Legislative Assembly of Alberta the 27Th Legislature Fourth Session

Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fourth Session Standing Committee on the Economy Department of Advanced Education and Technology Consideration of Main Estimates Tuesday, April 12, 2011 6:30 p.m. Transcript No. 27-4-3 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Fourth Session Standing Committee on the Economy Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC), Chair Chase, Harry B., Calgary-Varsity (AL), Deputy Chair Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Dallas, Cal, Red Deer-South (PC) Fawcett, Kyle, Calgary-North Hill (PC) Hinman, Paul, Calgary-Glenmore (W) Johnson, Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Lund, Ty, Rocky Mountain House (PC) Taft, Dr. Kevin, Edmonton-Riverview (AL) Tarchuk, Janis, Banff-Cochrane (PC) Taylor, Dave, Calgary-Currie (AB) Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC) * * substitution for Cal Dallas Department of Advanced Education and Technology Participant Hon. Greg Weadick Minister Also in Attendance Boutilier, Guy C., Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (W) Groeneveld, George, Highwood (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND) Support Staff W.J. David McNeil Clerk Shannon Dean Senior Parliamentary Counsel/ Director of House Services Robert H. Reynolds, QC Law Clerk/Director of Interparliamentary Relations Corinne Dacyshyn Committee Clerk Jody Rempel Committee Clerk Karen Sawchuk Committee Clerk Rhonda Sorensen Manager of Corporate Communications and Broadcast Services Melanie Friesacher Communications Consultant Tracey Sales Communications Consultant Philip Massolin Committee Research Co-ordinator Stephanie LeBlanc Legal Research Officer Diana Staley Research Officer Rachel Stein Research Officer Liz Sim Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Transcript produced by Alberta Hansard April 12, 2011 Economy EC-447 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, 2011 cannot propose to reduce the estimate by its full amount. The vote Title: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 ae on amendments is also deferred until Committee of Supply, which [Mr. Bhardwaj in the chair] is April 20, 2011. Twenty-five copies of amendments must be provided at the meeting for committee members and staff. Department of Advanced Education and Technology A written response by the office of the Minister of Advanced Consideration of Main Estimates Education and Technology to the questions deferred during the course of this meeting can be tabled in the Assembly by the minis- The Chair: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome, ter or through the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for the everyone, to the meeting. Just to remind everyone that the usual benefit of all MLAs. rules regarding electronic devices and food and beverages in the At this time I would like to invite the minister of the Depart- Chamber continue to apply. ment of Advanced Education and Technology to begin his Members and staff should be aware that all of the proceedings remarks, please. of the policy field committees in their consideration of the budget estimates are being video streamed. The minister whose depart- Mr. Weadick: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m pleased to be here ment’s estimates are under review is seated in the designated tonight to present the 2011-2012 estimates for the Ministry of location, and all other members wishing to speak must do so from Advanced Education and Technology and our 2011-2014 business their designated seat in the Chamber. Any official or staff member plan. Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge the staff here with seated in the chair of a member must yield the seat immediately me this evening. They’re part of a larger dedicated team within the should a member wish to occupy his or her seat. Members are ministry, and I appreciate the hard work of each and every one of reminded to stand when speaking. them. With me at the table today are Deputy Minister Annette Note that the committee has under consideration the estimates Trimbee; the senior financial officer, Blake Bartlett; and the assis- of the Department of Advanced Education and Technology for the tant deputy minister of postsecondary and community education, fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. Connie Harrison. Note for the record that pursuant to Standing Order 56(1) (2.1) I’d also like to thank some students and others that have come to (2.3) Mr. Xiao is substituting for Mr. Dallas. tonight to be here for the estimates. I appreciate that they’ve taken Quickly, about process and review, speaking order and time. the time out of their busy schedules to be here with us, especially The speaking order and times are prescribed by the standing or- on a night when there’s another debate going on. Thank you all so ders and Government Motion 5, passed on February 23, 2011, and very much for coming out. are as follows: the minister