Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Community Services Department of Culture and Community Spirit Consideration of Main Estimates Monday, April 20, 2009 6:30 p.m. Transcript No. 27-2-1 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Community Services Doerksen, Arno, Strathmore-Brooks (PC), Chair Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (AL), Deputy Chair Benito, Carl, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Chase, Harry B., Calgary-Varsity (AL) Johnson, Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Johnston, Art, Calgary-Hays (PC) Lukaszuk, Thomas A., Edmonton-Castle Downs (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND) Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC) Also in Attendance Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (AL) Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Department of Culture and Community Spirit Participant Hon. Lindsay Blackett Minister Support Staff W.J. David McNeil Clerk Louise J. Kamuchik Clerk Assistant/Director of House Services Micheline S. Gravel Clerk of Journals/Table Research Robert H. Reynolds, QC Senior Parliamentary Counsel Shannon Dean Senior Parliamentary Counsel Corinne Dacyshyn Committee Clerk Erin Norton Committee Clerk Jody Rempel Committee Clerk Karen Sawchuk Committee Clerk Rhonda Sorensen Manager of Communications 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 20, 2009 Community Services CS-75 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, 2009 be proposed to reduce an estimate, but the amendment cannot Title: Monday, April 20, 2009 CS propose to reduce the estimate by its full amount. Amendments [Mr. Doerksen in the chair] must be in writing with sufficient copies for distribution to all committee members and support staff, that being 20 copies. Department of Culture and Community Spirit Regarding the speaking order, members are reminded that the Consideration of Main Estimates standing orders of the Assembly governing who can speak apply. During the policy field committees’ consideration of the main The Chair: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time for our estimates members of the committee, the minister, and other meeting to begin. It is 6:30, and we have a quorum, so we will members present may be recognized to speak. Department officials begin. and members’ staff are permitted to be present during consideration I’d like to welcome you to this meeting of the Standing Commit- of the estimates but are not allowed to speak. This is the same tee on Community Services this evening. I’d ask that members process that was previously followed during Committee of Supply introduce themselves for the record, and I would also ask that the consideration of the main estimates. minister introduce his officials as well, please. This evening we have three hours to consider the estimates of the Department of Culture and Community Spirit. However, if prior to Mr. Bhardwaj: Naresh Bhardwaj, MLA, Edmonton-Ellerslie. this time we should reach a point where members have exhausted their list of questions, the department’s estimates shall be deemed to Ms Notley: Rachel Notley, MLA, Edmonton-Strathcona. have been considered for the time allotted in the schedule, and we will adjourn. Ms Blakeman: Good evening, everyone. Nice to see a packed This evening I’d like to say to the members that pursuant to the house. My name is Laurie Blakeman, and I’d like to welcome you standing orders which came into effect on December 4, 2008, and in all to my fabulous constituency of Edmonton-Centre. particular Standing Order 59.01, the meeting will proceed as follows. For the first 10 minutes the minister will have the opportu- Mr. Blackett: Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Commu- nity to present opening remarks. For the hour that follows, members nity Spirit and MLA for Calgary-North West. of the Official Opposition and the minister may speak. Following I’d like to introduce my officials: Lois Hawkins, my deputy that hour, the members of the third-party opposition and the minister minister; Mathew Steppan, my executive assistant; Pam Arnston, may speak for a total of 20 minutes. I’m going to suggest that at that executive director of financial services; Sue Bohaichuk, assistant point we take a very brief five-minute break to allow members to get deputy minister of the culture division; David Link, acting assistant up for a few minutes but that we restrict ourselves with discipline to deputy minister of the heritage division; Tom Thackeray, acting five minutes. At that point the clock will continue to run. assistant deputy minister of the community and volunteer services As is the practice in committee, members may speak more than division; Carl Royan, director of lottery funding programs; and once; however, speaking time is limited to 10 minutes at a time. A Shawna Cass, director of communications. member