Ceci in the political hot seat as energy concerns grow
Finance Minister Ceci says there is ‘ no conclusion’ on any subsidies
With unemployment on the rise, the price of oil wallowing below $ 45 US a barrel and the Keystone pipeline looking beyond resurrection, the political temperature keeps rising on NDP Finance Minister Joe Ceci.
Businesses want additional help to weather the first hike in minimum wage, such as paying less to new or young employees, Finance Minister Joe Ceci said Monday after meeting with business representatives from the Edmonton area ahead of the fall budget.
Some suggested small businesses need extra subsidies to help with the $ 1 pay increase, which kicks in Oct. 1 as part of the province’s plan to raise minimum wage to $ 15 by 2018.
“There was no conclusion or agreement on any of those,” Ceci said, noting some representatives at the meeting wanted assurance that the summer temporary employment program should help smaller businesses in particular. That temporary employment program for students was killed by the former Progressive Conservative government in 2013.
Premier Rachel Notley promised to bring it back during the provincial election campaign, saying she would create 3,000 summer jobs by funnelling $ 10 million annually into the program. Plans didn’t come together this summer, but Notley has pledged it will next year.
“It’s not been an overriding focus of discussions,” Ceci said about his consultations with interested parties across the province about the 2015- 16 budget.
While concerns about minimum wage have come up in his travels across the province in the past 10 days, Ceci said about half of the 2,000 responses he has heard are from people wanting to make sure the province remains attractive to domestic and international investment.
“As a government, we are focused on supporting the energy industry of this province,” said Ceci, one day after a federal NDP candidate for Toronto- Centre suggested some of the oil in Alberta oilsands might have to remain in the ground.
“The premier has been quite clear that diversification or access to our energy is a key focus,” Ceci said.
“Of course, it has to be done in an environmental, sustainable way that doesn’t detract from the current environment we have in this province.”
Ceci said budget estimates will be based on a “realistic” — “not a totally conservative” — price for oil.
“Oil is what it is and we’ll have to take a good view of what we think it will be in future years and build our budget accordingly.”
Janet Riopel, president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, called Monday’s meeting with Ceci “productive.”
“The Edmonton chamber is looking for a budget that maintains a level of fiscal discipline and global competitiveness that allows businesses to confidently plan for their future,” said Riopel, whose organization represents 2,400 businesses with 150,000 employees. “We want our government to look at new, innovative ways of improving our economic situation, while supporting those industries that have driven Albertan’s prosperity.”