Legislative Assembly of Alberta the 29Th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future
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Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 29th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Ministry of Executive Council Consideration of Main Estimates Monday, May 16, 2016 7 p.m. Transcript No. 29-2-7 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 29th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Sucha, Graham, Calgary-Shaw (ND), Chair Schneider, David A., Little Bow (W), Deputy Chair Anderson, Shaye, Leduc-Beaumont (ND) Carson, Jonathon, Edmonton-Meadowlark (ND) Connolly, Michael R.D., Calgary-Hawkwood (ND) Coolahan, Craig, Calgary-Klein (ND) Dach, Lorne, Edmonton-McClung (ND) Fitzpatrick, Maria M., Lethbridge-East (ND) Gotfried, Richard, Calgary-Fish Creek (PC) Hunter, Grant R., Cardston-Taber-Warner (W) Jansen, Sandra, Calgary-North West (PC) Panda, Prasad, Calgary-Foothills (W) Piquette, Colin, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater (ND) Schreiner, Kim, Red Deer-North (ND) Starke, Dr. Richard, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC)* Taylor, Wes, Battle River-Wainwright (W) * substitution for Richard Gotfried Also in Attendance Cooper, Nathan, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (W) Cyr, Scott J., Bonnyville-Cold Lake (W) Support Staff Robert H. Reynolds, QC Clerk Shannon Dean Senior Parliamentary Counsel/ Director of House Services Philip Massolin Manager of Research Services Stephanie LeBlanc Legal Research Officer Sarah Amato Research Officer Nancy Robert Research Officer Corinne Dacyshyn Committee Clerk Jody Rempel Committee Clerk Aaron Roth Committee Clerk Karen Sawchuk Committee Clerk Rhonda Sorensen Manager of Corporate Communications and Broadcast Services Jeanette Dotimas Communications Consultant Tracey Sales Communications Consultant Janet Schwegel Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Transcript produced by Alberta Hansard Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Participants Ministry of Executive Council Hon. Sarah Hoffman, Deputy Premier Jennifer Anthony, Director, Issues Management Marcia Nelson, Deputy Minister Mark Wells, Managing Director, Public Affairs Bureau May 16, 2016 Alberta’s Economic Future EF-325 7 p.m. Monday, May 16, 2016 Hon. members, the standing orders set out the process for Title: Monday, May 16, 2016 ef consideration of the main estimates. Before we proceed with [Mr. Sucha in the chair] consideration of the main estimates for Executive Council, I would like to briefly review the standing orders governing the speaking Ministry of Executive Council rotation and note that the speaking times are different for the two- Consideration of Main Estimates hour meetings. As provided for in Standing Order 59.01(7), the rotation is as follows. The minister or the member of Executive The Chair: Welcome, everyone. I’d like to call the meeting to Council acting on the minister’s behalf may make opening order and welcome everyone to the committee. The committee has comments not to exceed 10 minutes. For the next 50 minutes under consideration the estimates for the Executive Council for the members of the Official Opposition and the minister may speak. fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. For the next 20 minutes the members of the third party, if any, and I’d ask that we go around the table and have all MLAs introduce the minister may speak. For the next 20 minutes the members of themselves for the record. Madam Deputy Premier, when we get any other party represented in the Assembly or any independent to you at the end of the table, please introduce your staff that are members and the minister may speak. For the following 20 minutes, joining you as well. My name is Graham Sucha. I’m the MLA for private members of the government caucus and the minister may Calgary-Shaw and chair of this committee. First, I’d like to note speak. For the time remaining, we will follow the same rotation just for the record that Dr. Starke is an official substitute for Mr. outlined to the extent possible; however, the speaking times are Gotfried. reduced to five minutes as set out in Standing Order 59.02(1)(c). Members may speak more than once; however, speaking times Mr. Schneider: Dave Schneider, MLA for Little-Bow, vice-chair. for the first rotation are limited to 10 minutes at any one time. A minister and a member may combine their time for a total of 20 Mr. Hunter: Grant Hunter, MLA, Cardston-Taber-Warner. minutes. For the final rotation, with speaking times of five minutes, once again a minister and a member may combine their speaking Mr. Taylor: Wes Taylor, MLA, Battle River-Wainwright. time for a maximum total of 10 minutes. Discussion should flow Mr. Panda: Prasad Panda, MLA, Calgary-Foothills. through the chair at all times regardless of whether or not speaking times are being combined. Members are asked to advise the chair Mr. Cyr: Scott Cyr, MLA, Bonnyville-Cold Lake. at the beginning of their speech if they wish to combine their time with the minister’s time. Mr. Cooper: Nathan Cooper, the MLA for the outstanding If a member has any