or the member of the Executive Coun- As you know, this is my first discussion of this ministry’s budg- cil acting on the minister’s behalf may make opening remarks not et estimates. I’m looking forward to working with this great team to exceed 10 minutes; for the hour that follows, members of the to help advance our government’s vision of a prosperous Alberta Official Opposition and the minister may speak; for the next 20 through innovation and lifelong learning. minutes the members of the third party, Wildrose, if any, and the I’ll start with a few comments on our ministry’s business plan minister may speak; for the next 20 minutes the members of the for 2011 to 2014. During these times of fiscal restraint our gov- fourth party, ND, if any, and the minister may speak; for the next ernment is keeping its sights on the future. That’s why we’re 20 minutes the members of any other party represented in the maintaining our investments in postsecondary education and the Assembly and any independent members and the minister may knowledge-based economy. One way we’re doing that is through speak; any member may speak thereafter. Within this sequence Alberta’s advanced learning system, Campus Alberta. Campus members may speak more than once; however, speaking time is Alberta will continue to respond to the changing needs of students limited to 10 minutes at a time. as well as support innovation and excellence within Alberta’s A minister and a member may combine their time for a total of postsecondary institutions. Our ministry will help by leading and 20 minutes. Members are asked to advise the chair at the begin- co-ordinating initiatives to make sure students can pursue the edu- ning of their speech if they plan to combine their time with the cation that they want. We also continue to support and encourage minister’s time. community partnerships and help make the system more respon- Committee members, ministers, and other members who are not sive so students can achieve their full potential. committee members may participate. Department officials and Meanwhile Alberta’s research and innovation system, Alberta members’ staff may be present but may not address the commit- Innovates, will continue to build in areas where we’ve already tee. shown our strength and reinforce Alberta’s reputation as a world- Three hours have been scheduled to consider the estimates of class research and innovation destination. With our ministry’s the Department of Advanced Education and Technology. If debate guidance Alberta Innovates will build stronger partnerships here is exhausted prior to three hours, the department’s estimates are in Canada and around the world, commercialize more innovation deemed to have been considered for the time allotted in the sche- and research in the areas where we’ve got proven strengths, and dule, and we’ll be adjourned; otherwise, we will be adjourning at bring to Alberta more world-class researchers, entrepreneurs, and the appropriate time. investors, who will help us build a diversified, knowledge-based Points of order will be dealt with as they arise, and the clock economy. will continue to run. Our department will continue to work with our partners and Vote on the estimates is deferred until Committee of Supply on stakeholders in Campus Alberta and Alberta Innovates so we can April 20, 2011. improve programs and policies that support both systems. As we Written amendments must be reviewed by Parliamentary Coun- maintain the momentum already established within both systems, sel no later than 6 p.m. on the day they are to be moved. An we’ll be able to help them better meet the long-term needs of amendment to the estimates cannot seek to increase the amount of learners, researchers, entrepreneurs, society, and Alberta’s econ- the estimates being considered, change the destination of a grant, omy as a whole. or change the destination or purpose of the subsidy. Any amend- I’d like to turn now to the budget estimates for our ministry. I’ll ment may be proposed to reduce an estimate, but the amendment start with a broad view, then zero in on some highlights and key EC-448 Economy April 12, 2011 changes. As I mentioned, our government remains committed to dowment fund to meet our commitment to help universities transi- maintaining our investment in postsecondary education and the tion medical researchers from long-term salary supports over the knowledge-based economy despite these times of fiscal restraint. next eight years. This includes $2.7 million in 2011-2012. The ministry’s total budget for 2011 stands at $3 billion, in line Over the next five years an additional $34 million will be drawn with last year’s budget of $3.2 billion. That includes $2.8 billion from the Alberta heritage science and engineering research en- in operating support and $251 million in capital support. The re- dowment fund to strengthen Alberta’s position as the global leader duction in budget reflects the completion of some capital projects.

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