Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 31st Legislature

First Session Cooper, Hon. Nathan M., Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (UC), Speaker

Pitt, Angela D., Airdrie-East (UC), Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees van Dijken, Glenn, Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock (UC), Deputy Chair of Committees

Al-Guneid, Nagwan, Calgary-Glenmore (NDP) Amery, Hon. Mickey K., ECA, KC, Calgary-Cross (UC),

Deputy Government House Leader Arcand-Paul, Brooks, Edmonton-West Henday (NDP) Armstrong-Homeniuk, Hon. Jackie, ECA,

Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (UC) Batten, Diana M.B., Calgary-Acadia (NDP) Boitchenko, Andrew, Drayton Valley-Devon (UC) Boparai, Parmeet Singh, Calgary-Falconridge (NDP) Bouchard, Eric, Calgary-Lougheed (UC) Brar, Gurinder, Calgary-North East (NDP) Calahoo Stonehouse, Jodi, Edmonton-Rutherford (NDP) Ceci, Hon. Joe, ECA, Calgary-Buffalo (NDP) Chapman, Amanda, Calgary-Beddington (NDP),

Official Opposition Deputy Assistant Whip Cyr, Scott J., Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul (UC) Dach, Lorne, Edmonton-McClung (NDP) de Jonge, Chantelle, Chestermere-Strathmore (UC) Deol, Jasvir, Edmonton-Meadows (NDP) Dreeshen, Hon. Devin, ECA, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (UC) Dyck, Nolan B., Grande Prairie (UC) Eggen, Hon. David, ECA, Edmonton-North West (NDP) Ellingson, Court, Calgary-Foothills (NDP) Ellis, Hon. Mike, ECA, Calgary-West (UC),

Deputy Premier Elmeligi, Sarah, Banff-Kananaskis (NDP) Eremenko, Janet, Calgary-Currie (NDP) Fir, Hon. Tanya, ECA, Calgary-Peigan (UC) Ganley, Hon. Kathleen T., ECA, Calgary-Mountain View (NDP),

Official Opposition Whip Getson, Shane C., Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland (UC),

Government Whip Glubish, Hon. Nate, ECA, Strathcona-Sherwood Park (UC) Goehring, Nicole, Edmonton-Castle Downs (NDP) Gray, Hon. Christina, ECA, Edmonton-Mill Woods (NDP),

Leader of the Official Opposition, Official Opposition House Leader

Guthrie, Hon. Peter F., ECA, Airdrie-Cochrane (UC) Haji, Sharif, Edmonton-Decore (NDP) Hayter, Julia K.U., Calgary-Edgemont (NDP) Hoffman, Hon. Sarah, ECA, Edmonton-Glenora (NDP) Horner, Hon. Nate S., ECA, Drumheller-Stettler (UC) Hoyle, Rhiannon, Edmonton-South (NDP) Hunter, Hon. Grant R., ECA, Taber-Warner (UC) Ip, Nathan, Edmonton-South West (NDP) Irwin, Janis, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (NDP),

Official Opposition Assistant Whip Jean, Hon. Brian Michael, ECA, KC, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche

(UC) Johnson, Jennifer, Lacombe-Ponoka (UC) Jones, Hon. Matt, ECA, Calgary-South East (UC) Kasawski, Kyle, Sherwood Park (NDP) Kayande, Samir, Calgary-Elbow (NDP)

LaGrange, Hon. Adriana, ECA, Red Deer-North (UC) Loewen, Hon. Todd, ECA, Central Peace-Notley (UC) Long, Hon. Martin M., ECA, West Yellowhead (UC) Lovely, Jacqueline, Camrose (UC) Lunty, Brandon G., Leduc-Beaumont (UC) McDougall, Myles, Calgary-Fish Creek (UC) McIver, Hon. Ric, ECA, Calgary-Hays (UC) Metz, Luanne, Calgary-Varsity (NDP) Miyashiro, Rob, Lethbridge-West (NDP) Nally, Hon. Dale, ECA, Morinville-St. Albert (UC) Neudorf, Hon. Nathan T., ECA, Lethbridge-East (UC) Nicolaides, Hon. Demetrios, ECA, Calgary-Bow (UC) Nixon, Hon. Jason, ECA, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre

(UC) Pancholi, Rakhi, Edmonton-Whitemud (NDP) Petrovic, Chelsae, Livingstone-Macleod (UC) Renaud, Marie F., St. Albert (NDP) Rowswell, Garth, Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright (UC) Sabir, Hon. Irfan, ECA, Calgary-Bhullar-McCall (NDP),

Official Opposition Deputy House Leader Sawhney, Hon. Rajan, ECA, Calgary-North West (UC) Schmidt, Hon. Marlin, ECA, Edmonton-Gold Bar (NDP) Schow, Hon. Joseph R., ECA, Cardston-Siksika (UC),

Government House Leader Schulz, Hon. Rebecca, ECA, Calgary-Shaw (UC) Shepherd, David, Edmonton-City Centre (NDP),

Official Opposition Deputy House Leader Sigurdson, Hon. Lori, ECA, Edmonton-Riverview (NDP) Sigurdson, Hon. R.J., ECA, Highwood (UC) Sinclair, Scott, Lesser Slave Lake (Ind) Singh, Peter, Calgary-East (UC) Smith, Hon. Danielle, ECA, Brooks-Medicine Hat (UC),

Premier Stephan, Jason, Red Deer-South (UC) Sweet, Heather, Edmonton-Manning (NDP) Tejada, Lizette, Calgary-Klein (NDP) Turton, Hon. Searle, ECA, Spruce Grove-Stony Plain (UC) Wiebe, Ron, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (UC) Williams, Hon. Dan D.A., ECA, Peace River (UC),

Deputy Government House Leader Wilson, Hon. Rick D., ECA, Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin (UC) Wright, Justin, Cypress-Medicine Hat (UC) Wright, Peggy K., Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (NDP) Yao, Tany, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (UC),

Deputy Government Whip Yaseen, Hon. Muhammad, ECA, Calgary-North (UC) Vacant, Edmonton-Ellerslie Vacant, Edmonton-Strathcona

Party standings: United Conservative: 48 New Democrat: 36 Independent: 1 Vacant: 2

Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly

Shannon Dean, KC, Clerk Trafton Koenig, Law Clerk Philip Massolin, Clerk Assistant and

Executive Director of Parliamentary Services

Nancy Robert, Clerk of Journals and Committees

Amanda LeBlanc, Managing Editor of Alberta Hansard

Terry Langley, Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Link, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Gareth Scott, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Lang Bawn, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms

Executive Council

Danielle Smith Premier, President of Executive Council, Minister of Intergovernmental Relations

Mike Ellis Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

Mickey Amery Minister of Justice Devin Dreeshen Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Tanya Fir Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women Nate Glubish Minister of Technology and Innovation Nate Horner President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Brian Jean Minister of Energy and Minerals Matt Jones Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Adriana LaGrange Minister of Health Todd Loewen Minister of Forestry and Parks Martin Long Minister of Infrastructure Ric McIver Minister of Municipal Affairs Dale Nally Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Nathan Neudorf Minister of Affordability and Utilities Demetrios Nicolaides Minister of Education Jason Nixon Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Rajan Sawhney Minister of Advanced Education Joseph Schow Minister of Tourism and Sport Rebecca Schulz Minister of Environment and Protected Areas R.J. Sigurdson Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Searle Turton Minister of Children and Family Services Dan Williams Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Rick Wilson Minister of Indigenous Relations Muhammad Yaseen Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism

Parliamentary Secretaries

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk Parliamentary Secretary for Settlement Services and Ukrainian Evacuees Andrew Boitchenko Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Relations Chantelle de Jonge Parliamentary Secretary for Affordability and Utilities Nolan Dyck Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous and Rural Policing Shane Getson Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development Chelsae Petrovic Parliamentary Secretary for Health Workforce Engagement Ron Wiebe Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health (North) Justin Wright Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health (South) Tany Yao Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Northern Development

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA

Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Chair: Mr. Yao Deputy Chair: Mr. Rowswell

Boitchenko Brar Kasawski Kayande Stephan Wiebe Wright, J.

Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future Chair: Mr. Getson Deputy Chair: Vacant

Boparai Cyr de Jonge Elmeligi Hoyle Stephan van Dijken Wright, J.

Select Special Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee Chair: Mr. Getson Deputy Chair: Mr. Long

Arcand-Paul Ellingson Hunter Ip Lovely Rowswell Sabir Wright, J.

Standing Committee on Families and Communities Chair: Ms Lovely Deputy Chair: Ms Goehring

Batten Haji Johnson Lunty McDougall Petrovic Singh Tejada

Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Chair: Mr. Getson Deputy Chair: Mr. van Dijken

Chapman Cyr Dyck Eremenko Lovely Miyashiro Petrovic Shepherd

Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services Chair: Mr. Cooper Deputy Chair: Mr. Getson

Eggen Gray Hunter Metz Petrovic Sabir Singh Yao

Standing Committee on Private Bills Chair: Ms Pitt Deputy Chair: Mr. Cyr

Bouchard Ceci Deol Dyck Hayter Johnson Sigurdson, L. Wright, J.

Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Chair: Ms Armstrong-Homeniuk Deputy Chair: Mr. Wiebe

Arcand-Paul Bouchard Ceci Cyr Dach Gray Sinclair Stephan

Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair: Mr. Sabir Deputy Chair: Mr. Rowswell

Armstrong-Homeniuk de Jonge Ellingson Johnson Lunty McDougall Renaud Schmidt

Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship Chair: Mr. Rowswell Deputy Chair: Ms Sweet

Al-Guneid Armstrong-Homeniuk Boitchenko Calahoo Stonehouse Dyck Eggen Hunter Yao

April 10, 2025 Alberta Hansard 2849

Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Thursday, April 10, 2025 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10, 2025

[The Speaker in the chair]

head: Prayers

The Speaker: Lord, the God of righteousness and truth, grant to our King and to his government, to Members of the Legislative Assembly, and to all in positions of responsibility the guidance of Your spirit. May they never lead the province wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideas but, laying aside all private interest and prejudice, keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition of all. Amen. Hon. members, we will now be led in the singing of God Save the King by Mr. Michael Peters. I’d invite you to participate in the language of your choice.

