Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 30th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Friday, October 23, 2020 10 a.m. Transcript No. 30-2-2 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 30th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Schow, Joseph R., Cardston-Siksika (UCP), Chair Sigurdson, R.J., Highwood (UCP) (UCP), Deputy Chair Carson, Jonathon, Edmonton-West Henday (NDP)* Ceci, Joe, Calgary-Buffalo (NDP) Lovely, Jacqueline, Camrose (UCP) Loyola, Rod, Edmonton-Ellerslie (NDP) Nixon, Jeremy P., Calgary-Klein (UCP) Rutherford, Brad, Leduc-Beaumont (UCP) Shepherd, David, Edmonton-City Centre (NDP) Sweet, Heather, Edmonton-Manning (NDP) Toor, Devinder, Calgary-Falconridge (UCP)** van Dijken, Glenn, Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock (UCP) Walker, Jordan, Sherwood Park (UCP) * substitution for Joe Ceci ** substitution for Jacqueline Lovely Legislative Officers Jill Clayton Information and Privacy Commissioner Del Graff Child and Youth Advocate Glen Resler Chief Electoral Officer Marianne Ryan Ombudsman, Public Interest Commissioner Marguerite Trussler, QC Ethics Commissioner W. Doug Wylie Auditor General Support Staff Shannon Dean, QC Clerk Stephanie LeBlanc Clerk Assistant and Senior Parliamentary Counsel Teri Cherkewich Law Clerk Trafton Koenig Senior Parliamentary Counsel Philip Massolin Clerk of Committees and Research Services Sarah Amato Research Officer Nancy Robert Research Officer Jody Rempel Committee Clerk Aaron Roth Committee Clerk Rhonda Sorensen Manager of Corporate Communications Jeanette Dotimas Communications Consultant Tracey Sales Communications Consultant Lyndsay Tischer Manager of Human Resource Services Janet Schwegel Director of Parliamentary Programs Amanda LeBlanc Deputy Editor of Alberta Hansard Transcript produced by Alberta Hansard October 23, 2020 Legislative Offices LO-79 10 a.m. Friday, October 23, 2020 the meeting to hear each other if all members of the committee Title: Friday, October 23, 2020 lo consent.” Previously this committee had consented unanimously to permit teleconferencing during the committee meetings. Given that [Mr. Schow in the chair] we are facing this COVID-19 pandemic, the use of video The Chair: Okay. I’d like to call this meeting to order. Good conferencing could give the committee an additional tool to proceed morning, everyone. I’d like to welcome all members and staff and with its work while respecting social distancing and other health guests to this meeting of the Standing Committee on Legislative and safety measures. In order to permit video conferencing, the Offices. committee will need to adopt a motion unanimously. To that effect, My name is Joseph Schow. I’m the MLA for Cardston-Siksika does anyone have any questions in this regard? Hearing none. As I and chair of this committee. I’d like to ask all those members that said, we would need unanimous consent. are joining the committee at the table to introduce themselves for Would a member like to move – and I’ll read out the motion – the record – and then we’ll go to members on the phone – starting that to my right. for the duration of the 30th Legislature the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices permit committee members to participate Mr. Sigurdson: R.J. Sigurdson, MLA, Highwood, and deputy by video conference, subject to the proviso that the committee chair. may require members’ attendance at a particular meeting upon passage at a previous meeting of a motion to that effect. Mr. Rutherford: Brad Rutherford, MLA, Leduc-Beaumont. Would anybody like to move that motion? Mr. van Dijken has moved that motion. Again, this requires unanimous consent, so I’ll Mr. Jeremy Nixon: Jeremy Nixon, Calgary-Klein. simply ask one question. Does anyone, either present at the table or on the phone, oppose this motion? Hearing none, Mr. van Dijken: Glenn van Dijken, Athabasca-Barrhead- that motion is carried by unanimous consent. Westlock. Moving on to the agenda, we will ask someone – my apologies. Mr. Shepherd: David Shepherd, Edmonton-City Centre. That said, I will draw everyone’s attention to the draft agenda. I would suggest that we switch the items from 4(a) and 4(b). Would Mr. Carson: Jon Carson, Edmonton-West Henday. anyone like to propose these amendments? I need someone to move a motion to Member Loyola: Rod Loyola, Edmonton-Ellerslie. switch items 4(a) and 4(b). Ms Tischer: Lyndsay Tischer, human resource services with the Mr. Toor: I will. LAO. The Chair: That was Mr. Walker? Ms Rempel: Jody Rempel, committee clerk. Mr. Walker: No, that wasn’t me. The Chair: Excellent. Then on the phone I believe we have Mr. Walker, Ms Sweet. Is The Chair: Oh. Mr. Toor on the phone as well? Ms Rempel: That was Mr. Toor just now. Mr. Walker: Yeah. Jordan Walker, Sherwood Park. The Chair: It sounded like Mr. Toor. Mr. Toor, could you just