Hello Chestermere,
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
This past week has been full of emotion, robust debate, and intense policy discussions. We have spent 18 hour days in the legislature with high hopes and hearts on our sleeves debating issues. For your information here are the following Private Member’s Bills that have come forward since June.
Bill 201-Assuring Alberta’s Fiscal Future–2nd reading
Bill 202- Alberta Local Food Act-Third Reading
Bill 203-Restrictions on Government Advertising’ which was presented by Rick Strankman, Wildrose MLA for Drumheller-Stettler. Referred to committee. Gee, what a novel idea.
Bill 204-Residencial Tenancies-Safer Spaces for Victims of Domestic Violence-passed
Bill 205-Persons with Developmental Disabilities Services-Public Consultation – 2ND reading. Note that this Bill provides for “Consultation”. See Bill 203 above.
Bill 206 (Recall Act)-1st reading. I am the sponsor of this Bill. The government will most likely reset or prorogue the legislature and Bills that did not make it to the 3rd reading for a vote will not likely be saved for the new session. We will see. This means that Bill 206 will potentially die after first reading.
We also debated and the government rammed through:
Bill 1-An Act to Renew Democracy in Alberta-To ban corporate and union donations to political parties in this province. The government left lots of loopholes in this one for their friends.
Bill 2-An Act to Restore Fairness to Public Revenue. Note the cute name. This Bill raised corporate and personal income taxes just as the economic tailspin accelerated.
Bill 3 – Interim Supply Act This Bill authorized billions of dollars in borrowing with few details to keep the government running until the budget, which they delayed until after the federal election. Draw your own conclusions about the reasons for that.
Bill 4 – The Budget. Even if the government’s rosy economic assumptions are to be believed (I don’t believe them) at the end of their mandate Albertans will owe about $11,000.00 each. There was NO consideration given to reducing per capita spending, $2,000 higher than BC spends per capita.
Bill 5: The so-called “Sunshine List” for a restricted list of government employees.
Other bills:
Bill 7, the Alberta Human Rights Amendment Act, passed without much controversy.
Bill 8, the Public Education Collective Bargaining Act, takes all authority to bargain on money issues away from local school boards. Passed with some amendments. Local school boards remain concerned. After all, they get to pay for it.
Bill 9, the Appropriation Act. Replaces Bill 3. Now that the budget has passed, lets the government go on a borrowing spree. Hold on to your wallets.
And then there is Bill 6 …,
In the last 2 weeks thousands of farmers and ranchers have sent us letters, and emails, and petitions. A lot of these have come from people supposedly represented by government MLAs, who seem to have forgotten who they work for. They have phoned us, they have cried, they have begged and pleaded with this government to slow down, and consult on this legislation–transformational legislation that will completely change the fabric of the landscape with regards to the family farm. Farmers and ranchers care about safety and have liability insurance for all members of their families and workers who work part and full time on these farms. They are being forced into an inferior, broken insurance system against all common sense. Who said it is inferior? Our Premier, that’s who. I guess it’s good enough for farmers though. Just not for her friends. By the way, there was no “miscommunication” as the government said, blaming “officials”. My office got printed material straight from the WCB saying their legislation applied to everybody, family or not, paid or not, owner or not. They would not have done that on their own.
I leave you with this quote from one of our neighbours who farms in the Langdon area:
“I haven’t been this concerned about our government here in Alberta in all my life. They are doing so many things that are going to hurt our way of life and have it cost more just to try to live here in Alberta. ”
Can’t say it better than that. Remember, if they can ignore farmers and impose their ideology on them, they can do it to you. Please contact me with your advice and questions.
