Blakeman: Well, thanks, Mr. Speaker. Maybe you could share your listening ability with the minister. I’ll try for the third question here. This government and this minister dismissed, trivialized, and denigrated multiple calls for better monitoring in this province until outside pressure forced their hand.

Will it again delay action on protecting our water as well? Mr. Renner: Mr. Speaker, there is no one who is more committed to protecting our water than this minister, and I think that my track record is evidence of that. That being said, Mr. Speaker, we have a very good system for water allocation in this province. However, we have freely ac- knowledged that we have to make some changes to that system on a go-forward basis, and we will do so. The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert, followed by the hon. Member for Lacombe-Ponoka. School Year Modification Mr. Allred: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In Alberta the school year contains two sem esters, running from September to January and February to June. It seems inconsistent for examinations to be held in January, just a few weeks after a lengthy Christmas break. To the Minister of Education: is there any discussion with regard to changing the school year to align the mid -term examinations with the Christmas break? Mr. Hancock: Yes, Mr. Speaker, there’s been quite a lot of co n- versation over the last three years under our Inspiring Education program talking about any time, anyplace, any pace learning.

With that comes the question of how you do assessment in accordance with that. There has also been specific discussion, brought up by a number of people, around the question of the appropriate alig n- ment of the school year, of semesters, and specifi cally about the issue around whether semesters could end before Christmas. In actual fact, the school year and the school day are in the pu r- view of school boards, and they can do that. I can tell you that there are pilot projects happening across the province now where school boards have made . . . The Speaker: The hon. member. Mr. Allred: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My second question is to the same minister. Given that June and July are probably our best summer months, if we ever get summer, would it not make more sense to have the school year start in August and go to the end of May rather than the present system? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr. Speaker, as I said, I’m not sure there is actually consensus about when the best months of summer are in Alberta, but the fact of the matter is that we have students going to school virtually every month of the year now. Modern students, many of them in high school particularly, are quite keen.

You’ll find, particularly in the urban areas – but I think it’s also true in rural areas as well – summer programs where students are going to school. We really do need to look at the whole question of alig n- ment because what’s most important in the school system is making sure that the students are engaged . . . The Speaker: The hon. member, please. Mr. Allred: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think my final question has been partly answered.

It was with regard to school authorities having the discretion to set their own school year, but are there some that actually modify the school year other than having hol i- days in July and August? Mr. Hancock: Well, Mr. Speaker, as I said, th e school boards do have the purview to set their own school years. We do have su m- mer school happening a lot. What we have in this province, of course, the one issue that is difficult with that, is the alignment with the exam schedules, which is where the h on. member started.

We have exams available in August, in November, in January, in April, and in June, but if we’re going to go to an any time, an y- place, any pace learning process, we will have to try and develop flexibility in exam schedules. The problem, of course, is how you do that with security, how you do that with technology, how you do that in a way that is financially successful. The Speaker: Hon. members, that concludes Oral Question P e- riod for today. Eighteen members were given an opportunity to raise questions. There were 104 responses and questions in all.

Speaker’s Ruling Decorum The Speaker: I have received an inordinate number of notes here from members in the Assembly today, from all quarters of the Assembly, I might add. “Mr. Speaker, would you shut them up?” “It was my turn to raise a question, and there’s nothing but a bunch of thunderous applause” or something else. “I can’t hear myself think.” I got it from all quarters. I want to make that very, very clear. This is not a singular thing.

I do know that the lights lit up in my office as well today, and they’re not kind compliments that come when phone calls come from the public. 2:40 This is the second time, in fact, this week that we’ve had an inordinate number of calls from people about language and att i- tude and heckling and other stuff. Some members think it’s cute. Okay. Some places it happens. We’ve had a history of great deco- rum in the province of Alberta. I’ve been very proud of it in the past.

396 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 We’ll continue with the Routine in 15 seconds. Hon. members, might we reve rt briefly to Introduction of Guests? [Unanimous consent granted] head: Introduction of Guests (continued) The Speaker: The hon. Member for Cardston-Taber-Warner. Mr. Jacobs: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m really pleased today to rise to introduce 32 hard-working young students from St. Mary’s school of Taber. These students have travelled about six or so hours on the bus to get here today.

