Alberta Hansard
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Province of Alberta The 27th Legislature First Session Alberta Hansard Tuesday evening, April 22, 2008 Issue 7e The Honourable Kenneth R. Kowalski, Speaker Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 27th Legislature First Session Kowalski, Hon. Ken, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, Speaker Cao, Wayne C.N., Calgary-Fort, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Mitzel, Len, Cypress-Medicine Hat, Deputy Chair of Committees Ady, Hon. Cindy, Calgary-Shaw (PC), Liepert, Hon. Ron, Calgary-West (PC), Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation Minister of Health and Wellness Allred, Ken, St. Albert (PC) Lindsay, Hon. Fred, Stony Plain (PC), Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC) Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Anderson, Rob, Airdrie-Chestermere (PC), Lukaszuk, Thomas A., Edmonton-Castle Downs (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Solicitor General and Public Security Parliamentary Assistant, Municipal Affairs Benito, Carl, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Lund, Ty, Rocky Mountain House (PC) Berger, Evan, Livingstone-Macleod (PC), MacDonald, Hugh, Edmonton-Gold Bar (L) Parliamentary Assistant, Sustainable Resource Development Marz, Richard, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (PC) Bhardwaj, Naresh, Edmonton-Ellerslie (PC) Mason, Brian, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (NDP), Bhullar, Manmeet Singh, Calgary-Montrose (PC), Leader of the NDP Opposition Parliamentary Assistant, Advanced Education McFarland, Barry, Little Bow (PC) and Technology McQueen, Diana, Drayton Valley-Calmar (PC), Blackett, Hon. Lindsay, Calgary-North West (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Environment Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Morton, Hon. F.L., Foothills-Rocky View (PC), Blakeman, Laurie, Edmonton-Centre (L), Minister of Sustainable Resource Development Official Opposition House Leader Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (NDP), Boutilier, Guy C., Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (PC) Deputy Leader of the NDP Opposition, Brown, Dr. Neil, QC, Calgary-Nose Hill (PC) NDP Opposition House Leader Calahasen, Pearl, Lesser Slave Lake (PC) Oberle, Frank, Peace River (PC), Campbell, Robin, West Yellowhead (PC), Government Whip Deputy Government Whip Olson, Verlyn, QC, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (PC) Chase, Harry B., Calgary-Varsity (L), Ouellette, Hon. Luke, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (PC), Official Opposition Whip Minister of Transportation Dallas, Cal, Red Deer-South (PC) Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (L), Danyluk, Hon. Ray, Lac La Biche-St. Paul (PC), Deputy Official Opposition Whip Minister of Municipal Affairs Prins, Ray, Lacombe-Ponoka (PC) DeLong, Alana, Calgary-Bow (PC) Quest, Dave, Strathcona (PC) Denis, Jonathan, Calgary-Egmont (PC) Redford, Hon. Alison M., Calgary-Elbow (PC), Doerksen, Arno, Strathmore-Brooks (PC) Minister of Justice and Attorney General Drysdale, Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC) Renner, Hon. Rob, Medicine Hat (PC), Elniski, Doug, Edmonton-Calder (PC) Minister of Environment, Deputy Government House Leader Evans, Hon. Iris, Sherwood Park (PC), Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC) Minister of Finance and Enterprise Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont-Devon (PC) Fawcett, Kyle, Calgary-North Hill (PC) Sandhu, Peter, Edmonton-Manning (PC) Forsyth, Heather, Calgary-Fish Creek (PC) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC), Fritz, Hon. Yvonne, Calgary-Cross (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Education Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Sherman, Dr. Raj, Edmonton-Meadowlark (PC), Goudreau, Hon. Hector G., Dunvegan-Central Peace (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Health and Wellness Minister of Employment and Immigration Snelgrove, Hon. Lloyd, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC), Griffiths, Doug, Battle River-Wainwright (PC), President of the Treasury Board Parliamentary Assistant, Agriculture and Rural Development Stelmach, Hon. Ed, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (PC), Groeneveld, Hon. George, Highwood (PC), Premier, President of Executive Council Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Stevens, Hon. Ron, QC, Calgary-Glenmore (PC), Hancock, Hon. Dave, QC, Edmonton-Whitemud (PC), Deputy Premier, Minister of International and Minister of Education, Government House Leader Intergovernmental Relations Hayden, Hon. Jack, Drumheller-Stettler (PC), Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (L) Minister of Infrastructure Taft, Dr. Kevin, Edmonton-Riverview (L) Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (L) Leader of the Official Opposition Horne, Fred, Edmonton-Rutherford (PC) Tarchuk, Hon. Janis, Banff-Cochrane (PC), Horner, Hon. Doug, Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert (PC), Minister of Children and Youth Services Minister of Advanced Education and Technology Taylor, Dave, Calgary-Currie (L), Jablonski, Hon. Mary