Hon. Members: God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King!

The Speaker: Hon. members, please be seated.

head: Introduction of Guests

The Speaker: Hon. members, as is the requirement of the Speaker’s gallery, it’s my absolute pleasure to introduce the finest of all of the Neudorfs, the hon. Minister of Affordability and Utilities’ lovely bride, Ms Deanne Neudorf. Please rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. I’m certain the minister will do a better job when he gets his chance. The hon. Minister of Environment and Protected Areas has a school group to introduce.

Ms Schulz: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you to all members of this Assembly it is my pleasure to introduce the grade 6 students from Chaparral elementary school, their teachers Ms Katie Keil, Mrs. Lori Wilson, Mrs. Jennifer Lo, EA Tanis, parent volunteers Charlene, Bonnie, Diana, Shiri, Lindsay, and Lauren. As well, in that group is our CBE, Calgary board of education, trustee Charlene May. Would you all please rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly.

Mrs. Johnson: Mr. Speaker, allô et bonjour. I rise to introduce to you and through you to all Members of the Legislative Assembly 53 students from Lacombe upper elementary school who are here today to learn about the importance of democracy. I ask them to please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. Merci beaucoup.

The Speaker: The hon. the Minister of Affordability and Utilities.

Mr. Neudorf: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce to you and through you and to all the Assembly my wife and best friend of 30 years, Deanne Neudorf. I would ask that she rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Airdrie-East.

Ms Pitt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour and pleasure to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly some good friends of mine, actually from your constituency, Mr. Speaker, but formerly from mine and, actually, a woman I used to babysit. I’d like to introduce to you the Storms family: Jena, Cameron, Asher, and Eleanor. Please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Airdrie-Cochrane.

Mr. Guthrie: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and to the House somebody who I have known for 54 of my 56 years, my brother Jeff. Jeff, please rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Glenora.

Ms Hoffman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. April is Cancer Awareness Month; it’s also known as Daffodil Month. I’m excited to announce and introduce John Fredericks, who’s a dedicated volunteer at the Canadian Cancer Society and former fire chief. He also is here with his wife, Kelly. Please rise and receive the warm welcome and gratitude of our Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Camrose.

Ms Lovely: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to introduce to you and through you and to all members of the Assembly Lynne Jenkinson and Austin Hanson. Lynne is now enjoying her retirement after 16 years of working for the FCSS in Flagstaff. She is here with her partner, Austin Hanson. They are entrepreneurs and operate Rozi’s Retreat just outside of Daysland for those of you who like to RV camp. I’d ask you to both rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Chamber.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland.

Mr. Getson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to introduce newcomers to Canada and friends of this Legislature. Mr. Raman Sidhu is an investor in Alberta from Dubai, and he now calls Edmonton home, and he’s joined in the gallery by his wife, Deepali, and his son Sian. I had a chance to meet with him and ask why they chose Alberta. Well, it’s the best place to be in Canada, quite frankly. Please rise and receive the warm welcome.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Whitemud.

Ms Pancholi: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to introduce to you and to all the members of the Assembly three people who are the heart and soul of my work in my constituency office of Edmonton-Whitemud to serve the great people who live there: Angela Saxby, who just joined my office last week; Melissa Walker, who has worked with me for years; and Bodda Ammar, who has been a huge help to me this past month. Please rise and receive the warm welcome of this Assembly.

Member Boparai: Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly Randeep Singh Dhaliwal from Faridkot, Punjab. He moved to Canada over 18 years ago. Now a realtor, he’s an active member of the Punjabi community in Edmonton. He is also the grandson of S. Harbhagwan Singh Brar Jhakharwala, a former MLA from Kotkapura. I ask that he rise to receive the warm welcome of the Assembly.

2850 Alberta Hansard April 10, 2025

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Red Deer-South.

Mr. Stephan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to rise today and introduce to you Chandan Vashishat, who has completed her master’s degree in New Zealand and now calls Alberta, the best province in Canada, home. She is joined by her father, Devinder. I would ask and invite them both to rise and accept the warm welcome of the Assembly.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for St. Albert.

Ms Renaud: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to introduce to you and to all members of the Assembly Tarra Carlson. It is Autism Acceptance Month, so it’s my pleasure to introduce this amazing advocate. Please stand and receive the warm welcome.

head: Members’ Statements

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall has a statement to make.

Investigation of Health Services Procurement

Mr. Sabir: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a long-standing parliamentary convention that when members of the legislative branch of the government become the subject of criminal judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings, they must distance themselves from positions of power and decision-making roles. This separation is critical to avoid any perception that those in positions of power are above the law and to ensure that they do not use their influence to undermine the independence of the investigative process of the court system to help themselves. This fundamental principle distinguishes healthy democracies from authoritarian regimes. In broad terms, this is what the rule of law is all about. Mr. Speaker, the UCP government is currently embroiled in allegations of corruption and political interference. The Premier, Health minister, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, and senior staff are all at the centre of this. There is an active RCMP investigation, a wrongful dismissal case, and multiple limited-scope investigations into this matter. Clearly, members of the government and the people in positions of power are the subject of criminal judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings, yet the UCP wants us to believe that they can all continue business as usual. That is unacceptable. They are refusing to take responsibility or honour the rule of law and parliamentary conventions. All we see from this UCP government is deflection and cover-up every day in every way. Albertans deserve far better than this. They deserve an ethical, honest, and competent government focused on them and their priorities. The Premier must do the right thing, respect the rule of law, remove all those who are under investigation from positions of power, and call a full public inquiry now. Thank you.

Political Discourse and Women’s Political Participation

Ms de Jonge: Mr. Speaker, much has been said in this Chamber and across Canada about the importance of encouraging more women to enter public life, about the need to lift up women leaders, treat them with respect, and create a political culture where every woman can see themselves at the table. But when strong, capable, unapologetically conservative women rise to the top, the same progressive voices seem to change their tunes. Outside of this Chamber we hear NDP leader Naheed Nenshi use terms like “pick-me girl,” “selfie queen,” and even “witch” when

referring to our Premier. He refuses to use proper titles, instead using first names in a tone meant to demean, not debate. Now we’re seeing the same behaviour from Liberal leader Mark Carney, another progressive who neglected to use our Premier’s title when speaking to the national media. The attitude is clear. They want women to sit down and shut up. 1:40 Mr. Speaker, what Albertans are seeing from these NDP and Liberals isn’t just disrespectful to one woman; it is disrespectful to every woman who has had the courage to stand for election and to the constituents who elected them to this Chamber. Conservative women are not going to sit down, and we won’t shut up. We are going to fight for our province, whether Nenshi or Carney like it or not. It’s easy for the NDP to support women in politics when those women are on the left, but it’s harder when a woman challenges them, outworks them, defeats them, and refuses to back down. But given the current state of the NDP perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that a failed mayor who can’t even convince his own caucus to give him a seat would lash out. Whether these progressives like it or not, it is long past time they learned to say the words “Madam Premier.”

Provincial Response to U.S. Tariffs

Member Tejada: Mr. Speaker, it’s hard to find a silver lining these days. Trump’s tariffs have wreaked havoc on the industries, jobs, and lives of Albertans. That’s not to mention the retirement security of seniors who have watched their investments plummet all week. People are worried about their jobs, their futures, and whether our sovereignty is at risk from the south. Who can say when Trump will next threaten to make Canada the 51st state? But there is a silver lining amongst these dark clouds. Canadians from coast to coast are joining hands, looking past old divisions, buying Canadian, and standing strong for Canada. Through adversity we are finding unity. In this province things are no different. Now more than ever Albertans are overwhelmingly elbows up. It’s hard to say the same about many of the members opposite. In fact, a new website lists an alarming 11 UCP members supporting a fringe separatist movement and the independence of Alberta from Canada. This isn’t a joke. This includes the members of the Assembly from Calgary-Lougheed, Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, Lacombe- Ponoka, West Yellowhead, Calgary-Hays, Morinville-St. Albert, Livingstone-Macleod, Airdrie-East, and Calgary-North West. Some of these are ministers in our government, but are we surprised they support separatism? This Premier has wasted buckets of taxpayer dollars to fly around the U.S. ingratiating herself with alt- right extremists. Did her so-called diplomacy accomplish anything for Alberta or Canada? Mr. Speaker, these are difficult times. Albertans want a government that has their backs and that chooses country over party or ideology. They want an ethical and competent government that works with provincial and federal partners for the greater good of the country, not a government threatening separation from Canada. Albertans are already playing for Team Canada, and it’s time their government did the same.

An Hon. Member: Point of order.

The Speaker: A point of order is noted at 1:44. The hon. Member for Camrose.

April 10, 2025 Alberta Hansard 2851

Family and Community Support Services

Ms Lovely: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Family and community support services, or FCSS, is an essential program that supports Albertans in nearly 200 communities across our province. The program is based on the simple idea that local communities know the needs and priorities best. Funded through an 80-20 partnership between the government of Alberta, municipalities, or Métis settlements, FCSS groups provide preventative social service programs wherever they operate. Examples of local FCSS programs would be encouraging and supporting volunteerism, creating mentorship programs for individuals and families, keeping seniors connected to their communities, supporting healthy relationships, and creating opportunities for youth. Mr. Speaker, these organizations are a key part of our community’s resilience, and I’m proud that Budget 2025 invests $105 million towards their valuable work. One of the things that I value most about this program is it gives autonomy to the local area and allows heroes of the community to distinguish themselves. I’m especially honoured to have one such hero in the gallery today. Lynne Jenkinson is the retired executive director of Flagstaff FCSS, starting with the organization in 2009 and taking over as executive director in 2011. Lynne’s 16-year tenure has left a lasting impact not only on Flagstaff but on the county of Flagstaff as a whole. Somehow handling a thousand things at once, I have always admired her ability to stay organized no matter the circumstance. Her diligence in grant writing abilities has ensured Flagstaff FCSS can provide successful programming such as the Christmas sharing program, which helped 220 families this past year. In December 2021 Flagstaff FCSS also assumed control of Flagstaff Food Bank. Lynne’s ability to promote fundraising and food drives has kept the food bank going even in the face of increased demand. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty time and time again. To her and all the wonderful people involved in FCSS program across Alberta, a sincere thank you.

