Legislative Assembly of Alberta the 29Th Legislature Second Session
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Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 29th Legislature Second Session Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Friday, November 25, 2016 9:02 a.m. Transcript No. 29-2-3 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 29th Legislature Second Session Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Wanner, Hon. Robert E., Medicine Hat (ND), Chair Cortes-Vargas, Estefania, Strathcona-Sherwood Park (ND), Deputy Chair Cooper, Nathan, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (W) Dang, Thomas, Edmonton-South West (ND) Fildebrandt, Derek Gerhard, Strathmore-Brooks (W) Fitzpatrick, Maria M., Lethbridge-East (ND)* Jabbour, Deborah C., Peace River (ND) Luff, Robyn, Calgary-East (ND) McIver, Ric, Calgary-Hays (PC) Nixon, Jason, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre (W) Piquette, Colin, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater (ND) Schreiner, Kim, Red Deer-North (ND) Yao, Tany, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (W)** * substitution for Kim Schreiner ** substitution for Derek Fildebrandt Support Staff Robert H. Reynolds, QC Clerk Jessica Dion Executive Assistant to the Clerk Alex McCuaig Chief of Staff to the Speaker Shannon Dean Law Clerk and Director of House Services Karen Sawchuk Committee Clerk Brian G. Hodgson Sergeant-at-Arms Cheryl Scarlett Director of Human Resources, Information Technology and Broadcast Services Scott Ellis Director and Senior Financial Officer, Financial Management and Administrative Services Janet Schwegel Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Transcript produced by Alberta Hansard Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Participant Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance Mark Day, Executive Director, Risk Management and Insurance November 25, 2016 Members’ Services MS-87 9:02 a.m. Friday, November 25, 2016 management and insurance, on up-to-date coverage provided under Title: Friday, November 25, 2016 ms the plan. Members should have copies of both the existing risk [Mr. Wanner in the chair] management and insurance document as well as the document identifying proposed enhanced coverage under the plan. The Chair: Good morning. I would like to call the meeting to I would like to welcome Mr. Mark Day, executive director of risk order. management and insurance. Mr. Day would like to address the Before we get started on our business, I’d ask that members at committee. the table introduce themselves for the record, and then I’ll call on Do you have any comments to make, Mr. Clerk, as an the members who are on teleconference. introduction? Ms Fitzpatrick: Maria Fitzpatrick, MLA, Lethbridge-East, Mr. Reynolds: Just briefly, Mr. Chair. Mr. Day is here. This is substituting for Kim Schreiner. partially at my request. I mean, essentially, Mr. Day is going to talk about – sorry; not to give away the twist ending here, but spoiler Ms Jabbour: Debbie Jabbour, MLA, Peace River. alert – enhanced coverages for members at no additional costs. Mr. Dang: Thomas Dang, MLA, Edmonton-South West. Generally speaking, one might wonder why this is coming here and why we just don’t do it. It’s because it’s my own view that coverage Cortes-Vargas: Estefania Cortes-Vargas, MLA for Strathcona- for members should be very open and transparent and that members Sherwood Park. should know what it is that they’re being covered for. That’s part of the reason why Mr. Day is here today. The Chair: I’m Robert Wanner, MLA for Medicine Hat. That’s it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Yao: Tany Yao, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. The Chair: Mr. Day, welcome. Please proceed. The Chair: To the other members who are on the phone with us: Mr. Day: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since meeting with the would you identify yourselves? committee on September 26, our office has been working with staff at the Legislative Assembly Office and Alberta Justice to develop a Mr. Nixon: Jason Nixon, MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain proposed new schedule of liability coverage for members. This new House-Sundre. schedule was distributed to the committee members prior to this Mr. Cooper: Nathan Cooper from the outstanding constituency of meeting, and I’m happy to answer some questions about what Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. we’ve proposed. Before that, however, some background information might be Mr. Piquette: Colin Piquette, MLA for Athabasca-Sturgeon- helpful. The current schedule sets out liability coverage that Redwater. members have for situations where a member may be named as a defendant in a lawsuit. Should this happen and the member wish to Ms Luff: Robyn Luff, MLA for Calgary-East. use the coverage provided under the schedule, we will work with the member in managing the claim and providing a defence on The