Anne, Red Deer-North (PC), Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition Minister of Seniors and Community Supports VanderBurg, George, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne (PC) Jacobs, Broyce, Cardston-Taber-Warner (PC) Vandermeer, Tony, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (PC) Johnson, Jeff, Athabasca-Redwater (PC) Weadick, Greg, Lethbridge-West (PC) Johnston, Art, Calgary-Hays (PC) Webber, Len, Calgary-Foothills (PC), Kang, Darshan S., Calgary-McCall (L) Parliamentary Assistant, Energy Klimchuk, Hon. Heather, Edmonton-Glenora (PC), Woo-Paw, Teresa, Calgary-Mackay (PC) Minister of Service Alberta Xiao, David H., Edmonton-McClung (PC), Knight, Hon. Mel, Grande Prairie-Smoky (PC), Parliamentary Assistant, Employment and Immigration Minister of Energy Zwozdesky, Hon. Gene, Edmonton-Mill Creek (PC), Leskiw, Genia, Bonnyville-Cold Lake (PC) Minister of Aboriginal Relations, Deputy Government House Leader Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly Clerk W.J. David McNeil Senior Parliamentary Counsel Shannon Dean Clerk Assistant/ Sergeant-at-Arms Brian G. Hodgson Director of House Services Louise J. Kamuchik Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms J. Ed Richard Clerk of Journals/Table Research Micheline S. Gravel Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms William C. Semple Senior Parliamentary Counsel Robert H. Reynolds, QC Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Liz Sim [Errata, if any, appear inside back cover] April 22, 2008 Alberta Hansard 143 Legislative Assembly of Alberta To His Honour the Honourable Norman L. Kwong, CM, AOE, Title: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 7:30 p.m. Lieutenant Governor of the province of Alberta: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2008 We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly, now assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the [Mr. Mitzel in the chair] gracious speech Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session. The Acting Speaker: Hon. members, before we start, may we revert to Introduction of Guests? [Adjourned debate April 21: Mr. Blackett] The Acting Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Glenora. [Unanimous consent granted] Mrs. Klimchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great honour head: Introduction of Guests that I rise today and second the Speech from the Throne. As the The Acting Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Glenora. newly elected Member for Edmonton-Glenora and Minister of Service Alberta I am proud to stand and offer my thoughts on the Mrs. Klimchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to rise and bold direction our government is leading the province of Alberta in. introduce to you and through you to this Assembly some guests that have Guided by the leadership of Premier Stelmach, I am excited by the come here tonight to hear my maiden speech: Drew Hutton, the former opportunities that are present today and on the horizon for the people MLA for Edmonton-Glenora; a number of friends and colleagues from of Alberta. the campaign trail; my good friend Joan Pitfield; Landon Miller and Standing today before you and the rest of the members of the Carol Anderson, my fabulous staff; Ken Chapman; Craig and Eve Assembly, Mr. Speaker, is a truly humbling experience. I must Rose; Madelyn Todd; Sharon Matthias; Susan Green, who just admit that I am still awestruck as I walk through the doors of this returned from Africa; Richard Wong; and Brian Hlus. Could you Legislature every morning, knowing that I am one of the very few please rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. Albertans who has had the privilege of being elected to the Legisla- tive Assembly. The Acting Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Buffalo. My history and passion for politics far precedes my election as an MLA, and I must say that I have always dreamed of standing exactly Mr. Hehr: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my privilege to introduce where I am today. In 1980 I accepted a position in government to you and through you two members who have come up here to members’ research for the PC caucus and later worked for Premiers hear my maiden speech. The first is Liza Tega. Liza has been a Peter Lougheed and Don Getty as a writer. I used to spend a lot of Canadian for the last 12 years, serving in a variety of occupations, time looking down from the members’ gallery and observing the the last four and a half years – and it’s a testament to her character action. Now I’m looking up into the gallery and really appreciate and strength of commitment and tremendous patience – working the support of the Edmonton-Glenora PC board of directors, my primarily with the MLA for Calgary-Buffalo, putting humpty campaign volunteers, and very special friends. Mr. Speaker, all of dumpty together again in the mornings and evenings. Liza is a these people were and continue to be instrumental in my success. tremendous person. I’m really happy to have her here. In my 15 years with government I learned a great deal about The second is another resident of Calgary-Buffalo, who has been political life and governance,