Calgary-North East Constituency Concerns

Member Brar: In Calgary-North East families are being crushed by the cost-of-living crisis that this government has chosen to ignore. This is a community of essential workers: truck and taxi drivers, front-line workers, child care workers, and small-business owners, people who kept this province running through the pandemic and continue to show up every single day. But lately it feels like no matter how hard they work, they are falling further behind. Utilities have gone through the roof. People are paying more for power and gas than ever before while this government sits back and relaxes. Last summer a massive hailstorm hit Calgary-North East, damaging homes, cars, and livelihoods, and what do people face now? Skyrocketing auto and home insurance premiums. Some constituents tell me their rates went up 50 per cent, not because of their driving records but because of their postal codes. Grocery prices are so high that families are making choices no parent should ever have to make, and while everything goes up, wages are stuck in neutral, and supports like AISH, seniors’ benefits, and affordable housing continue to be gutted by this UCP government. Mr. Speaker, people in Calgary-North East are proud. They don’t ask for much, but they do expect their government to care, not just about balance sheets but about the single mom working three jobs, about the young couple whose rent is too high and is frustrated about an increasingly uncertain future. It’s time for this government to start governing like real lives depend on it because in Calgary- North East they do.

Rural Bus Service

Mr. Dach: Mr. Speaker, the UCP brags that they are the champions of rural Alberta, but since Greyhound ceased operations in western Canada in 2018 and left Alberta without a rural bus transportation network, seniors who are already living in communities with shuttered emergency rooms thanks to the UCP now can’t even take the bus to an appointment with a medical specialist in a larger community. Students often can’t visit home while taking college classes in larger urban centres. If you don’t drive, it is less and less viable to live in the UCP’s rural Alberta, yet the minister of transportation laughs – laughs – at the idea of funding a study to determine how best to deliver an economically viable network of bus transportation across Alberta, one that could connect to eastern Canada and beyond. There are so many possibilities that the UCP refuses to consider, perhaps a hybrid model where smaller buses would serve smaller communities and feed into larger centres in a hub-and-spoke system or co-op or nonprofit model or mandating larger carriers to cross- subsidize their profits from gravy runs and use them to serve smaller communities as part of their route licensing agreements or a publicly operated bus line like the former STC, which used profitable runs between Saskatoon and Regina to pay for less profitable routes and made money from freight by delivering parts to farmers, goods from rural businesses in one corner of the province to another, and library books from one rural library to another. In the end, some combination of these ideas with multiple suppliers working in a regulated system would probably work best, but let’s have the study and find out. Best of all, these buses could travel on roads that already exist. Rural Albertans see billions of dollars spent on urban LRT projects. That’s fine. It would cost a pittance, however, in comparison for the UCP to show some leadership and invest a little time, resources, and attention to establish a rural Alberta bus transportation network. But they won’t do it because they believe they can afford to ignore the existential needs of rural Alberta and the economic corridors. Albertans deserve better, and better is on the way.

1:50 head: Oral Question Period

The Speaker: The Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition has question 1.

Provincial Response to U.S. Tariffs

Ms Gray: Mr. Speaker, last week the Premier took a victory lap on Trump’s tariffs. She said it was a “big win for Alberta,” not the language I expected to hear here in Canada. Because of tariffs, the market cap of the 10 largest companies in Alberta fell by $50 billion, and Stats Canada has revealed that Alberta has the highest unemployment rate in western Canada. Does the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade agree that the Trump tariffs have been a big win for Alberta, and if not, what’s he going to do about it?

Mr. Jones: Mr. Speaker, I would agree that tariffs are bad policy, and ultimately they’re hurting Canadians and Americans alike. The Premier and our government are engaging with the United States to educate them and advocate for free trade, a mutually beneficial arrangement that has been to the benefit of North America for the previous decades. We’re also working within Canada to remove internal barriers to trade and to speed up labour mobility, and we’re working to diversify our trading partners internationally, including with our recent mission to Germany just a few weeks ago. Thank you.

2852 Alberta Hansard April 10, 2025

Ms Gray: That’s interesting because the Premier called the tariffs a “big win,” Mr. Speaker. In the last few days oil fell from $66 a barrel, which was already lower than what was in the budget, to below $55 a barrel and even today was below $60. If oil stays this much lower than the budget predicted, we could be on the hook for $4 billion of more debt, the most rapid decline in Alberta’s fiscal picture in the province’s history. Does the Finance minister agree with the Premier that a deficit of over $10 billion is a big win for Alberta? If not, what’s his contingency plan?

Mr. Horner: Mr. Speaker, we tabled the budget February 27. It was on the floor for a full month, and I think that’s the first deficit question. I think that’s progress, that the opposition maybe feels that it’s worthy of a question. In Budget ’25 we have oil forecast at $68. It was around $60 earlier today. Obviously, that will create a challenge. There are also other sensitivities like the differential, which we have in the budget at about $17. The differential has been historically tight. We’ll continue to monitor these things, but I agree with the previous minister: tariffs are bad policy. We’ll continue to educate and advocate.

Ms Gray: The disconnect between these ministers and the Premier who called tariffs a “big win.” Under this government’s watch prices have skyrocketed. The tariffs that the Premier called a “big win” are going to make new power generation even more expensive and difficult to build, particularly because of the tariffs on steel and aluminum. Does the Minister of Affordability and Utilities agree it was a big win last week, and if not, what’s he going to do when it comes to building out Alberta’s electricity grid under these new tariffs?

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Affordability and Utilities.

Mr. Neudorf: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heartily agree with the ministers that have spoken before that tariffs are bad policy. You know what I’m more concerned about? The clean electricity regulations of this federal government in Canada that is restricting the development of our energy grid. It’s going to cost more than 35 per cent more for electricity, and it’s going to be a hundred times less reliable. First, let’s take care of government here at home and elect a new Conservative government in Ottawa that takes care of Canada first.

The Speaker: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

Ms Gray: Tariffs should be everyone’s top priority, and I am not surprised to hear that those ministers don’t feel the same way. Their actions show it.

Investigation of Health Services Procurement

Ms Gray: The corrupt care scandal started when this government decided covering up allegations of political interference, kickbacks, bloated contracts, and waste was how they were going to govern. In January, before the Premier and minister fired the board of AHS, the Auditor General started investigating the allegations. Now we hear that the government has issued a gag order to their staff, directing staff not to speak to the Auditor General but only through legal counsel. Why is this government gagging staff? [interjections]

The Speaker: Order. The hon. the Minister of Justice.

Mr. Amery: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As we’ve said from the very beginning, we take these allegations very seriously.

We are working with the office of the Auditor General. We are working with the independent offices. A retired judge is leading an independent inquiry into these allegations. We take them seriously. We are co-operating with all of these offices. We’ll continue to do so until the investigations are done.

Ms Gray: Working with the Auditor General is not issuing a gag order on your staff preventing them from talking to him. The government hired Rose LLP to limit the Auditor General’s access to health officials. This is exactly what a cover-up looks like. The government didn’t tell Albertans what was happening, tried to fire the people involved. Officials knew the Auditor General was already investigating before they took those actions. Will the Premier stop this cover-up, direct all employees to freely speak to the Auditor General without any more political interference, exactly what the Justice minister told this House was happening?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, I’ll reiterate one more time. We are continuing to work with all of the investigative bodies. We are continuing to co-operate with all of these bodies. We are working diligently to make sure that any of the requests are being met as quickly as possible. The opposition can make all the allegations that they want. They’re simply untrue. We . . . [interjections]

The Speaker: Order. Order. Order. The hon. the Minister of Justice is the one with the call.

Mr. Amery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ll continue to work with these bodies. We’ll continue to work with these independent offices. As we mentioned time and time again, a judicially led independent investigation is taking place, and we’re co-operating with all of those processes.

Ms Gray: We’ve all seen these shows on TV. When the bad guys lawyer up, it’s because they know they’re guilty. This government cannot be trusted to do the right thing because they do not believe in ethical, competent government. Instead, it’s political interference, cover-ups, kickbacks, plane tickets, hockey tickets, not to mention bloated contracts, shady deals, and more. Now there’s a gag order on public servants, preventing key witnesses from talking to the Auditor General, again, something this Justice minister told the House was going to be happening. Why won’t more members opposite demand the Premier call a real, full public inquiry?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, I can’t even begin to outline everything wrong with that statement, starting with the fact that she criticizes the right to counsel, a constitutionally permissible right. We are working diligently with all of the investigations. We are providing all of the information necessary. We are working with these independent offices to provide that information as quickly as possible. We’re working to get to the bottom of this, and we’re going to take action as soon as we hear the results of all of these investigations.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall.

Oversight of Alberta Law Foundation

Mr. Sabir: Speaking of the UCP’s cuts and corruption, the government has cut $22 million from Legal Aid Alberta. Then they put forward Bill 39, forcing the Alberta Law Foundation to pick up the slack and giving the minister unprecedented power to block their grants over $250,000. Two government-appointed members of the foundation’s board have already resigned in protest. Will the

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minister explain why this government thinks it’s a good idea to steal money from an independent, nonpartisan organization to backfill their own cuts to legal aid?