questions regarding the speaking times or constituency of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. rotation, please feel free to send a note or speak directly to either the chair or the committee clerk about the process. Dr. Starke: Good evening. Richard Starke, MLA, Vermilion- Two hours have been scheduled for consideration of estimates of Lloydminster. the Executive Council. Committee members, ministers, and other members who are not Ms Hoffman: I’m Sarah Hoffman, honoured to be the Deputy committee members may participate; however, only committee Premier and Minister of Health and MLA for Edmonton-Glenora. members or an official substitute for a committee member may Here with me at the table tonight is Mr. Mark Wells, managing introduce an amendment during a committee’s review of the director for the office of managing director, Public Affairs Bureau. estimates. There we go. That’s correct. Let’s read these ones. We also have Ministry officials may be present and at the direction of the with us at the table Andre Tremblay, deputy secretary to cabinet, Deputy Premier may address the committee. Ministry staff seated and Jennifer Hibbert, senior financial officer. in the gallery, if called upon, have access to a microphone in the gallery area. Members’ staff may be present and, space permitting, Mr. Carson: Jon Carson, MLA for Edmonton-Meadowlark. may sit at the table or behind the members along the committee room wall. However, members have priority for seating at the table Mr. Piquette: Colin Piquette, MLA for Athabasca-Sturgeon- at all times. Redwater. If debate is exhausted prior to two hours, the ministry’s estimates Mr. Dach: Lorne Dach, Edmonton-McClung. are deemed to have been considered for the time allotted in the schedule, and we will adjourn. Otherwise, we will adjourn at 9 p.m. Mrs. Schreiner: Good evening. Kim Schreiner, MLA for Red Points of order will be dealt with as they arise, and the clock will Deer-North. continue to run. Any written material provided in response to questions raised Ms Fitzpatrick: Good evening. Maria Fitzpatrick from the lovely during the main estimates should be tabled by the Premier or the Lethbridge-East constituency. Deputy Premier in the Assembly for the benefit of all members. Again I will remind all meeting participants to address their Mr. S. Anderson: Shaye Anderson from the doubly outstanding questions and responses through the chair and not directly to each Leduc-Beaumont. other. The vote on the estimates is deferred until consideration of all Mr. Connolly: Michael Connolly from Calgary-Hawkwood. ministry estimates has concluded and will occur in Committee of Mr. Coolahan: Craig Coolahan, MLA, Calgary-Klein. Supply tomorrow, May 17, 2016. If there are amendments, an amendment to an estimate cannot The Chair: Please note that the microphones are operated by seek to increase the amount of the estimate being considered, Hansard, and we’d ask that BlackBerrys, iPhones, and all smart change the destination of a grant, or change the destination or phones be turned off or set to silent or vibrate and not placed on the purpose of a subsidy. An amendment may be proposed to reduce an table as they may interfere with the audiofeed. estimate, but the amendment cannot propose to reduce the estimate EF-326 Alberta’s Economic Future May 16, 2016 by its full amount. The vote on amendments is deferred until Ministerial Recovery Task Force and the Deputy Minister Public Committee of Supply convenes tomorrow, May 17, 2016. Safety Committee. Amendments must be in writing and approved by Parliamentary Executive Council includes intergovernmental relations, the Counsel prior to the meeting at which they are to be moved. Twenty protocol office, and the Public Affairs Bureau. copies of amendments must be provided at the meeting for Lastly, the Executive Council also includes administrative committee members and staff. support for the office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Alberta I will now invite the Deputy Premier to begin with her opening Order of Excellence Council. remarks. You have 10 minutes. Mr. Chair, allow me to outline how the Executive Council supports our government’s priorities. The Executive Council Ms Hoffman: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I am here as the business plan is centred on three outcomes. The first is to ensure the Deputy Premier, representing Executive Council, to present the work of ministries is aligned to support the efficient implementation ministry’s estimates and business plan. Regrettably, Premier Notley of government’s agenda. Through the work of the policy cabinet and the head of the public service, Marcia Nelson, could not be here co-ordination offices Executive Council takes a leadership role in this evening. policy development, aligning policy and legislation across I’d like to begin by introducing the officials who have joined us ministries. Executive Council is also a partner with other ministries today. As I mentioned, Andre Tremblay, deputy secretary to in implementing policies, programs, and services to achieve cabinet; Jennifer Hibbert, senior financial officer; and Mark Wells, government’s priorities.