I’m really happy they could come here although I want to tell them that the decorum isn’t al- ways like this in the Leg. They are accompanied by some adults and teachers. They’re accompanied by their principal, Mr. Ken Sampson; Mr. Patrick Pyne, a teacher; Mrs. Debra Brandics, an EA; Mrs. Jamie Rolfe; Mrs. Johan Muller; Mrs. Carla Gouw; and Mrs. Shawna Phillips. I would ask them all to rise and please re- ceive the warm welcome of this Assembly. head: Members’ Statements (continued) The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly- Clareview. State of the Economy Mr. Vandermeer: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my pleasure to rise today to speak on an issue wh ich all Albertans and indeed all members of the Assembly can take pride in, and that is the grow- ing strength of our economy. The recession which began in 2008 affected many Albertans, many of my constituents. Some were affected in one of the most profound ways possible, the loss of a job. At the height of the recession there were 80,000 fewer Alber- tans working. Today we have r ecovered to the point where 2.06 million Albertans are at work. We’re not quite back to where we want to be, but we are definitely on our way. Mr.

Speaker, a year ago the unemployment rate in our province was 6.8 per cent. Today it stands at 5.7 per cent, tied for the sec- ond-lowest rate of unemployment in the country and far below the national average of 7.8 per cent. Our province and its employers created 13,700 jobs in the last month alone. This accounts for 90 per cent of the jobs created in this country. This shows the strength of the economy, the confidence that Albertans have in their province, and the confidence of foreign investors in the fu- ture of Alberta.

As our Premier has said on a number of occasions, Alberta will lead Canada out of the recession, and these numbers are certainly proving that. The indicators on a number of economic fronts are promising, and this is good news not only fo r Alberta businesses and Alberta employees but indeed a ll Canadians as the economic benefits of a strong and vibrant Alberta economy are felt across the nation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. Agreement in Principle with Physicians Mr. Boutilier: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I’m certain all members of this Assembly want the best health care system possi- ble in helping fellow Albertans and our constituents. Presently there is a dark cloud, we can all agree, looming over the very sys- tem we have here in Alberta.

Yesterday in this House I was encouraged when the minister of health and Member for Edmonton-Mill Creek proclaimed – and I quote from the Hansard – that the agreement in principle between the AMA, Alberta Medical Association, the governmen t, and the health superboard “is a very positive sign that we are moving forward and that there is a relationship that is beginning to work.” Again, these are the words from the Member for Edmonton-Mill Creek in the Han- sard. Well, Mr.

Speaker, I have a letter now from the president of the Alberta Medical Association dated March 14, just two days ago, that says the direct opposite, and I will table the letter at the ap- propriate time. The president of the AMA writes: “With Negotiations 2011 – for the first tim e ever – Government threat- ened the loss of programs and services to try and intimidate physicians.” And I repeat: intimidate. He also says, “In doing so, Government diminished the value traditionally attached to a con- structive . . . relationship with the medical profession.” Mr.

Speaker, that does not sound like a relationship that is be- ginning to work. In fact, quite the direct opposite. I’m disappointed. The question is: who should Albertans believe, the minister of health or Alberta doctors? I know who I’ll believe, and I think I know who Albertans will believe. head: Tabling Returns and Reports The Speaker: First of all, we have a little homework to do, please. Hon. Member for Airdrie-Chestermere, yesterday you were to return today with some documents with respect to a TV interview. Do you have them, sir, for tabling? Mr. Anderson: No, I do not, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: Will you have them by tomorrow? Mr. Anderson: You need me to get a sworn affidavit that that’s what was said? The Speaker: Well, that’s what I asked you to do. Mr. Anderson: Yeah. Okay. The Speaker: You’ll have them by tomorrow, please. Mr. Anderson: I will. The Speaker: Thank you. Okay. For today, then, is anybody tabling the documentation on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition? Ms Blakeman: I’ve called again for it, Mr. Speaker, and I’m as- suming it’s on its way. The Speaker: Is anyone tabling the documentation on behalf of the Premier? The hon. minister. Mr. Hancock: Yes. Mr.

Speaker, I’m happy to table on behalf of the Premier a copy of a document on the letterhead of Alberta Health Services entitled Information. It’s a letter to physicians, and it’s signed by Dr. Chris Eagle, acting CEO and president; Dr. David Megran, executive vice-president, or EVP, and acting ex- ecutive lead for quality and service improvement; and Dr. Francois Belanger, acting EVP and chief medical officer. The

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 397 context of the document is that doctors do have a duty and an obligation to speak up if they have concerns. The Speaker: Okay. That follows t hrough from today’s question period. The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness following through from today’s question period, please. Mr. Zwozdesky: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to table with you and for all members here page 38, which I quoted from, from the Alberta Health Services medical staff bylaws, sp e- cifically

section 4(2)(3), patient advocacy, which states clearly in a single sentence: “Individual members of the Medical Staff have the right and the responsibility to advocate on behalf of their P a- tients.” There it is, and I hope the opposition members will review it. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Airdrie-Chestermere follow- ing through from today’s question period, please. Mr. Anderson: Yes. Mr.

