Province of Alberta The 27th Legislature First Session Alberta Hansard Monday afternoon, October 20, 2008 Issue 35 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 W.J. David McNeil Clerk 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] October 20, 2008 Alberta Hansard 1377 Legislative Assembly of Alberta them compete for permanent jobs within government. The experi- Title: Monday, October 20, 2008 1:30 p.m. ence they gain provides our public service with a source of new 1:30 p.m. Monday, October 20, 2008 talent that’s ready to hit the ground running. The internship program is just another part of our government’s strategy to attract and retain [The Speaker in the chair] employees to ensure a bright and prosperous future for all Albertans. I would ask the interns, who I believe are in the public gallery, to head: Prayers rise and accept the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Good afternoon. Welcome back. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-East. Let us pray. At the beginning of this week we ask for renewed strength in the awareness of our duty and privilege as Members of Mr. Amery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s indeed a pleasure to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. We ask for the protection of introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly 36 this Assembly and also the province we are elected to serve. Amen. students from the Almadina language charter school located in my constituency of Calgary-East. This academy specializes in ESL and Mr. Robert R. (Roy) Brassard is providing a great service to a multicultural and diverse city. I’d October 1, 1930, to October 17, 2008 like to thank Principal El-Rafih and Vice-Principal Hammoud and The Speaker: Hon. members, it’s with sadness that I must advise all the staff for making the Almadina language charter school a you today of the passing of a former member, Robert R. (Roy) success story in the last few years. The students are here today with Brassard, on Friday, October 17, 2008, at the age of 78 years. Mr. their teachers, Mr. El-Masri, Mr. Elladen, and Mr. Burt. They’re Brassard was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in the general seated in the public gallery. I would ask them to rise and receive the election of May 8, 1986, and served until February 11, 1997. During traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. his years of service he represented the constituency of Olds- Didsbury for the Progressive Conservative Party. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. During his years in the Legislature Mr. Brassard served as associate minister of family and social services, minister responsible Mr. Vandermeer: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my honour to for seniors, minister responsible for the Premier’s Council on the introduce to you and through you to members of this Assembly 17 Status of Persons with Disabilities, minister responsible for the students from the Belvedere elementary school, the neighbourhood Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, and minister where I grew up, in the northeast corner of Edmonton. They are responsible for the Family Life and Substance Abuse Foundation. accompanied by their teachers, Mrs. Janice Bogner and Ms Ashley Mr. Brassard also served on the standing committees of Private Charbonneau. I’d ask them to rise – they are in the members’ Bills, Public Accounts, Law and Regulations, Members’ Services, gallery – and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assem- and Legislative Offices. bly. With our admiration and respect there is gratitude to members of his family who shared the burdens of public office. Our prayers are The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. with them. In a moment of silent prayer I ask you to remember Roy Brassard Mr. MacDonald: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my as you may have known him. Rest eternal grant unto him,