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Amery: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The hon. member is about 35 years too late. The Alberta Law Foundation has funded Legal Aid Alberta for more than 35 years now. Albertans have said loud and clear that a strong and robust legal system means a strong and robust legal aid system. Accessibility and ensuring that people can retain counsel through legal aid are absolutely paramount and are a cornerstone to a well-functioning justice system. What we’re doing is that we’re aligning with the times. Other provinces fund legal aid through Alberta Law Foundation at the same rates we’re proposing.

Mr. Sabir: The UCP raid on Alberta Law Foundation’s purse has already stalled the development of the Indigenous law institute at the University of Alberta. It has resulted in reduced funding for many community-based organizations and legal clinics. The Alberta Law Foundation says that these changes are, and I quote, destabilizing, unnecessary, and present a threat to the entire legal profession. End quote. What justification can the minister provide for this unprecedented political interference and control over the affairs of a nonpartisan, arm’s-length organization? 2:00

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, none of that statement is accurate. The Alberta Law Foundation received $164 million in revenues last year and provided grants in a total of a little over $20 million to various organizations and agencies. As of last year the Alberta Law Foundation held reserves of more than $226 million, and as of March 31, 2025, that reserve ballooned to $281 million.

Mr. Sabir: It’s not government money.

Mr. Amery: The hon. member can shout all he wants, but the fact is that the Alberta Law Foundation is very, very healthy.

Mr. Sabir: This latest UCP power grab and political interference follows a pattern of behaviour, and it has real consequences. The government has cut $10 million in funding for 14 organizations previously funded by the foundation. Central Alberta’s legal community clinic is facing $500,000 in cuts because of this minister’s decision, which means fewer clinics and longer wait times. This is not the government’s money. What will it take for the minister to do the right thing, withdraw these damaging changes in Bill 39, and apologize to all these organizations?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, again, inaccurate. The organizations that were receiving funding from the Alberta Law Foundation will continue to receive that, but there will be transparency, there will be accountability, and there will be oversight. One of the organizations that the hon. member references received a 40 per cent increase in funding from the past two years to today. What we’re saying is that the people of Alberta deserve oversight and accountability, and the changes that are being proposed within this act will ensure that they receive the appropriate, responsible spending. [interjections]

The Speaker: Order.

Investigation of Health Services Procurement (continued)

Ms Pancholi: Mr. Speaker, it appears that the Minister of Justice is not aware of what’s going on in his own government. Just yesterday a senior ADM with Alberta Health sent out an e-mail to the entire Alberta Health staff which says, “the OAG may reach out to you for an interview as part of their investigation into AH and AHS procurement processes; please redirect the OAG representative to our legal counsel, Rose LLP.” This smells like a cover-up. The UCP are using a law firm to control which Alberta Health employees are interviewed by the Auditor General in the corrupt care scandal. Why is the Minister of Justice allowing the government to interfere in an active Auditor General investigation and disregard the laws he’s responsible for?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, once again, redundancy is the hallmark of socialist ideologies, and that member’s question is exactly that. Multiple independent investigations are taking place. Multiple independent offices are investigating this process. This government has said from the very beginning that we will work with all of these independent offices to furnish all of the materials and provide all of the information necessary to make sure that the investigations can take place. We’ll continue to do that until we get the outcome of these investigations, and we’ll take action as soon as we find out.

Ms Pancholi: Mr. Speaker, it appears that when the Minister of Justice says that this government is going to work with independent officers, it means he’s going to issue gag orders to public servants to prevent them from co-operating with the Auditor General. Section 14 of the Auditor General Act says that any government employee, past or former, must give to the Auditor General any information, records, or explanations that the Auditor General considers necessary and that if they fail to do so, they may be in contempt of law, if they fail to comply. The Minister of Justice told this House in February that he would ensure the Auditor General has everything they need. If this isn’t an attempt to cover up corruption, why is the government directing public servants to not respond to direct interview requests from the Auditor General?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that the Auditor General can request information from current and former employees. She said it herself, and that’s exactly what’s happening, in fact. These investigations are taking place. The office of the Auditor General is conducting an independent investigation. A judicially led independent investigation is also taking place. Make no mistake. These investigations are well under way. Information has been furnished based on the requests that we’ve received as a government. We’ll continue to do that. We’ll continue to co-operate with all of those requests.

Ms Pancholi: Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General can request the information, but this government is stopping public officials from actually providing that information to the Auditor General. They are putting in a gag order. That leaked e-mail from the senior ADM of Health shows that the government is dictating that public servants first speak to the UCP’s lawyer instead of speaking directly to the Auditor General. From firing the CEO and board of AHS to gag orders on those board members and now gagging government employees, the question isn’t if the UCP is corrupt. The question is: how far will they go to cover it up?

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Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, once again, a whole lot of nonsense and little substance from that question. We’ve said it time and again. We’ll work with all of the independent offices. We’ll provide that information. We’ll comply with the acts. We’ll make sure that everything is necessary to complete a full and complete investigation. We’re working with all of the offices that are conducting investigations. We’re happy to do so. The member can make all the allegations she wants, but they’re simply not true.

Mr. Sabir: Point of order.

Bill 49

Mr. Shepherd: Mr. Speaker, it seems the minister of public safety is out of touch. With Bill 49 he’s charging ahead with his plan to use Alberta sheriffs to staff a provincial police force, but sheriffs say he didn’t talk to them. The Sheriff Branch Officers Association says Bill 49, quote, could have significant negative impacts on the Alberta sheriff officers, and splitting half of them into a provincial police force could jeopardize vital services, hurt public trust, and actually reduce public safety. To the minister. These front-line officers are key to any part of keeping our community safe. Don’t you think you should talk to them before you start making drastic changes to their jobs?

Mr. Ellis: Mr. Speaker, I cannot begin again to mention how incorrect that statement is, made by the member opposite. We of course want to support the training and pay and funding, and as I’ve said before, we want those who are performing policelike functions to be treated like police officers, which is precisely why we are doing Bill 49. I think the member opposite, quite frankly, is making an argument to support Bill 49, and I certainly encourage him and all members of this House to support Bill 49.

The Speaker: Hon. members, a point of order is noted at 2:06.

Mr. Shepherd: Given the minister isn’t just out of touch with his own officers, he’s out of touch with rural leaders, given that for the last year they’ve been telling him that they oppose a provincial police force, they’ve repeatedly asked for consultations or details of what his plan will cost, and they’ve made it clear he needs to earn their support but given he instead just ignored them and brought in a bill to do what he wants anyway, given the minister talks about how law enforcement should be accountable to the communities they serve, perhaps he can lead by example. Will he table Bill 49 until he’s actually talked to rural leaders about what their communities want and need?

Mr. Ellis: Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to rural leaders all the way from Coutts up to Peace River, and I can tell you right now that the RCMP are roughly 20 per cent short on their authorized strength level. We have to supplement. We have to provide those supports to make sure that there are calls to service. Why did the members opposite – why are they opposed to having a 911 call answered? That’s the question we have to ask. Why do the members opposite not want to support the people in rural Alberta who have been speaking out in support of rural policing? [interjections]

The Speaker: Order.

Mr. Shepherd: Given it’s clear an Alberta provincial police force is the Turkish Tylenol of policing policy, a plan to waste millions of dollars to produce a product no one wants – not Albertans, not rural leaders; even sheriffs have concerns – but given this government is so focused on fighting with Ottawa and flirting with separatists that they don’t see they could actually hurt the people

they claim they’re trying to help and given their refusal to listen means the UCP’s cure for rural crime risks being worse than the disease, the minister needs to put Albertans first. Will he table this bill and actually consult?

Mr. Ellis: Mr. Speaker, I do not understand why the members opposite are so opposed to choice. I can tell you that this is providing an option for municipalities. What do the members opposite have against the community of Coaldale? What do the members opposite have against the community of Hardisty? They want choice. We are providing that choice. We’re going to support rural Albertans, and we’re going to support policing in this province.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-East.

Calgary Downtown Revitalization

Mr. Singh: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Calgary is Alberta’s largest city, a hub of innovation, investment, and opportunity, but today our downtown core is facing serious headwinds. According to a new CBRE report released recently, Calgary’s downtown office vacancy rate has climbed, reaching 30.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. To the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade: what are the key factors driving this vacancy rate, and what are the short- and long-term implications for Calgary’s commercial real estate market and the broader economy? 2:10

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade.

Mr. Jones: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to the member for the question. Calgary’s office vacancy rate is a result of a number of factors, including energy downturns and energy sector consolidation, the pandemic, industry shifts, increasing hybrid work environments, and global uncertainty, including like situations with the U.S. tariffs we’ve seen today. In the short term this puts pressure on local businesses and commercial landlords, but Alberta’s economy remains resilient, and our government is focused on turning these challenges into opportunities. We’re creating opportunities by increasing investment in innovation, attracting new businesses, and leveraging our competitive advantages to drive growth and create jobs in every sector of our economy, including Calgary.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-East.

Mr. Singh: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to the minister. Given that industry experts have pointed to oil patch consolidation, remote work, exit of key players like Chevron, and now U.S. tariff uncertainty as factors to Calgary’s vacancy struggles and given this is leading to declining property values, reduced tax revenues, shaken investor confidence, to the same minister: what immediate step is our government taking to attract business back to Calgary and support revitalization efforts that help restore vibrancy and economic momentum?