Speaker, first, I’ll table the letter dated March 14, 2011, from the president of the AMA, detailing what was said in question period today; namely, that “for the first time ever,” the doctor said, “Government threatened the loss of pr o- grams and services to try and intimidate physicians.” Then an additional tabling, five copies of the minister’s stat e- ment in question period yesterday. He said earlier that I had misquoted him. In fact, I took it directly from the Hansard , when he said that the relationship is beginning to work. I quoted directly from the Hansard, so he can take a look if he would like.

The Speaker: Okay. So, Airdrie -Chestermere, we’re clear other than the one that you have to return tomorrow with? Mr. Anderson: Yeah. The Speaker: Hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona , do you have a tabling on behalf of your colleague, which was referred to in the question period today? Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, my colleague quoted from the document that was just tabled by the Member for Airdrie - Chestermere. The Speaker: But we will never know that for sure unless the document is tabled. Ms Notley: Pardon me? The Speaker: We will never know tha t for sure unless the doc u- ment is tabled.

Your hon. member quoted from it. We assume it’s the same document. Ms Notley: So you’re suggesting that . . . The Speaker: Well, no. We’ll accept your word that that is the same document. Ms Notley: Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary -Currie as a follow - up from today. Mr. Taylor: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two documents to table here. The first is five copies of an e-mail from Robert Gerst, the chair of the Quality Council of Alberta. Next is five copies of an accompanying document from the Quality Council of Alberta entitled Junk Science from the Health Quality Council of Alberta.

Thank you. 2:50 The Speaker: Okay. As of today we’re only following through with one further documentation, and that comes from the Leader of the Official Opposition. Now, for today’s tablings the hon. Member for Edmonton- Centre. Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I will also mention that one of the documents that the Official Opposition leader quoted from has indeed already been tabled. I understood that we were encouraged to not double the tablings. The Speaker: Oh, no. Absolutely not. But if it’s been tabled, somebody should mention that. I would not know that. Ms Blakeman: Thank you.

Again, one of the documents from yesterday was a newspaper article, which I again understood it was not encouraged for members to be tabling newspaper doc u- ments. The Speaker: Nor quoting from them. But if they quote from them, they should table them. Ms Blakeman: Thank you for the correction. That’s very useful. I have three tablings of my own. The first is from constituent Marymae Olds, a handwritten note with very nice scri pt. It makes very clear to me that as a senior citizen of Alberta she wants a public investigation by a judge to deal with the Alberta health crisis of cancer patients.

Very nice handwriting and very clear on what she wants to see. The next two tablings – one from constituent Naomi Fridha n- dler and the second an e -mail from Amelia Ethier – are both from students. Ms Fridhandler is a fourth-year medical student at the U of A, transitioning into obstetrics and gynecology. Ms Ethier is a second-year medical st udent. Both are concerned about possible loss of funding for the Alberta Medical Association’s physician and family support program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Riverview. Dr. Taft: Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

It’s my privil ege to table an ap- propriate number of copies of a letter from a constituent of mine named J. Rowan Scott, which is a very articulate advocacy for support for the physician and family support program. This is one of quite a number of contacts I’ve had on this issue. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Ms Pastoor: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m tabling the r e- quired five copies of a statement that I had made yesterday when I was quoting Jan Reimer, in which she had said that she has long been unhappy about the lack of consequences for abusers who breach emergency protection orders and, also, that she was hoping it would encourage the police to lay criminal charges when people do breach protection orders. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Mr. MacDonald: Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have two tablings today. The first is a letter that I received from the

398 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 office of the Minister of Finance and Enterprise. It is regarding capital cost allowances and how Imperial Oil calculates their costs for construction done in South Korea and how it affects the royal- ties

schedule here. The second tabling I have is a letter that I wrote on December 13, 2010, to the Minister of Employment and Immigration. I’m asking for more details on the external consulting costs. The min- istry indicates there is $5.5 mil lion in consulting costs, but our research from the blue books indica tes that, certainly, there is significantly more. In fact, there is $6 million more than what has been reported. Thank you. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Varsity. Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am tabling e-mails from the following individuals concerned about the fate of the Castle- Crown: Mary Ann McLean, Leanne Dalderis, Peter Lebitka, Katie Pearson, Andy Kitchen, Jacqueline Pollard, Ann McIvor, Rebecca and Martin Thouin, Michael Teetzel, Nicole Koshure, Rod Rus- sell, David Boyd, James Ramsay, Ruth Anne MacEachern, Terri Robins, Xavier Smith, Blair Petr ie, Jim Dutton, Tom Gray, Brian Cutts, Courtenay Kelliher, Marj orie Sandercock, Rosalinde Schulze, Frances Backhouse, and Sharon Lawrence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Hon.

