PROVINCE'S TO-DO LIST
Referendums and recalls
The Alberta legislature will open its spring sitting with long-promised legislation to Albertans to recall elected officials and initiate their own referendums.
UCP house leader Jason Nixon said in an interview Wednesday morning that the Recall Act and the Citizen Initiative Act will be among the government's first bills after the legislature reconvenes Thursday.
But Nixon said the government's primary focus, after Thursday's budget moves through the chamber, will be on jobs with a mix of democratic reform legislation.
“We can walk and chew gum at the same time, so we're going to focus on using the legislature to make life better for Albertans and fulfil commitments to Albertans, but the primary goal of our government is still going to be about managing through COVID,” said Nixon.
At an afternoon news conference, he said the government intends for the recall bill to take effect before the end of its term and the next provincial election in 2023.
A legislative committee that worked on the issues and heard from experts last year submitted its recommendations in December, including that eligible voters be given 90 days to collect signatures from at least 40 per cent of voters in an MLA'S riding to prompt a recall vote.
Nixon said Wednesday the government would be following through with Health Minister Tyler Shandro's promise to repeal the controversial health law, Bill 10, that allowed ministers to make legislative changes without the approval of the legislature.
A special committee's report on the Public Health Act will also guide other changes to the law, which could include removing the government's power to order mandatory vaccinations in the spring.
And the UCP will move on Premier Jason Kenney's pledge to roll out the largest job training program in the province's history, as Alberta has the second highest unemployment rate in the country.
Nixon said that program will be announced with the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act.
Kenney has said it will be targeted for Albertans who have been “dislocated” out of the energy sector.
Nixon said Albertans can also expect changes to the Police Act from Justice Minister Kaycee Madu to formally ban police from collecting identifying information “arbitrarily,” or based on factors like race, age, disability or sexual orientation.
Service Alberta Minister Nate Glubish will introduce legislation banning legal name changes for dangerous offenders, and bills on the order paper will address things like labour mobility issues and irrigation districts.
The legislature will continue its current session rather than start a new one, meaning there will be no new throne speech outlining the government's agenda until the fall.
Nixon said getting through the pandemic and ensuring Albertans are vaccinated is more important than setting a new trajectory.
“It makes more sense to move forward with a plan and a throne speech in the fall that shows the next phase as we are hopefully coming to the end of the pandemic . ... It makes more sense to do that then right in the height of the pandemic,” said Nixon.
The legislature will take a weeklong constituency break after the government tables its budget Thursday.
Nixon said there will be a transparent debate over the details of the budget when the assembly meets again on March 8.
He added the break week will allow MLAS to get feedback from their constituents, and give everyone more time to go through the budget and prepare for debate.
NDP house leader Christina Gray agreed that the Opposition was happy to have the break to prepare and consult, but she said she is concerned the government is carrying on with a pre-pandemic agenda.
“We're not seeing them reacting to the pandemic, we're not seeing a focus on jobs or on strengthening our health-care system. Instead, we're seeing them move forward with an agenda that they started on before the pandemic,” said Gray.
Gray said there appeared to be no legislation aimed at making life affordable for families, or to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Their legislative agenda is lightweight, ineffectual and unfocused,” she said.
Gray said NDP Leader Rachel Notley will introduce a private member's bill this spring, and it will be focused on supporting front-line workers.
NDP finance critic Shannon Phillips said investment in the health-care system, including to get through the backlog in care created by the pandemic, needs to be the government's No. 1 priority.
“More chaos in health care will hold back job creation, economic recovery and investor confidence,” said Phillips, adding support for workers and small businesses will be crucial.
We're not seeing them reacting to the pandemic, we're not seeing a focus on jobs or on strengthening our health-care system.