The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. Jones: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When downtown office buildings remain underutilized, it means fewer jobs and less economic momentum for Calgary’s workers and support for our local businesses. That’s why our government is taking bold action to ensure prosperity in Calgary. Calgary’s private-sector strength is the backbone of the city’s economy, and our business-friendly policies are already bringing additional investment to the city. Alberta led Canada in new business incorporations last year with

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over 58,000 new companies taking up shop across Alberta. The Conference Board of Canada also forecasts that Calgary will lead the country in GDP growth this year. We’re using this momentum to attract new tenants downtown to diversify the economy and position Calgary as a hub of innovation.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Singh: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Minister. Given that the city of Calgary has approved 11 offices for residential conversion projects, a step forward, but experts say that they’re still early in this revitalization process and given that small businesses, families, and workers need to see results now, not years from now, to restore confidence in our urban economy, to the same minister: how is Budget 2025 supporting Calgary’s downtown, and what role is the province playing in ensuring that the city remains a destination of investment growth and success of our province?

Mr. Jones: Mr. Speaker, Budget 2025 is designed to drive economic growth and renewal across Alberta, including in downtown Calgary. Companies continue to choose Alberta due to our competitive taxes, business-friendly policy, and our young and productive workforce. We’re reinforcing these policies to keep Calgary’s economy resilient, and we’re investing in infrastructure to support Calgary’s diversification and growth. With a 5 and a half per cent increase in business incorporations, Alberta is not just open for business; we’re building the future of Canadian prosperity, with Calgary at the heart of it.

Funding for Indigenous Justice Initiatives

Member Arcand-Paul: Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action 42 requires the government to work with Indigenous peoples to create their own Indigenous justice systems. Indigenous justice systems such as in areas of commerce and marriage have been formational on the prairies until the early 1900s, when they were replaced with non-Indigenous court systems, including the Indigenous common law courts in major cities. Will the Minister of Justice speak to why the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge has been barred from being able to get dollars through the Alberta Law Foundation to complete this call to action?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, again, an inaccurate comment and an inaccurate statement. The lodge received $628,000 in the ’22-23 year. That number went up to $1 million last year, and approval this year for an additional $1,075,000 in funding is flowing through the Alberta Law Foundation. The lodge is well funded; 40 per cent increase over two years. I think that’s a reasonable increase in funding.

Member Arcand-Paul: Given that the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge had been identified as a project affected by Bill 39 and given that Indigenous laws and legal education would have been developed by WLGL in line with call to action 42, it’s hard to see how Bill 39 is not punitive for DEI. Does the minister understand how this government’s decision to steal money from the Alberta Law Foundation via Bill 39 will negatively impact the development of Indigenous legal orders in Alberta, or is that the government’s intent?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, the Alberta Law Foundation is fiscally very healthy: $164 million in revenues last year, only $20 million in grants awarded to various organizations; this year $155 million in revenues and a projection of $68 million in grants flowing out;

$281 million is what the Alberta Law Foundation sits on in reserves as of the end of fiscal year 2025. The Alberta Law Foundation is an incredibly well-funded organization.

Member Arcand-Paul: Given that we’ll talk dollars and cents, then, the Alberta Law Foundation had already earmarked dollars for the WLGL, including assisting with the construction and operational funding of their permanent building at U of A’s east village, and given that $10.3 million from Alberta Law Foundation reserves was supposed to help establish a stand-alone building, will the minister commit public dollars today to build that building and deliver the $10.3 million, as promised on this list of this government’s major projects, or does he not care about Indigenous justice systems made for Indigenous by Indigenous peoples? Yes or no, Minister?

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, the government of Alberta has one of the most robust Indigenous justice strategies when it comes to any of its kind in the entire country. We’re working very closely with the Alberta Court of Justice in developing along the same time an Indigenous justice strategy, that is comprehensive, that works together, and that serves our Indigenous communities in this province through and through. We supported a number of initiatives in the Indigenous community when it comes to justice, including a robust restorative justice program, Indigenous courts, and otherwise.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-North West has a question to ask.

Postsecondary Faculty Recruitment and Retention

Mr. Eggen: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Donald Trump’s policies are driving highly skilled professionals out of the United States. Other provinces and many other countries are actively recruiting U.S. talented scientists, researchers, professors, and health care professionals to strengthen innovation and education sectors. Can the Minister of Advanced Education tell us what specific efforts are under way in Alberta to attract top academics and research to our postsecondary institutions given the upheaval south of the border?

Mrs. Sawhney: Thank you to the member for that question. It’s actually a very good question. We are seeing talent leaving the United States for greener pastures, and of course we would love to have that talent here in Canada, particularly in Alberta. I’ve had detailed conversations with the postsecondary sector about strategies that they could potentially employ to attract some of those individuals to our postsecondary institutions. Certainly, the Mintz panel is also going to be examining this question.

Mr. Eggen: Well, Mr. Speaker, given that Alberta’s postsecondary sector has seen deep and sustained cuts under this UCP government, the largest cuts in the history of this province to postsecondary, and given that the UCP policies are forcing our top institutions like the University of Alberta to implement a hiring freeze, forcing faculty staff to leave the province not come to the province, can the minister explain how she expects to attract world-class researchers and educators to Alberta when this government’s own policies are in fact driving them away?

Mrs. Sawhney: Well, Mr. Speaker, in Budget 2025 we actually announced $100 million for the University of Alberta for their Biological Sciences Building, to have that renovated. So there are more elements to base operating costs in terms of funding

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postsecondary institutions. We are actually introducing in Budget 2025 over $530 million in capital programs for the postsecondary sector.

Mr. Eggen: Well, given that scientists and researchers are fleeing the U.S. because of attacks on academic freedom and data-driven science, and now under this UCP government we’re seeing the same dangerous rhetoric and policies right here, given that Bill 18 allows for the Premier to hand-pick research and funding for politically approved projects, making Alberta-based research ideologically driven, how can Alberta attract American talent that wants to flee from Donald Trump when the UCP is governing our province like a bunch of wannabe Donald Trumps? 2:20

Mrs. Sawhney: Mr. Speaker, we have received nothing but tremendous accolades around the regulations for the Provincial Priorities Act. There are significant exemptions in place. The postsecondary sector is very, very pleased, and I have received nothing but positive feedback. In terms of attracting additional talent, we’re working with the sector right now to think of additional strategies, but we also have pathways through our Alberta advantage immigration program to attract talent from overseas and from the United States.

Personal Income Tax Rates

Mr. Haji: Mr. Speaker, for most Albertans the change in tax rates in Budget 2025 has delivered nothing at all, certainly not an affordability game changer. Sandra, a single mom and a health care worker in Lethbridge-East, makes $38,000 annually, the average for a single mom in the region. Her savings from the change to taxes: just 78 cents, less than a dollar. If she has children it’s actually less than 78 cents. Will the minister seriously look Sandra in the eye and tell her that this will fix her affordability?

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Affordability and Utilities.

Mr. Neudorf: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the member for the question. The affordability challenges facing all Albertans are real, and that’s why we’re doing everything in every single ministry to try to meet that need, but we can’t pay everybody’s bills for them. What we can do is leave more money in their pockets through the income tax cut and continue to work and fight inflation, which is led by the damaging Liberal-NDP policies in Ottawa, which we all know have driven us to the highest rates of inflation in the last 30 years. We continue to work with residents of Alberta to provide them more affordable utilities, more affordable insurance, more affordable housing, and across every . . .

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Decore.

Mr. Haji: Given that Sandra, like so many working-class Albertans, is drowning under skyrocketing costs – groceries, rents, utilities, count it – given that whatever Sandra saves from this so-called tax relief is wiped out by an additional 40 new government fees and she has nothing left, does the minister truly believe that 78 cents is a relief for Sandra?

Mr. Horner: Mr. Speaker, the cumulative impact of any increases on fees is about $70 million. The impact of the tax cut that will impact 2 million Albertans is $1.2 billion, rising to $1.4 billion in the out-years. I think it’s clear that this campaign promise, this commitment that we’ve made and now completed, is about affordability for all Albertans. Even in the rating agencies’ and banks’ commentary they highlight its ability to help Albertans

weather this uncertainty. We’re trying to weather it from the GOA. We’re helping them weather it as well.

Mr. Haji: Given that Sandra is not alone and her story is one of many across this province, given that the cost of living in Edmonton alone has jumped close to $370 per month yet this government keeps offering 78 cents per day as a relief, given that Albertans are not asking for handouts, they are asking for respect and real change, will the minister stop pretending that 78 cents per day is enough for Sandra and many others and finally commit to a serious . . .

The Speaker: The hon. minister of affordability.

Mr. Neudorf: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We believe that this income tax cut will make a substantial difference, up to $750 per year. But they’re right; that’s not the only thing that we’re doing to help. We are bringing forward lower insurance rates. We are bringing forward affordable housing. We are bringing forward lower utilities by fixing systems. We wish we could turn the dreadful policies of the NDP and the federal Liberals back 10 years, but we can’t. We have to work step by step across every ministry, doing what they elected us to do, serving them, making life better for Albertans, and that’s exactly what we’re intent on doing.

Support for Persons with Disabilities

Ms Renaud: Here are three quotes from the UCP appointed disability advocate: “People with disabilities are overrepresented among the poor. People with disabilities and their families face multiple economic barriers resulting in higher levels of poverty. The cost of living for people with disabilities is greater than those living without disabilities.” Now, this UCP government is stealing the new federal benefit meant for low-income disabled people on AISH, $200. Minister, it costs nothing for this government to just let them keep the $200. Why is your ministry taking it away?

Mr. Nixon: Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the federal government fell way short when it came to the Canadian disability benefit. They have laid out a threshold for provinces to meet $1,811 when it comes to disability payments. Our AISH program is $1,901, the highest in the country, over $500 more than most provinces because we want to make sure that we continue to have the best disability program anywhere in the country, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen on this side of the aisle. Unfortunately, we saw during the time when the NDP was in power that they didn’t do simple things like index AISH and actually stand with the disability community in this province. We did.

Ms Renaud: Given this UCP government created an accessibility legislation working group in 2022 to study and report on the economic impact and future benefit of removing barriers for disabled Albertans and given the UCP’s own disability advocate found that disabled business owners created over 1 million jobs, generating over $29 million in employment income, clearly underlining the economic benefit of removing barriers through introducing legislation, to the minister: why was the UCP disability advocate’s report called accessible Alberta hidden?