Member for Edmont on-Strathcona, I have on my list of those members wanting to table today the hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Do you have something for him? Ms Notley: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I have three tablings. The first ta- bling is a copy of the revised Alberta Health Services code of conduct, which, while not quoted by the Member for Edmonton- Highlands-Norwood in his questions , was referenced. Within that document we see a

section stating that employees are expected to not engage in public discussions or comments about confidential information relating to AHS busine ss, that should they breach the code, they would be subject to di scipline up to and including ter- mination of their employment. The second tabling is the appr opriate number of copies of a letter received by the office of the Member for Edmonton- Highlands-Norwood from Jim Eigner of Edmonton, in which he expresses his opposition to any pr ovincial money being used to support the construction of a new arena in Edmonton.

The third tabling is the appropriate number of copies of a document produced by the Albert a Federation of Labour entitled Women’s Equality in Alberta a L ong Way Off. It cites statistics that show that on average women make 72 cents for every dollar a man does and that university-educated women earn 67 per cent of what men with an equivalent education earn, and it notes that Al- berta is the only jurisdiction in Canada that doesn’t have a ministry dedicated to supporting the voices of women. Thank you. The Speaker: I’ll thank you for that.

The explanation was very, very important and significant but just a little long, perhaps. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have four tablings. I wish to table the appropriate number of copies of the Alberta Lib- eral policy 2010 requiring MLAs to sit as independents after floor crossing until the next election. Secondly, I wish to table the appropriate number of copies of two Wikipedia pages, the first containing the election results of an independent Liberal candidate for Lethbridge District in the 1909 election. This was Archie McLean, by the way.

Thirdly, a biography of the same politician, Archie McLean, known as one of the Big Four who helped found the Calgary Stampede in 1912. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the appropriate num- ber of copies of a signed le tter from a widow, Ms Stephanie Grivicic, dated March 2, 2011, re garding the unfortunate and pre- mature death of her husband, Mike, to cancer as a result of delays in care. She’s applauding the

article in the Calgary Herald for speaking up about public cancer cover-ups. Thank you. The Speaker: Others? The hon. Member for Fort McMurray- Wood Buffalo. Mr. Boutilier: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am tabling the requisite number of copies of a letter to th e ministers of Municipal Affairs and Employment and Immigration pertaining to my constituents, pertaining to a disaster relief request for the residents of the Pen- horwood Street complex. It wa s truly a disaster for seven condominium complexes, where over 300 residents had to leave because of safety concerns.

They are now homeless, and I’m ask- ing for help from the government from the appropriate ministers. head: Tablings to the Clerk The Clerk: I wish to advise the House that the following docu- ments were deposited with the office of the Clerk. On behalf of Dr. Sherman, hon. Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark, an e-mail message dated March 12, 2011, fro m Abilio Nunes to J. Sinnema, regarding fear and intimidation in the Capital region, including the Caritas Health Group and Covenant Health; and a newsletter dated December 2006 entitled The President’s Letter, prepared by Dr.

Mark Joffe, president, Capital Region Medical Staff Association. The Speaker: Hon. members, during the question period today three purported points of order arrived, the first from the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. There was an exchange going on, and I asked you to take your place. I assume you wanted to raise a point of order. Ms Blakeman: Yes, I did. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Please proceed. Point of Order Explanation of Speaker’s Ruling Ms Blakeman: Mr. Speaker, this is under the citation of 13(2), the Speaker explaining reasons for decisions.

When I look at yes- terday’s Hansard on page 358, so from March 15, 2011, I notice that the three questions from th e Member for Calgary-Hays, who is a member of the government caucus, were as follows. “Can the minister explain . . . how any allegations of criminal misconduct should be dealt with and who they should be reported to?” Could the Minister of Justice “explain to the House what a public inquiry can and cannot do?” Finally, a que stion about: “Can the minister explain to the House what is contained in a statement of claim and what its purpose is?” 3:00 Today we had the Member for Calgary-Buffalo, who is a mem- ber of the Official Opposition and a lawyer – I do not believe the Member for Calgary-Hays is a lawyer – ask the Minister of Justice what a settlement is.

I’m looking for clarification from the Speak-

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 399 er as to what in the Member for Calgary -Buffalo’s statement caused the Speaker to rise and intervene in t he proceedings. To my mind, the only difference I can see in the questions is that perhaps it was because the Member for Calgary -Buffalo is a la w- yer and for some reason shouldn’t be asking a question or because he’s a member of the opposition. I don’t know . Aside from that, we have four questions that are all asking the Justice minister on exact process. So if the Speaker would be so kind.

