Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 28th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Consideration of Main Estimates Monday, April 14, 2014 7 p.m. Transcript No. 28-2-6 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 28th Legislature Second Session Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Amery, Moe, Calgary-East (PC), Chair Fox, Rodney M., Lacombe-Ponoka (W), Deputy Chair Dorward, David C., Edmonton-Gold Bar (PC) Eggen, David, Edmonton-Calder (ND) Hehr, Kent, Calgary-Buffalo (AL) Kubinec, Maureen, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock (PC) Lemke, Ken, Stony Plain (PC) Luan, Jason, Calgary-Hawkwood (PC) McDonald, Everett, Grande Prairie-Smoky (PC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND)* Pastoor, Bridget Brennan, Lethbridge-East (PC) Quadri, Sohail, Edmonton-Mill Woods (PC) Rogers, George, Leduc-Beaumont (PC) Rowe, Bruce, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (W) Sarich, Janice, Edmonton-Decore (PC) Stier, Pat, Livingstone-Macleod (W) * substitution for David Eggen Also in Attendance Barnes, Drew, Cypress-Medicine Hat (W) Bikman, Gary, Cardston-Taber-Warner (W) Support Staff W.J. David McNeil Clerk Robert H. Reynolds, QC Law Clerk/Director of Interparliamentary Relations Shannon Dean Senior Parliamentary Counsel/ Director of House Services Philip Massolin Manager of Research Services Stephanie LeBlanc Legal Research Officer Sarah Leonard Legal Research Officer Nancy Zhang Legislative Research Officer Nancy Robert Research Officer Corinne Dacyshyn Committee Clerk Jody Rempel Committee Clerk Karen Sawchuk Committee Clerk Christopher Tyrell Committee Clerk Rhonda Sorensen Manager of Corporate Communications and Broadcast Services Jeanette Dotimas Communications Consultant Tracey Sales Communications Consultant Janet Schwegel Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard Transcript produced by Alberta Hansard Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Participants Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Hon. Thomas Lukaszuk, Minister Danielle Comeau, Executive Director, Labour Attraction and Retention Dana Hogemann, Director, Finance and Administrative Services Lana Lougheed, Deputy Minister April 14, 2014 Alberta’s Economic Future EF-495 7 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2014 The Chair: Great. Thank you all very much. Title: Monday, April 14, 2014 ef Ladies and gentlemen, please note that the microphones are [Mr. Amery in the chair] operated by Hansard, and we’d ask that BlackBerrys, iPhones be turned off or set to silent or vibrate and not placed on the table as Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour they may interfere with the audiofeed. Consideration of Main Estimates Hon. members, as you know, the Assembly approved amend- ments to the standing orders that impact consideration of the main The Chair: Well, good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would estimates. Before we proceed with consideration of the main like to call this meeting to order and welcome everyone here. The estimates for the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, I committee has under consideration the estimates of the Ministry of would like to review briefly the standing orders governing the Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour for the fiscal year ending March speaking rotation. As provided for in Standing Order 59.01(6), the 31, 2015. rotation is as follows. I would ask that we go around the table and introduce ourselves The minister may make opening comments not to exceed 10 for the record. Mr. Minister, please introduce your staff when we minutes. For the hour that follows members of the Official get to you. I’m Moe Amery, MLA for Calgary-East and chair of Opposition, Wildrose, and the minister may speak. For the next 20 this committee. minutes the members of the third party, Alberta Liberals, if any, and the minister may speak. For the next 20 minutes the members Mr. Fox: Good evening. I’m Rod Fox, deputy chair of this of the fourth party, NDs, if any, and the minister may speak. For committee and MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka. the next 20 minutes the members of any other party represented in the Assembly or any independent members and the minister may Mr. Rogers: George Rogers, MLA, Leduc-Beaumont. speak. For the next 20 minutes private members of the govern- ment caucus and the minister may speak. For the time remaining Ms Pastoor: Bridget Pastoor, MLA, Lethbridge-East. we will follow the same rotation to the extent possible; however, Ms Notley: Rachel Notley, MLA, Edmonton-Strathcona. the speaking times are reduced to five minutes. Members may speak more than once; however, speaking times Mr. Luan: Jason Luan, MLA, Calgary-Hawkwood. are limited to 10 minutes at any one time. A minister and a member may combine their time for a total of 20 minutes. For the Mr. Hehr: Kent Hehr, MLA, Calgary-Buffalo. final rotation, with speaking times of five minutes, once again a minister and a member may combine their speaking time for a Ms Hogemann: Dana Hogemann, director