Mr. Nixon: Mr. Speaker, it is so outrageous to hear that member even talk about the disability advocate. She stood in this Chamber not too long ago and referred to him in a derogatory term, called him a hostage, referred to how he looked. This is a disabled gentleman who is in a wheelchair, who is standing up for the disability community.

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Ms Gray: Point of order.

Mr. Nixon: She lost all credibility when she did that, and she’s lost all credibility on this file going forward. We on this side of the aisle stand with our disability community, and we certainly stand and support each and every day our amazing disability advocate in this province.

The Speaker: A point of order is noted at 2:27.

Ms Renaud: Given, Mr. Speaker, I am quite sure that if this minister actually had any kind of respect for the disability advocate, he would share that excellent report with this Chamber. He has chosen to hide it. In addition to that, he’s clawing back $200 from the feds. He is hiding the accessibility report because he refuses to make the changes that Albertans are calling for, not to mention you are hiding the changes you’re making about AISH behind closed doors. Admit it.

Mr. Schow: Point of order.

Ms Renaud: What are you doing to make life better for disabled Albertans? I suggest zero.

The Speaker: A point of order is noted at 2:28.

Mr. Nixon: Well, Mr. Speaker, it appears we’ve struck a nerve, and I would have a nerve struck, too, if I had the nerve and I was the Official Opposition critic, to stand in this Chamber and derogatorily refer to somebody on the way that they look because they live in a wheelchair . . .

Ms Gray: Point of order.

Mr. Nixon: . . . I would be absolutely ashamed, and she should apologize for that. Now, what are we doing for the disability community, Mr. Speaker? We’re investing $3.6 billion in this fiscal year alone. [interjection]

Mr. Loewen: Point of order.

Mr. Nixon: We’ve increased every line item when it comes to disabilities. We’ve indexed the AISH payments, something the NDP refused to do in their time in power, and most importantly, we’re going to make sure that the disabled community will not be punished for going to work like the NDP did to them when they were in government.

The Speaker: A point of order is noted at 2:29 by the Minister of Forestry and Parks. The hon. Member for Calgary-Lougheed has a question to ask.

Support for Newcomers

Mr. Bouchard: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2023 Alberta broke a national record for interprovincial migration with over 55,000 people choosing to move to Alberta from other provinces. Last week I was honoured to welcome the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism to present the winner of my youth writing competition in Calgary-Lougheed on how their family came to Alberta. Many of the stories I received were compelling, with themes of perseverance to build a better future in this strong and free province. To the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism: can you please share some of the ways your office is supporting new Albertans who are seeking a better life in this province?

The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Mr. Yaseen: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Alberta is proud to help newcomers build successful lives here. Our government funds settlement services, English language training, and community grants to support integration. We have internationally trained professionals through mentorship, job training, and licensure support. Since 2021 we have invested over $2.8 million in mentorship, helping more than 1,800 newcomers find skilled jobs. We are ensuring newcomers and all Albertans have the opportunity to thrive in this beautiful province. 2:30 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Lougheed.

Mr. Bouchard: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and through you to the minister. Given that there are many stories of new Albertans seeking opportunities to start a business or to better utilize their experience and education and further given that in the four years of NDP government nearly 36,000 people left Alberta for other provinces and also given that people are moving to Alberta in record numbers, could the same minister please share his thoughts as to why more than 200,000 people chose Alberta last year alone both interprovincially and internationally?

The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. Yaseen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Alberta is once again the destination of choice because we are creating conditions for success: low taxes, strong job growth, and a focus on freedom and opportunity. People are coming here to raise families, start businesses, and build a future. Unlike the previous NDP government, that drove people away, our government is fostering an environment where newcomers can thrive, contribute their skills, and be part of Alberta’s incredible economic growth.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Bouchard: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that many young Albertans from every part of the world are developing their education here so they can positively contribute to our province and economy and further given students like the grade 8 winner of my writing competition, a student in Calgary-Lougheed who moved here from Nigeria with her parents to build a new life and whose dad is now a doctor in Alberta, to the Minister of Advanced Education: how is our government supporting young immigrant Albertans in advancing their education so they, too, can be part of the Alberta advantage?

Mrs. Sawhney: Thank you to the member for that excellent question. Mr. Speaker, international students have the potential to contribute meaningfully in key sectors of our economy. I want to highlight that Alberta is one of the most affordable jurisdictions in Canada for international students. For the 2024-25 academic year Alberta’s average international undergraduate tuition was almost $15,000 lower than Ontario’s and almost $7,000 lower than the national average. Alberta’s postsecondary institutions offer world- class programming and great opportunities to enter high-demand fields with good-paying jobs.

Tourism Industry Support

Ms Goehring: It’s Tourism Week, Mr. Speaker, and we know that local Alberta travellers were crucial to the tourism sector’s recovery following the pandemic. Now, with the current economic environment being top of mind, many stakeholders that I’ve spoken to across the province want to know what the UCP plan is. My first question is a simple one. What steps is the minister taking to

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encourage more Canadians and international travelers to explore Alberta rather than taking their travel dollars elsewhere?

The Speaker: The hon. minister of tourism.

Mr. Schow: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would love to thank the hon. member opposite for that very thoughtful question. It is, in fact, National Tourism Week, and Edmonton has also declared National Tourism Week here in the city. I’ll take this opportunity to thank all the entrepreneurs across Alberta who make this province the best place to live, to play, and to visit. Now, also with those entrepreneurs and the good work of Travel Alberta, we are co-ordinating to develop products all across Alberta so we can demonstrate to international markets and markets here in Canada that they must come to Alberta because it is a beautiful place that they should visit.

Ms Goehring: Given that almost 99 per cent of Alberta’s 18,200 tourism-related businesses are small businesses or solo entrepreneurs and given the economic challenges that Alberta currently faces and the opportunities to grow with the industry that these challenges present, with Canadians’ increasing interest in travelling within our borders, what specific support is the UCP providing to help small and medium tourist enterprises both thrive and recover in the current environment?

Mr. Schow: Well, Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we are selling Alberta around the world, around North America, around Canada. I’ve gone . . .

Some Hon. Members: Selling it out.

Mr. Schow: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what there is to say about tourism negatively from the opposition suggesting that we’re selling out Alberta. We are selling Alberta to the rest of the world because they want to come here. This is the best place to visit. We’re investing over $70 million in the last three years to products around the province. We’re developing new products that people are going to come and see. I don’t know what the opposition have a problem with that for. [interjections]

The Speaker: Order. Order. Order.

Ms Goehring: Given that rural tourism projects have benefited from targeted funding such as the rural development fund, which was $10 million over two years and was considered a huge success in building new opportunities and supporting rural tourism, given that this successful program was cancelled by the UCP at a critical and volatile time and given this uncertainty about future funding opportunities for rural tourism operators and organizations, what plans does the government have to reopen this fund or introduce similar initiatives to ensure ongoing support for rural tourism development?

The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. Schow: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The decrease the member opposite is referring to was the program that had a limited- run grant program that came to an end on the scheduled date. What I can say is that through Travel Alberta we continue to invest millions of dollars in new products around Alberta; $70 million in the last several years, 60 per cent of which is going to rural Alberta. We have beautiful vistas. We have beautiful landscapes, incredible cities, but there’s so much more to explore across Alberta, and we’re making those products available to all visitors.

Domestic Violence Prevention and Social Supports

Ms Hayter: Last weekend 31-year-old Maria Hirmiz became another name on Alberta’s growing list of domestic homicide victims. This is a devastating loss for her family. Maria’s death demands action, not words, to prevent senseless tragedies. Countless women are desperately seeking safety only to encounter overcrowded shelters, month-long wait-lists for support services. There is no room, no capacity, and no immediate help available. How many more women must die before this government acknowledges the deadly consequences of cutting violence- prevention funding and helping vulnerable Albertans become the next homicide . . .

The Speaker: The hon. minister of energy has risen.

Mr. Jean: Mr. Speaker, our heart goes out to anybody that has suffered from domestic violence of any type. It’s not acceptable, and we know that. It’s a shame that these members didn’t have an opportunity or at least didn’t stand up for the budget because Budget 2025 actually contributed $60 million in funding for women’s shelters to help individuals and families to get more of the support they need. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t have supported it. It was the most funding ever put forward for this particular initiative. I wish they would stand up for the people of Alberta more.

Ms Hayter: Given that due to the cruelty of the government’s budget the shelter Fear Is Not Love in Calgary last week has reduced their capacity of bed spaces that are going to help women in a crisis and given that a month ago the UCP government refused to renew the annual funding for the Edmonton Sexual Assault Centre, that was critical to keeping survivors off long waiting lists, and given that we are seeing the intensity and the severity of these crimes against women escalate and a wave of femicide hitting Alberta, why is the government looking the other way while survivors of violence are forced to wait for help or to be turned entirely away from vital supports?

The Speaker: The hon. the Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women.

Ms Fir: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re committed to reducing family violence and making sure that any Albertan has a safe place to turn for help. No one is turned away without being able to access other supports and services first. We’re proud, as my colleague said, to support women’s shelters and of the valuable work they do to keep Albertans safe. Budget 2025 will provide more than $60 million in funding for women’s shelters to help individuals and families get the support they need.

Ms Hayter: Given that that’s a little incorrect, as thousands of women are being turned away, and given that women’s shelters will only receive temporary relief with that 3 per cent one-time operational boost, which is part of the $54 million of funding from the federal government’s national action plan, and they need it to remain operating critical over capacity and given that Alberta’s intimate person violence remains among the highest in Canada and given that the cruel budget cut was $2 million from the prevention of family and sexual violence funding last year, why is the UCP running victory laps with federal funding while gutting provincial commitments to services that save lives?