The Speaker: Hon. member, well most surely and certainly it was not the latter of the two assumptions the hon. member had for herself. I’ve made at least two interjections, perhaps three times, with respect to the question period. Yesterday’s question period was one in which I think I could literally have ruled out every oppos i- tion member’s question because it violated ev erything that we’re supposed to be doing. Secondly, virtually every question con- tained

preambles in the second and the third questions, a clear violation in terms of the paper that I have received with signatures from members in this Assembly telling me th ere would be no violations, none whatsoever. Today when I interjected, I interjected basically and essentially with respect to Beauchesne 408 and Beauchesne 410, which basi- cally say that legal opinions were not required. Most certainly – most certainly – if a member is a member of the bar, the chair would take that into consideration. If, in fact, the thing is, “I’d ask the Justice minister to tell the hon.

House what a settlement is,” I could perhaps understand, recognizing as well that I did give more leeway than I should have, and I will not in the future. I will not in the future deal with legal

interpretations of questions, and if the point is raised here, it should not come from a government me m- ber who is not a lawyer. That definitely will be the rule henceforth. I will start intervening on the

preambles, so there will be no

preambles in the second or the third. I will be very firm about the rules that we have with respect to this. In fact, I’m even going to do some reiterating. I’ve done this now twice. Or is it three times? I want members to read pages 403 in Beauchesne to at least 420. At least. In addition to that, the Canadian House of Commons book on procedure has multiple pages in there with respect to what the questions are and what the subject matters aren’t. By way of clarification I really appreciate the question being raised today because I think it’s really important. I’ve said it now twice or three times.

Inflammatory questions with language in them, questions that answer their own questi on, et cetera, et cet- era, et cetera, are all out of order – are all out of order – according to our rules. Hon. members, I’d be delighted, starting tomorrow, and I’ll start intervening with the first one because that’s where the first one is going to come. There will be no question period because all it will be – the Speaker’s intervention period is what it is. I’ve said this before. Ask but hope you never receive is one of those truisms about history as well. Let’s go back to the rules. Let’s all remember what they are.

This is just a brief précis one more time, page 502 of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, 2009. In

summary, when recognized in Question Period, a Member should: • ask a question; • be brief; • seek information; and • ask a question that is within the administrative responsibil- ity of the government or of the individual Minister addressed. Those pretty much sum up the four. Furthermore, a question should not: • be a statement . . . Your opinion matters not. . . . representation, What are you asking for? . . . argument, or an expression of opinion; • be hypothetical; We have no nuclear plants in Alberta, yet we have questions on nuclear policy. I’ll tell you again.

When I was Minister of Env i- ronment in 1986, I got up one Friday morning, and Chernobyl came across the world. That day I received over 500 phone calls in my office as Minister of Environment. Virtually every phone call said: shut down Alberta’s nuclear plants. Not one asked if we had a nuclear plant in Alberta.

Should not: • [ask] an opinion, either legal or otherwise; • seek information which is secretive in its nature, such as Cabinet proceedings or advice given to the Crown by law officers; • reflect on the character or conduct of Chair Occupants, members of the House and of the Senate or members of the judiciary; • reflect on the Governor General; i.e. the Lieutenant Governor in Alberta. • refer to proceedings in the Senate. Well, we don’t have one here. • refer to public statements by Ministers on matters not d i- rectly related to their departmental duties.

So if a former minister stands up and makes a comment, it says in here that it should not • refer to public statements by Ministers on matters not d i- rectly related to their departmental duties. If the hon. Member for Calgary -Elbow has an opinion on som e- thing, that really has nothing to do with the question period. • address a Minister’s former portfolio or any other pre- sumed functions, such as party or regional political responsibilities; • be on a matter that is sub judice; • deal with the subject matter of a question of privilege pr e- viously raised, on which the Speaker reserved his decision.

Once again, a question should not • create disorder. That’s got two words, that one: should not “create disorder.” • make a charge by way of a

preamble to a question; • be a question from a constituent; How often do members stand up and say, “My constituents have asked me to raise this question”? Well, it violates the rules. • seek information from a Ministe r of a purely personal n a- ture; • request a detailed response which could be dealt with more appropriately as a written question placed on the Order Paper; or • concern internal party matters, or party or election e x- penses. Finally, all questions and answer s must be directed through the Chair. Now, these are honoured, well established. Okay.

I guess that’s the fourth time we’ve gone through them in – what? – 10 days? Oh, today is day 14. I’ll keep doing this. If you ask, you’ll get. Ms Blakeman: Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Yes? Ms Blakeman: Thank you. I’m just trying to get the specifics of the question that I asked regarding the Member for Calgary - Buffalo. So three questions asked the previous day.