Ms Sweet: Good morning. Heather Sweet, MLA, Edmonton- introduce yourself quickly? Manning. Mr. Toor: Can you hear me? Hello? The Chair: Excellent. Thank you very much. Before we turn to the business at hand, a few housekeeping or The Chair: Yes, we can hear you. We did introductions already operational items pursuant to the August 24, 2020, memo from the with everyone on the phone, but I think your phone wasn’t quite hon. Speaker Cooper. I would like to remind everyone that outside connected. Just give your name and your constituency, please. of those who have an exemption, those observing the proceedings of the Assembly or its committees are required to wear face Mr. Toor: Sorry. I had a problem again, but I’ll log in again. coverings. Based on the recommendations from the chief medical officer of health regarding physical distancing, attendees at today’s The Chair: Okay. All right. Well, Devinder Toor, MLA for meeting are reminded to leave the appropriate distance between Calgary-Falconridge is on the phone, just for the record. themselves and other meeting participants. Again, we need a member to move the following motion, that the October 23, 2020, meeting agenda for the Standing Please note that the microphones are operated by Hansard, so Committee on Legislative Offices be approved as revised. members do not need to turn them on or off. Committee Can I get someone to move that? proceedings are being live streamed on the World Wide Web and broadcast on Alberta Assembly TV. Please set your phones and Mr. Sigurdson: I so move, Mr. Chair. other devices to silent for the duration of the meeting. Mine is there; I hope yours is as well. The Chair: Mr. Sigurdson. All those in favour, please say aye. Any Before proceeding, I would also like to discuss a new practice opposed, please say no. already incorporated by other committees of using video That motion is carried. conference for participation during committee meetings. As you Okay. Approval of meeting minutes. Minutes from our last will recall, section 6 of the Legislative Assembly Act permits meeting were also distributed for consideration. Are there any participants in a committee “by means of telephone or other errors or omissions of note? If not, would a member move approval communication facilities that permit all Members participating in of the minutes as distributed? LO-80 Legislative Offices October 23, 2020 Mr. Sigurdson: So moved, Chair. Ms Rempel: No, I believe you’re correct, Mr. Chair. This motion is simply dealing with the classification of the Ethics Commissioner The Chair: Mr. Sigurdson moved that the meeting minutes from position. the February 26, 2020, Standing Committee on Legislative Offices be approved as distributed. All those in favour, please say aye. Any The Chair: Okay. Any interest in having a conversation about this? opposed, please say no. The motion is carried. Anyone like to add to this? Okay. We’re now on to item 4 of the agenda, officers of the Seeing none, then we’ll go ahead and we will vote. I’ll call the Legislature. So 4(a) is officers of the Legislature, 4(b) is 2020 vote. All those in favour of the motion moved by Mr. van Dijken, compensation review. Now, I would suggest that the committee please say aye. Any opposed to the motion, please say no. along with the appropriate Legislative Assembly Office staff That motion is carried. consider moving in camera for our upcoming deliberations as we may be discussing details of the contracts of officers of the Ms Sweet: Can we get a recorded vote, please, Chair? Legislature. I have a draft motion here that the Standing Committee The Chair: A recorded vote has been requested by Ms Sweet. All on Legislative Offices, including Legislative Assembly Office staff, those in favour of the motion, please raise your hand. Mr. move in camera. Can I get someone to please move that motion? Sigurdson, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Nixon, Mr. van Dijken. We’ll get Mr. Jeremy Nixon: I’ll move. to the phone in just a moment. I guess we’ll go there now. Anybody in favour on the phone, please say your name. The Chair: Mr. Nixon has moved that motion. All those in favour, please say aye. Any opposed, please say no. That motion is carried. Mr. Walker: MLA Jordan Walker, Sherwood Park, in favour. I would now ask all staff not involved in this portion of the discussion to please leave the room. The Chair: Mr. Toor, are you still on the phone? How do you vote, sir? Okay. [The committee met in camera from 10:07 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.] All right. All those opposed, please raise your hand if you’re here in person. Mr. Loyola, Mr. Carson, and Mr. Shepherd. On the Okay. Now that we are back on the record, I’d like to The Chair: phone, if you are opposed, please state your name and how you open the floor to any proposals or comments by committee vote.