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2:40

Mr. Jean: Mr. Speaker, I just received a letter two days ago from Catherine Champagne, the executive director of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, and she said to me:

On behalf of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters . . . I want to express [my] sincere gratitude for the government’s support in Budget 2025-26. Your commitment to addressing domestic violence in our province is truly appreciated, and we look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts. As government partners and key decision-makers, your leadership is instrumental in shaping policies and funding structures that directly impact survivors [of the] families.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: Hon. members, that concludes the time allotted for Oral Question Period. In 30 seconds or less we will continue with the remainder of the daily Routine.

head: Introduction of Bills

The Speaker: The hon. the Minister of Affordability and Utilities.

Bill 52 Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, 2025

Mr. Neudorf: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave to introduce Bill 52, the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. This bill will clear the way for energy innovation and strengthen Alberta’s utility system to power prosperity for generations to come. Albertans need to know they have reliable and affordable utilities to provide for their families and chase their dreams. This bill, if passed, will be the first of many steps in ensuring that happens. With that, I hereby move first reading of Bill 52, the Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act.

[Motion carried; Bill 52 read a first time]

head: Tabling Returns and Reports

The Speaker: Are there tablings? The hon. Member for Cypress- Medicine Hat.

Mr. Wright: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table five copies of a number of articles. First is a 2025 article titled Want to Get Rid of Fentanyl? Tackle Money-laundering First. It has experts calling out the lax penalties and regulations Canada has implemented that “have allowed financial crime to flourish in Canada.” The second is a 2024 article calling out that Canadian banks are, quote, easy targets for money launderers, with “bank employees [receiving] bribes in the form of gift cards and cash deposits into their [own] accounts to look the other way.” Three is a 2024 article titled The Dirty Truth about Money- laundering Laws, highlighting that federal “governments use [the] laws to pass the buck from themselves to the financial sector for failing to detect and prevent drug trafficking.” The fourth is a Globe and Mail article calling out foreign interference from China involving Liberal candidate Peter Yuen and his close ties to Beijing. Fifth is a National Post article with former British Prime Minister Liz Truss calling out “a terrible job” Mark Carney did as the Bank of England governor, labelling him as the architect for Britain’s financial woes and says, “Canadians ‘need to wake up’ to the threats that he and [his] Liberal policies present.”

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-West Henday.

Member Arcand-Paul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to raise the requisite copies of the major project listing for the quote on Law and Governance Lodge, East Campus Village with the commencing start date of 2025 and the estimated cost of $10.3 million.

The Speaker: The Government House Leader.

Mr. Schow: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table the requisite number of copies of a TikTok video screenshot of the Member for St. Albert saying that the independent disability advocate looked “like a hostage.”

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Whitemud.

Ms Pancholi: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table five copies of an e-mail that I referenced in my question today during question period. It’s an e-mail sent from senior ADM for Alberta Health Leann Wagner sent yesterday, April 9, to Alberta Health staff directing Alberta Health staff to redirect any interview requests from the Auditor General to legal counsel.

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Grande Prairie.

Mr. Dyck: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table five copies of an article from the CBC from April 10, 2025, titled Alberta Sheriffs Say Extra Training, More Pay Needed to Become Police. The article reads, “Some municipalities are frustrated with the rising costs of RCMP services and what they see as a lack . . .”

The Speaker: The purpose of a tabling is so that I can read it, not for you to read it to me. The hon. Member for Calgary-Klein.

Member Tejada: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table five copies of a printout from albertarepublicans.com. It lists the many MLAs that would support an independence referendum.

The Speaker: Are there others? The hon. Member for Edmonton- Highlands-Norwood.

Member Irwin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table one of the countless e-mails that my office has received regarding coal. This one is from William Barr, one of my constituents, who is urging the energy minister among others to reverse their attacks on the eastern slopes of coal mining.

The Speaker: Hon. members, that brings us to points of order, and at 1:44 the hon. Government House Leader rose on a point of order.

Point of Order Imputing Motives

Mr. Schow: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the time noted, 1:44, I rose on a point of order, which is uncommon during Members’ Statements, but I felt it was necessary to rise during the member’s statement from the Member for Calgary-Klein at its completion to note that during the member’s statement the member listed off a robust number of members on this side by constituency, directly naming them, and saying that they are separatists. This is categorically false. Now, I understand that there are matters of debate in this Chamber, and we disagree or agree as to whether or not something said may or may not appear to, you know, agree or disagree with something said in public. But what I can assure you is that there are

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no separatists in this caucus, Mr. Speaker. We do not believe in separation. We believe in Team Canada. For the member opposite to make that statement in a member’s statement and then for the public to see that: the accusations on the government then become suggesting that we are, when we are not. This is clearly attributing unavowed and false motives to our caucus. It’s unparliamentary, and I’d appreciate if that member would stop using that kind of language in reference to specific members of our caucus. It is very unhelpful, and I believe it’s a point of order under 23(h), (i), and (j).

The Speaker: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

Ms Gray: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I disagree with the Government House Leader. I believe this is a matter of debate, as we saw in tablings. I do not have access to the Blues, but I believe the member said something along the lines of, “In fact, a new website lists an alarming 11 UCP members supporting a fringe separatist movement and the independence of Alberta from Canada.” That website has since been tabled. The matter of debate in this House has been the actions of this government, including government policy but also individual members’ behaviour, when it comes to what we see happening with tariffs, Trump, and the accusation that we may be dealing with maple MAGA here in this province. I believe it is a matter of debate. I believe asking the question around where we stand on separatism when the Premier seems to be encouraging referendums makes this a matter of debate. I will remind the Government House Leader that his own whip, in April 2024, came into this Chamber and specifically named our members in his member’s statement. I will also suggest that further on in additional points of order he and his team continued to name our members and make accusations about us. This is a matter of debate. I do believe we need to have a reasonable state of decorum here, and in this case, introducing the evidence of a new website and the questions around what is happening with the separatist movement in Alberta is legitimate.

The Speaker: Are there others? I do have the benefit of the Blues, and I am prepared to rule. The hon. Member for Calgary-Klein said the following.

It’s hard to say the same about many of the members opposite. In fact, a new website lists an alarming 11 UCP members supporting a fringe separatist movement and the independence of Alberta from Canada. This isn’t a joke. This includes the members of the Assembly from Calgary-Lougheed, Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, Lacombe- Ponoka . . . Calgary-North West. Some of these are ministers in our government, but are we surprised they support separatism? This Premier has wasted buckets of taxpayer dollars to fly around the U.S. ingratiating herself with alt-right extremists. Did her so- called diplomacy accomplish anything for Alberta or Canada?

At no point in time did she make the accusation or say that these people are separatists. She merely pointed to a website that I’m sure many people disagree with, but that will be up to them to determine the presence or absence of content on that. 2:50 While I agree, and we’ve seen from the Leader of the Official Opposition, that specifically calling out members of the Assembly rarely leads to an additional amount of positive decorum and almost always leads to additional negative decorum, I do believe this is a matter of debate. It’s not a point of order, and I consider the matter dealt with and concluded. At 2:06 the Official Opposition House Deputy Leader rose on a point of order.

Point of Order Allegations against a Member

Ms Gray: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Under 23(h), (i), and (j), the Deputy Official Opposition House Leader rose because the Minister of Justice in response to our member said, “The member can make all the allegations she wants.” We know that under 23(h) making allegations is in fact a point of order. He is accusing her of essentially making things up, so my Deputy Official Opposition House Leader rose on this. Particularly given that the matter under debate at the time was an e-mail that has since been tabled in this Assembly, she was simply quoting from what is now public record direction from Alberta Health to gag their employees instead of responding to the Auditor General. The member was not making allegations, and accusing her of making allegations essentially is accusing her of breaking the standing orders and/or telling a lie, which she was not.

The Speaker: The Government House Leader.

Mr. Schow: Mr. Speaker, I believe that this is not a point of order, rather a matter of debate. With my unofficial records I see, “The member can make all the allegations she wants, Mr. Speaker, but they’re simply not true,” suggesting that the allegations are not true, not that the member herself is lying. In any event, Mr. Speaker, I don’t think this is a point of order. Certainly, the Member for Edmonton-Whitemud, who I believe this point of order was called against: no one would suggest that member is a liar or not telling the truth. There are many creative ways we’ve also pointed out that are unparliamentary to say that. This is suggesting that the allegations are not true, not that the member is lying.

The Speaker: I do have the benefit of the Blues, and I am prepared to rule unless there are additional comments. Seeing none. I do support the Government House Leader’s position that the minister who said, “The member can make all the allegations she wants, but they’re simply not true,” was referring to the allegations of a gag order, not that the member or anyone was not telling the truth or that they were making allegations about another member, merely allegations that are, as you have mentioned, now part of the public record. I don’t believe that this is a point of order, and I consider the matter dealt with and concluded. At 2:27 the Official Opposition House Leader rose on a point of order. She also did so, I believe, on the same matter at 2:29. If she’s agreeable, I’d like to compile those two together.

Point of Order Offending the Practices of the Assembly

Ms Gray: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You are correct. They are essentially the same as the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services at the time not only in my mind offended the practices of this Assembly, he then proceeded to wait and then do it again in his next answer. Under 23(h), (i), and (j) as well as the practices of this House I want to speak to a couple of things that the minister did in both of his responses. First off, the minister repeatedly and frequently chooses to use the practices of this place to lie; in this case, information, basic facts that he knows. In this House he continues to say that the NDP did not index AISH, something that is factually untrue, given that he is on record voting when the NDP did. I mention that because we have not been calling points of order on that.