and the minister may combine their speaking time for a total of 20 minutes. I would ask that members advise the chair at the Mrs. Sarich: Janice Sarich, MLA for Edmonton-Decore and beginning of their speech if they wish to combine their speaking parliamentary assistant to the Hon. David Hancock. time. The committee clerk will operate the timers, one for the individual Mr. Johnson: Jeff Johnson, Athabasca-Redwater. speaking times and the other for the overall committee meeting time. I as the chair will endeavour to alert the member and the minister Mr. Hehr: Kent Hehr, Calgary-Buffalo. speaking when their time is close to expiring. Points of order will be dealt with as they arise, and the clock will The Chair: I am Arno Doerksen, MLA for Strathmore-Brooks and continue to run while these points are being dealt with. the chair of this committee. I will remind members that this meeting I think we’ve had a few other members join us since we had is being broadcast via audio link, and your microphones are live, so introductions, so I’ll just go around. Members, if you haven’t you don’t need to adjust them to speak. introduced yourself, please do so at this point. Pursuant to Standing Order 59.01 the main estimates of govern- ment departments stand referred to the policy field committees Mr. Rodney: Thank you very much, Chair. Dave Rodney, Calgary- according to their respective mandates. Today the Standing Lougheed. Committee on Community Services has under consideration the estimates of the Department of Culture and Community Spirit for the Mr. Lukaszuk: Thomas Lukaszuk, Edmonton-Castle Downs. fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. Thank you. I would like to remind members that the vote on the estimates will be deferred until we are in Committee of Supply, when the consider- Mr. Benito: Good evening. Carl Benito, Edmonton-Mill Woods. ation of all ministry estimates have been concluded. You will note from the calendar that was tabled in the Assembly on March 12 that Ms Woo-Paw: Good evening. Teresa Woo-Paw, Calgary-Mackay. the date for the Committee of Supply vote has been set for May 7, 2009. Should any amendments be moved during committee Mr. Johnston: Hi. Art Johnston, Calgary-Hays. consideration of the estimates, the vote on these amendments will also be deferred until May 7, 2009. The Chair: Thank you. On the issue of amendments I’d like to remind members that an With that, I’ll invite the Minister of Culture and Community Spirit amendment to the estimates cannot seek to increase the amount of to begin his remarks. Minister, please. the estimates being considered, change the destination of a grant, or change the destination or purpose of a subsidy. An amendment may Mr. Blackett: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m pleased to present the CS-76 Community Services April 20, 2009 estimates for Culture and Community Spirit for 2009-10. Alberta The government is also working hard to better support an industry Culture and Community Spirit has a broad mandate with responsibil- that brings fast economic rewards, increases tourism, employs ity for culture, community services, the voluntary sector, museums, thousands of Albertans, and spotlights Alberta’s culture. Govern- and heritage sites throughout the province. Culture, community, and ment remains committed to the strategies we introduced last year to volunteers are the threads that when woven together create the fabric make it easier for film and television production companies to work of who we are as Albertans. We provide a hand up to Albertans by in Alberta. Last year we increased the funding cap of the film managing community investment grant programs that strengthen development program from $1.5 million to $3 million per project community-based initiatives, facilities, and programs. We’re also and adjusted the film development program guidelines. I will responsible for the Alberta human rights system. Over the past year continue to work closely with the film industry to ensure that we can I have visited more than 50 communities big and small all over the continue to be aggressive in attracting new productions. province. I can tell you from first-hand experience that the programs We are continuing to support an industry that employs more than this ministry provides feed the heart and soul of these communities. 8,000 Albertans. It’s important for me to note that the racing With your approval and support we will further the contributions industry generates these dollars through slot machines located at Albertans make to their communities by investing in projects they racetracks. Horse Racing Alberta receives a portion of the net have identified as priorities. This includes continued support of our proceeds, a third of which also goes to the Alberta lottery fund, strong cultural and community fundamentals by strengthening our which benefits all Albertans.