of finance and maximum total of 10 minutes. Members are asked to advise the administrative services with Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour. chair at the beginning of their speech if they wish to combine their Mr. Lukaszuk: Thomas Lukaszuk. time with the minister’s time. If members have any questions regarding speaking times or the Ms Lougheed: Lana Lougheed, deputy minister. rotation, please feel free to send a note or speak directly with either the chair or committee clerk about the process. Ms Comeau: Danielle Comeau, acting assistant deputy minister. Three hours have been scheduled to consider the estimates of the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour. With the Mr. Barnes: Drew Barnes, MLA, Cypress-Medicine Hat. concurrence of the committee I will call a five-minute break near the midpoint of the meeting. Mr. Bikman: Gary Bikman, Cardston-Taber-Warner, critic for Committee members, ministers, and other members who are not Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour for the Wildrose Official committee members may participate. Ministry officials may be Opposition. present, and at the direction of the minister officials from the Mr. Stier: Pat Stier, MLA, Livingstone-Macleod. ministry may address the committee. Members’ staff may be present and, space permitting, may sit at the table or behind their Mr. Rowe: Bruce Rowe, MLA, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. members along the committee room wall. Members have priority for seating at the table at all times. Mrs. Sarich: Good evening, and welcome. Janice Sarich, MLA, If debate is exhausted prior to three hours, the ministry’s Edmonton-Decore. estimates are deemed to have been considered for the time allotted in the schedule, and we will adjourn. Otherwise, we will adjourn Mr. McDonald: Good evening. Everett McDonald, MLA, Grande at 10 p.m. Prairie-Smoky. Points of order will be dealt with as they arise, and the clock will continue to run. Ms Kubinec: Maureen Kubinec, MLA, Barrhead-Morinville- Any written material provided in response to questions raised Westlock. during the main estimates should be tabled in the Assembly for the benefit of all members. Mr. Quadri: Sohail Quadri, Edmonton-Mill Woods. Vote on the estimates is deferred until consideration of all The Chair: Good. Mr. Dorward and Mr. Lemke, would you ministry estimates has concluded and will occur in Committee of please introduce yourselves? Supply on April 16, 2014. Now I would like to invite the Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training Mr. Dorward: Yeah. David Dorward, MLA for Edmonton-Gold and Labour to begin with his opening remarks. Minister. Bar. Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all Mr. Lemke: Ken Lemke, MLA, Stony Plain. for being here in the evening and going through the estimates. I’m looking forward to our conversation, to going back and forth, to EF-496 Alberta’s Economic Future April 14, 2014 your questions, and definitely to your constructive input on this 7:10 ministry moving forward. It’s a privilege to be here to discuss the But now as a stand-alone ministry of labour we will also very first budget estimate for the Ministry of Jobs, Skills, Training provide focused leadership on Alberta’s broad labour policy. My and Labour. We are first and foremost a ministry of labour, as you team is working on new programs aimed at, one, increasing well know from the responsibilities that have been placed within employment rates; two, addressing Alberta’s shortage and long- this particular portfolio. It is our job to help ensure that Alberta term labour shortages; and, three, creating a more robust labour has people ready for the jobs that our economy is creating and that market intelligence system to support Albertans in making good our workplaces are safe, fair, and the most productive in all of job and career choices. Canada. Mr. Chairman, these are areas that affect Alberta employers and Our ministry is now only four months old. That’s not a lot of workers every single day, and our new work will help to address time, but I can tell you that our team has been extremely busy the underlying issue of people without jobs and jobs without tackling the most important work in our mandate. On that note, people. This work is now getting under way, and I look forward to even though you, Mr. Chair, have allowed us to introduce my providing updates on our new initiatives in the weeks and months executive team to you, I would like to again acknowledge my ahead. brand new deputy minister, Lana Lougheed; Danielle Comeau, As a new ministry with a new mandate there are costs attached who’s an acting assistant deputy minister in the workforce to not only setting up a department but setting up our own strategies division; and director of finance Dana Hogemann. I department for success. I am sure you will have questions would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge a lady who has been regarding the funding increases for both the office of the minister working very hard in this ministry for the last four months and the deputy minister.