400 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 The Speaker: No, no, no. Please don’t go that way with me. Please don’t. Ms Blakeman: One question asked today. Why? The Speaker: Please sit down. The hon. Member for Calgary- Buffalo was allowed to ask his que stions today. He raised his questions. I gave the Minister of Justice and Attorney General a chance to respond. I also stated a little earlier that the Member for Calgary-Buffalo is a learned member of the bar.

The Member for Athabasca-Redwater is not.* I said that I also gave more leeway yesterday than I should have with respect to that question because I had done it earlier for everybody else, for everybody else. I could have ruled everyone out. If you want that adjudicated, I’ll start it tomorrow. Member, I’m looking forward to the questions. Mr. Allred: Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: On 13(2) as well? Mr. Allred: No, clarification of what you just presented. I thank you for a very comprehensive clarification, Mr.

Speaker, but I would request, if you wouldn’t mi nd, your circulating those two pages you asked us to read and possibly those other pages which clarified what we should ask in question period. It would be very educational. The Speaker: Well, the ones I just read have been circulated be- cause they are now in Hansard. On the previous occasions when I’ve spoken, they’re also in Hansard. In terms of the other books, they’re located right over there in the library, in Beauchesne. They’re available. All members a nd all caucuses have them.

I’ve circulated multiple copies to the leaders you have in each of the caucuses. I assume the caucus leaders spend some time with their caucus members on an education process. In addition to that, when all new members became memb ers, we had a session in this Chamber within two weeks after the day you were elected, in which we went over a lot of this. So, you know, okay? But I’m happy to re-educate again. Okay. The second one was the Minister of Health and Wellness. Point of Order Imputing Motives Mr. Zwozdesky: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise under

section 23(

i) out of our own standing orders, which says: A Member will be called to order by the Speaker if, in the Speaker’s opinion, that Member (

i) imputes false or unavowed motives to another Member. I believe that occurred today when the Member for Airdrie- Chestermere somehow tried to infer or misportray something that I had said in Hansard yesterday.

I’m sorry that I don’t have the benefit of the Blues from today yet to be exact in what he attribut- ed to me or not, but the tone with which he raised it and what sounded like an inappropriate or a shorted quote avowed to me, I thought, was something that needed me to rise and question that member. 3:10 I think that he inferred that somehow I suggested that the rela- tionship between the Alberta Medical Association and the government or perhaps with AHS – I’m not sure; we’ll have to check Hansard – was somehow misportray ed.

I think he suggest- ed that the spirit in which this was raised was other than what was intended, and I rise to set the record straight. I believe he was referring to a question that was put to me yes- terday in this House by the hon. Member for St. Albert wherein that member said on page 356 of Hansard yesterday: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My second question is to the same minister. Has our relationship with physicians broken down in some fundamental way? Mr. Speaker, I responded, and here is the full quote according to Hansard. Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe so.

I think the point that the Prem- ier mentioned a little earlier, that we now have an agreement in principle between the government, Alberta Health Services, and the AMA, is a very positive si gn that we are moving forward and that there is a relationship that is beginning to work. I just want to say thank you to the Alberta Medical Association and all of its members for recognizing our economic situation, the worst since 1930. Then you, Mr. Speaker, recognized the Member for St. Albert again, and the Member for St. Albert said: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question, again to the same minister.

The fact remains that some physicians are saying that our relationship with physicians does not work, and they feel that our government has dismissed their concerns. Have we? I responded: Well, absolutely not, Mr. Speaker. If we had, we wouldn’t have an agreement in principle, obviously. I think what has happened here is that doctors more and more are finding Alberta to be a very attractive place to come and practise, and that’s why we have had the highest growth rate in attracting doctors of any province over the past 10 years right here in Alberta. That is the entire

section from there. Now, the fact that the member chose to perhaps use part of that but raised some innuendoes ahead of it or perhaps after it suggests to me that he was avowing false motives in my direction. That’s just one example, Mr. Speaker. This same member is starting to develop a pattern, an d everybody in this House knows it. Let me just draw to your atte ntion, to make my point, page 332 of Hansard from March 14, wherein, Mr. Speaker, you ended a statement by saying: Hon. Member for Airdrie-Chestermere, you have a point of or- der. The Member for Airdrie-Chestermere rose and said: Mr.

Speaker, I shall be very brief. The Speaker then said: Oh, take your time. Then the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere said: Yeah, exactly. Shovel it under the rug, right? We all heard him say that. But then later, you spoke to me, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know what point you’re rising on, but go ahead. I said: I’m not sure. I think at the very least we need some clarity be- cause at the beginning of his point of order he, meaning the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere, made some innuendoes about the Speaker shoving something under the rug, and I think he should be held to account for that.