Chair: Okay. Thank you, everyone. behalf of the member. The scope of coverage has not changed in The meeting agenda and the documents were posted last week to many years and provides protection against liability claims where the committee’s internal website. If anyone requires copies of these persons have been injured, property has been damaged, or where documents, please let the committee clerk know. there are allegations of defamation. Before we move to business, a few operational issues. The consoles are operated by Hansard staff. Please keep your mobiles [Mr. McIver joined the teleconference] off and on silent and not on the table. Audio of committee meetings is streamed live on the Internet and recorded by Alberta Hansard. The Chair: Mr. McIver, the meeting has started. We’re currently Audio access and meeting transcripts are obtained via the in the process of having a presentation by Mr. Day. Legislative Assembly website. Please proceed, Mr. Day. On behalf of all the members I’d simply yet again thank the staff Mr. Day: We’ve identified some gaps in coverage where our office who support these committees and the Assembly on an ongoing would not be able to defend claims, and the proposed new schedule basis. There are so many staff that we simply don’t get to know or will eliminate these gaps. The proposed schedule will also bring they’re behind the lines doing all of the work. On behalf of all of coverage in line with coverage provided to ministers, legislative you I’d like to express my appreciation. officers, and other senior officials of government. We believe these You have the agenda. Are there any additions or changes? If there enhancements to the scope of coverage will provide better are not, would a member move the adoption for meeting purposes? protection to the members and allow our office to respond quickly The Member for Lethbridge-East. All in favour? On the phones, in when allegations arise. As Mr. Reynolds has said, there will not be favour or against, please? Nathan, you haven’t fallen asleep, have any additional charge for this coverage. you? Hello? It looks like the motion passed. In the document provided to you, I’ve highlighted the areas You have the minutes from October 25, 2016. Are there any where coverage has been changed, and I would like to point out in errors or omissions to note? If not, would a member move approval particular section 5 as this sets out areas where coverage has been of the minutes? Member Estefania Cortes-Vargas has moved. All enhanced significantly from the previous schedule. These are the in favour of the motion, please say aye. Members on the telephone? same coverage provisions as are provided to other senior officials Are there any individuals opposed? Hearing none, the minutes are of government. approved. Now, we do have some outstanding business, risk management 9:10 and enhanced coverage for members. You will remember that at our As far as the process, if the Members’ Services Committee September 26 meeting we had a presentation concerning risk decides to proceed with the new schedule, the next step would be MS-88 Members’ Services November 25, 2016 for Treasury Board and Finance to recommend to the Treasury Also, there are other managers. There is Brian Hodgson over Board that the approved schedule be adopted. This recommendation there, sitting away from the table, somewhat secretly. He’s the would include the approval by the Members’ Services Committee. director of visitor services and security and ceremonial services and This would then be added to the agenda of an upcoming Treasury Sergeant-at-Arms when he’s at home. A number of managers are Board meeting for their consideration. up in the right section there, who may be called upon during the At this point I’d be happy to answer any questions members may meeting, of course. Janet Schwegel, up in the far left there, is the have. manager of Hansard. Now that we’ve finished that, I just want to say, as the question The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Day. has been raised: why are we looking at parameters before we look Hon. members, are there any questions with respect to the at the actual numbers? There’s a bit of a story here. It won’t be a documents received or the comments that Mr. Day has made? long one. What happened years ago was . Members on the telephone? Is there someone who’s prepared to move that the The Chair: Caution: Mr. Reynolds’ stories are never short. recommendation be made to the President of Treasury Board and Finance on this matter? Member Estefania Cortes-Vargas. There’s Mr. Reynolds: Hopefully, very fascinating, though. In any event, a few years ago what used to happen was that the a proposed draft of a motion that you could read into the record. Assembly used to just present the budget, as it were, so members Cortes-Vargas: I move that would be faced with the numbers and have to sort of unpack the the Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services numbers and the assumptions.