Opposition frustrated with NDP tabling legislation late in session

Alberta’s opposition parties are voicing frustration after the NDP tabled complex pieces of legislation near the end of the legislature’s fall sitting.

“They had no legislation that was ready to go of any significance and have piled it all down into the later days of the session,” Opposition house leader Jason Nixon said.

He said the United Conservative Party (UCP) has concerns with legislation including the 147-page Bill 30, which overhauls Alberta’s occupational health and safety as well as workers’ compensation systems. The NDP introduced the bill Nov. 27.

“There are parts of the bill that we support, there are other parts of the bill (where) we have significant concerns,” Nixon said. “The stakeholders that I’m talking to ... have said there has not been enough consultation.”

After introducing Bill 30 a week ago, the NDP tabled three other major pieces of legislation — a bill that restricts the activities of so-called political action committees, a bill that changes consumer protection laws and another bill to change provincial electoral boundaries.

“It is frustrating that the NDP continue to bring the most complex legislation in the last week of sitting. We’ve seen 250 pages worth of bills here dropped in the last couple of sitting days,” said Alberta Party interim leader Greg Clark. “They’ve done it repeatedly ... They expect to just squeeze the opposition.”

Government house leader Brian Mason said he’s hoping to meet with Nixon on Tuesday night to discuss whether it’s necessary to

There’s ample opportunity for the opposition to do its job and I think they should stop complaining.

extend the fall sitting.

“We brought the legislation forward when it was ready,” Mason said. “We can take the time the opposition deems necessary to deal with these bills.

“There’s ample opportunity for the opposition to do its job and I think they should stop complaining.”

Nixon said the UCP wants legislation to go to standing committees for review.