I know we don’t do points of order on points of order, but since there wasn’t a point of order at the end – he’s withdrawn it – I’m raising a point of order. Then the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere stood up and said: It’s a very shameful comment. I didn’t say anything to you about that, and he should withdr aw that remark. He’s being un- truthful. Well, who’s being untruthful, hon. member? It’s right there in Hansard, and I would encourage everyone here to take a look at the doublespeak of this member because it’s becoming a pattern, which is my point. *See page 403, right column, paragraph 4

March 16, 2011 Alberta Hansard 401 Now, we’ve been in this Assembly for some time, and we u n- derstand what it takes to be a politician in today’s age. We also understand what it means to develop a thick skin and so on. But when people start underquoting, short quoting, misquoting, or using innuendoes to make a point, that is politics at its worst. A simple apology would be in order. A withdrawal would be in order. In any event, I’ll leave it to you, Mr. Speaker, to find what you feel is necessary to preserve the decorum that otherwise has come to characterize this House and what Albertans expect from here.

My last point is that it’s not only today that he’s done this but, again, a day or two ago, and it’s now starting to rub off on his colleague from Fort McMurray -Wood Buffalo because again t o- day he was quoting something or avowing a quote to me about something I said. I think the quote included the words “health superboard” or something to that effect. I’ll have to check and see where that quote exactly exists because I’ve looked through Ha n- sard from the last few days, and I don’t ever recall using that particular phrase.

Similarly, a little while ago with respect to the Health Quality Council and me calling it in or not calling it in, he kept harping on the point “no,” that I had said no – that I had said no – but he’s not using the full quote. If you read Hansard , it says, “No, not at this time.” These are silly little things that they’re playing with over on the Wildrose Alliance side, and I just think it’s time for it to stop. I would ask you to review that and at the appropriate time make the appropriate decision that you feel is necessary, Mr. Speaker, under the circumstances. Thank you. Mr.

Anderson: Well, 23(i),“imputes false or unavowed motives to another Member,” I think is what the beginning of that ra m- bling statement was. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to reiterate what I told you both in the Legislature and privately a f- terwards. When I said “shovel it under the rug,” I was specifically referring to the health minister for shovelling this controversy under the rug. I was clearly not impugning you as you, obviously, as Speaker have nothing to do with this health care controversy. So for him to claim that I was saying that is not just a stretch; it’s a leap around the world.

Anyway, this minister plays fast and loose with the truth. He’s the biggest dancer in this Assembly, but, you know, I will leave Albertans to make the judgment on that. With regard to the point of order the member has a problem with the statement. I don’t have the Blues either, but I do have this, the question that I read from.

First I say: Well, Minister, why, then, in a letter released [less than] 48 hours ago does the president of the AMA say that during the negotiations for this new agreement . . . and I quote from the document that was tabled earlier, “for the first time ever – Government threatened the loss of pro- grams and services to try and [threaten] physicians,” and that doing so diminished the ongoing relationship with the medical profession.

So that’s the president of the AMA referring to the negotiations that the minister of health and Alberta Health Services had entered into with the AMA, this tripartite agre ement that they have just signed. Now, in the Hansard the previous day the Member for St. A l- bert said, “Mr. Speaker. My second question is to the same minister. Has our relationship with physicians broken down in some fundamental way?” That was the question. The health minis- ter replies: Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe so.

I think the point that the Pr e- mier mentioned a little earlier, that we now have an agreement in principle referring to the tripartite agreement, between the government, Alberta Health Servic es, and the AMA, is a very positive sign that we are moving forward and that there is a relationship that is beginning to work. I just want to say thank you to the Alberta Medical Association and all of its members for recognizing our economic situation, t he worst since 1930. Okay. In this he clearly says, Mr.

Speaker, that he feels that there’s a very positive sign that we are moving forward and that there is a relationship beginning to work. The same day that he gives this, I received a letter in the mail from a couple of doctors, actually, as did other members of our caucus, who had this letter from the president of the AMA.

This is the same day that the minister said that – I’ll use the exact word- ing – “is a very positive sign that we are moving forw ard and that there is a relationship that is beginning to work.” The very same day the president of the AMA, who he refers to – now, he doesn’t refer to the president of the AMA; he refers to the AMA and this agreement that they just entered into. The pres ident of the AMA says: With Negotiations 2011 – for the first time ever – Government threatened the loss of programs and services to try and intim i- date physicians.

And it repudiated the philosophy of collaboration and of shared responsibility and leadershi p that epitomize the current, eight-year, trilateral master agreement. In doing so, Government diminished the value traditio n- ally attached to a constructive and ongoing relationship with the medical profession, which has implications for the future. It brings into question the legitimacy and sincerity of statements such as, “The Alberta government is committed to working with its partners.” So that’s what the president of the AMA says, obviously, Mr.

Speaker, a total contradiction of the assessment given i n this House by the minister of health, 180 degrees different. 3:20 So after quoting these statements, I asked the question: Mini s- ter, please explain the misinformation you gave to this House yesterday about the state of your government’s relationship wit h our doctors. He said that it was about to get better or that it was improving, that it was about to improve. What’s the exact quote? “A relationship that is beginning to work” is the exact quote. The president of the AMA says the exact opposite.

Now, if that isn’t misinformation about the state of the relation- ship between doctors in this province and the minister of health, then I don’t know what is. That is clearly a judgment call. We’ll let Albertans decide. But, you know, for this minister to suggest otherwise is just completely out of touch with reality. Anyone who reads the two documents would come to that same conclusion if they had any rationality in them. So that speaks to his first comments as well as to the comment suggesting that I had said to you that you wanted to sweep som e- thing under the rug, Mr.

Speaker, which is just an absolute falsehood by the member opposite. Now, with regard to his other comments that he brought for- ward . . . [interjections] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Airdrie -Chestermere has the floor. There were no interruptions when I allowed others to speak. Mr. Anderson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. With regard to the other allegations that the member brought against me about, you know, my habitually not using parliamen-

402 Alberta Hansard March 16, 2011 tary language in this House and so forth, I think it’s a real slight against you, Mr. Speaker. You’ve been very clear . . . The Speaker: Hold on a second. Don’t bring me into this. Bring me into this and you’ll not like the answer. Mr. Anderson: Okay. Fine. All right. Fair enough. Fair enough. All I know is that I trust you and the points of order as you in- terpret them, Mr. Speaker, to ma ke good decisions. I don’t think I need this minister telling this H ouse or telling anybody else about whether I use unparliamentary language or not. That’s not his job, thank goodness.

It’s your job. With that, those are my remarks. There is no point of order, in my opinion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Sir, you’ve already spoken on this matter. Mr. Zwozdesky: I’d like to speak again if you wouldn’t mind. The Speaker: But on what basis would that be? Please sit down. Points of order are not to be used to extend debate. They’re to bring a grievance or something like it to the Assembly. I recog- nized you to do that. I recognized one speaker on the other side. We’ll be here all afternoon on this. As I understand it, there’s other business.

Now, there are five House leaders on the govern- ment side. If somebody el se wants to participate, I’ll recognize them. Anybody else? Okay. The Deputy Government House Leader. Mr. Lukaszuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m looking here at the transcripts, and the minister of health says: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure if he quoted exactly everything that was there. I don’t have Hansard just in front of me, but I be- lieve what I said is that we have a working relationship, and we’re working [to improve it], or words to that effect.

However, in his response the Member for Airdrie-Chestermere attributes comments that were made by the AMA representative to the minister as if the minister had said it. So what we’re dealing with here . . . The Speaker: Thank you very much, hon. Deputy Government House Leader. As I indicated earlier, points of order are not to be used to continue debate. We’re ha ving a debate now. He said this. I said that. You said that. We said that. He said this. Maybe we said that. Oh, just a second; maybe we didn’t.

Certainly, there was language here that diminishes the impor- tance and the role of a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the province of Alberta. Ve ry clearly, the Minister of Health and Wellness quoted from Hansard from March 15. It’s very clear what it says to me. Then the hon. Member for Airdrie- Chestermere today basically says: Minister, please explain the misinformation you gave to this House. The hon. minister inter- jects. We’ve had now a chance for exchanges back and forth. There was, quite frankly, a lot of tension in this House today. Ac- tually, maybe even hostility, which is odd.

It should be odd. We’ve now spent 20 minutes getting an explanation back and forth. I don’t think we’re going to get any further ahead on this other than for me to say that th e language is, I think, beneath the level that should be used, beneat h the dignity that should be ex- pected from honourable men or women, and I think we can do a lot better. The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness certainly was given ample opportunity to explai n his position, his concern. We all heard it. We all understand it. The hon. Member for Airdrie- Chestermere responded. Okay.

A little earlier this afternoon you said that you wanted no ques- tions in question period that viol ated anything. The same thing should apply to the language as we ll. You’ve all got 17 pages of this. So tomorrow it will be Mr. Speaker’s intervention period. I doubt that we’re going to get one question through. I doubt we’re going to get more than a few answers. You asked for it. You want it. The hon. Minister of Finance and Enterprise on behalf of the hon. Government House Leader. Point of Order Improper Inferences Mr. Snelgrove: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would quote

section 409(3) in Beauchesne: “The question ought to seek information and, therefore, cannot be based upon a hypothesi