April 10, 2025 Alberta Hansard 2861

Obviously, matters of debate, et cetera, but now he is introducing the lie that our member would have ever made fun of the way anyone would look or in this case specifically, the disabilities advocate. He not only made that accusation, he very clearly said that our member was making fun of the advocate because the advocate is themselves disabled, something that is absolutely offensive and completely not true. He is deliberately taking a statement where we are concerned and where the member has been concerned that someone might be a hostage and then saying that we are making fun of somebody’s appearance. It is such a deliberate twisting of what is happening to falsely accuse a member of something she has never, would never do in order to smear her in this Chamber. I think back to the Government House Leader’s comments on the point of order we just went through and his serious offence that his members would ever be slandered in this room, and I say that that just happened. He accused our critic, who has been advocating for persons with disabilities, of making fun of a disabled person’s appearance when instead she has been advocating for the release of good information, for reports, for legislation that supports the disabled community. It was done deliberately; it was done twice. I believe strongly that this is a point of order, that the minister should apologize and withdraw. I would love to see an improvement in the types of responses we get from that minister to not deliberately mislead this House. I genuinely hope that you see this in the same way that I do, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to your ruling.

The Speaker: The Minister of Justice, the Deputy Government House Leader.

Mr. Amery: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the hon. Leader of the Opposition’s submissions. However, I’d like to take you back just a couple of weeks ago. On March 12, 2025, the Member for St. Albert began her question as follows, and it’s important that you keep the context in mind, Mr. Speaker: “Given that this nonindependent disability advocate looked more like a hostage at the presser.” Those were the comments from the Member for St. Albert. There are two problems with that, Mr. Speaker. Number one, the Member for St. Albert imputes motives on this individual as being nonindependent. This individual had come forward to support the government policy at his own will and something he believed in. There’s an attack on his credibility by accusing him of being nonindependent. Second, that he appeared to be a hostage: again, a comment that I don’t think anyone would appreciate, especially a disability advocate coming forward and putting himself forward to the public to advocate on behalf of the minister’s good policy. Today the minister said, “It is so outrageous to hear that member even talk about the disability advocate. She stood in this Chamber not too long ago and referred to him in a derogatory term.” I would submit to you that there were two derogatory terms: the one referring to him as a hostage; two, referring to him as nonindependent. She called him a hostage, referring to how he looked. Mr. Speaker, seeing him on the screen, as the Member for St. Albert would have undoubtedly saw, that is the only conclusion that she could draw, in a wheelchair as it appeared. That is what he was referring to. He was criticizing the comments made by the Member for St. Albert. They were insensitive. They were inappropriate. They imputed motives on an individual who really shouldn’t have to deal with these kinds of things, Mr. Speaker. It is a matter of debate at best, but at worst it’s incredibly insensitive that the Member for St. Albert would make those comments about somebody who comes forward to advocate for something that he believed in.

Again, Mr. Speaker, this is not a point of order. This is inappropriate; if anything, suggesting that the minister is misleading the House is a point of order if not a point of privilege.

The Speaker: Never overstated anything in the history of the universe. A point of privilege. I will add this. While I agree that the language used in the defence of the point of order is aggressive, strong, and perhaps unhelpful, I think it’s best that we leave it at that. But the language was noted with respect to what the minister for community and social services does or doesn’t do, particularly with respect to lying. The Official Opposition House Leader chose to use very strong and purposeful language, which could be the subject of a point of order during the point of order. However, I believe we’ll be best served to leave it there. 3:00

I do want to highlight a couple of things, and I should mention that I do have the benefit of the Blues and I am prepared to rule. However, if there are other submissions, members are entitled to make them. What I will say is that any time members seek to get so close to the rules and I would go as far as to say make tit-for-tat type of allegations, decorum inevitably decreases. I think that we saw that here today, where the minister chose to use some very strong and provocative language about the Member for St. Albert, and in return, I believe, the last point of order should we hear it, the Member for St. Albert made the decision to stray from the traditional conventions of the Assembly. As such, decorum decreased and here we are five, eight minutes into a point of order discussion. I would say that the language that the minister used is certainly unhelpful. I think in light of the submissions with respect to what the member said both here in the House and in other places, it’s difficult to say the intention of the minister, but the language the minister used is definitely unhelpful. I think we can agree that the Member for St. Albert has been a long-standing advocate of the disability community, so I can understand why she may feel frustrated and disappointed with the language that the minister used. I’m going to provide the strongest of cautions possible to the minister, and I expect that if we do debate the final point of order, I will also offer the strongest of possible cautions to the member in her response to the minister’s provocative language as well and reiterate to all members that if we stick to the broad-based policies of the government and not the individual statements of members of the Assembly, decorum will always improve. So at this point in time this is a strong caution to the minister. I consider the matter dealt with and concluded. I am willing to hear the last point of order. I presume that it is the hon. Member for St. Albert not speaking through the chair, and that’s fine. We can hear that, or we can proceed knowing my response.

Mr. Schow: In the spirit of goodwill and in light of the comments you just made, Mr. Speaker, I believe it’s probably appropriate just to withdraw the point of order and move on with the rest of the day.

The Speaker: I consider the matter dealt with and concluded, but I will highlight that this is the challenge that we face as an Assembly, that as decorum decreases, members are less likely to stick to the facts. Inevitably, when things become personal, decorum decreases, which is why we speak through the chair and not directly to other members. I consider this matter withdrawn. It is dealt with and concluded. Ordres du jour.

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head: Orders of the Day head: Government Bills and Orders Second Reading

Bill 49 Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2025

The Speaker: The hon. the minister of public safety, the Deputy Premier.

Mr. Ellis: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m certainly pleased to be here today to speak to the second reading of Bill 49, Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2025.

[The Deputy Speaker in the chair]

The bill, if passed, of course, will meet Alberta’s evolving public safety needs through four components, Mr. Speaker. If passed, Bill 49 will plug the gaps from previous legislation to combat scrap metal theft, which has been exploited by organized crime. Proposed amendments to the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act will address this problem by ensuring officers have the information that they need to identify suspicious activity, trace stolen property such as catalytic converters and copper wire. Of course, we’ve consulted with the industry about those gaps and from lessons learned on what were some of the holes in that act that needed to be of course addressed. These quite simply are amendments that are meant to fill these identified gaps, make sure that we hold the scrap metal dealers accountable. Secondly, the bill enhances Alberta’s disaster resilience by better balancing the powers and use of the Emergency Management Act while being mindful of Albertans’ individual rights. This will of course improve how complex disasters and emergencies are handled and how we protect individuals’ rights while maintaining public safety. Thirdly, Bill 49 will lay out the legislative framework for the police review commission, which will be up and running, hopefully, by the end of this year. Of course, that will actually put into legislation, Madam Speaker, the same processes or similar processes that police already use in professional standards units, quite frankly, right throughout the province of Alberta. Finally, Madam Speaker, I am very excited that this bill will support the implementation of the new Crown corporation intended to enhance the delivery of policing in Alberta through the amendments to the Police Act; namely, the independence of the agency police service. We have heard from sheriffs and we have heard that they require better training. We have heard that they require pay. They require funding. That’s exactly what Bill 49 is intended to do. As I have stated for several years, we are asking these individuals to perform the duties of police officers through their great work on the highway patrol, through their work on the SCAN teams, the fugitive apprehension teams. We’ve also had requests from Calgary, from Edmonton, from places in rural Alberta that require augmentation and support. In order to do that, we need to make sure that we have that support in place, and that’s where having fully trained police officers is meant to fill those gaps and provide those supports as needed and as required. These amendments are intended to provide further clarity on the governance and operational framework and the oversight and mechanisms for the IAPS, and this governance structure ensures that the agency will operate with clear oversight free from political interference. It’s an independent police service away from the government, Madam Speaker.

This will also allow municipalities to enter into a conversation with the new chief of the independent agency to discuss policing options if they so choose. As I mentioned earlier in question period, we have communities like Coaldale, like Hardisty that have already said that they would like to enter into that conversation to possibly have a different option than what they currently have for their policing needs. That’s precisely what this legislation is going to give them, that choice. Alberta’s government does not direct law enforcement, and this new Crown corporation is independent from government. Madam Speaker, I continue to hear horror stories of no police responses in communities serviced by the current police of jurisdiction. It’s unacceptable. When somebody calls 911 – I’ve said this before – I expect somebody to go to that call, and that doesn’t always happen. There are areas within this province that do not have 24/7 coverage. Again, not acceptable. We have to fill that gap, and that’s precisely, again, what Bill 49 is going to do. Now, as of March 10, 2025, the RCMP have informed the government that we have 1,772 authorized strength members, regular member positions under the provincial police service agreement which, of course, governs provincial policing in Alberta. Now, I know you’re asking this question, Madam Speaker, because I know I asked this question, too. “Wait a second, Minister. Weren’t you saying for the last several years that the authorized strength level was 1,911?” Yeah. I have been saying that, and that is precisely the question that I was asking the RCMP, who could quite frankly not give me an actual answer to that particular question. What they told us is that 1,911 was their authorized strength level in the province of Alberta, which led me to believe, which led every Albertan to believe, that it was 1,911 police officers. Now they tell me without informing me, without informing anyone in Alberta that their authorized strength level is now 1,772 and that their vacancy rate is 18.1 per cent, so they’re still anywhere from that 17 to 20 per cent. 3:10 They indicate that the vacant positions are 321. Well, Madam Speaker, if I sit there and I do the simple math of 1,911 and then somehow miraculously 139 positions just somehow disappeared without letting the government know, without letting municipal governments know, without letting anybody know in Alberta, well, now we’re talking about a 24 per cent vacancy rate. That is what is unacceptable, and that is precisely the hole that we are going to fix. People want predictability. People want public safety. People want to know that when they call 911, somebody is going to show up to that call. What they don’t need is some sort of shell game telling us one day that there are 1,911 officers and on the next day they’re telling us there are 1,772 with no explanation, no rationale. Then the members opposite along with their friends in the union for the RCMP want to sit there and say: “Oh, no; this can all be fixed with money. Just give money.” Well, Madam Speaker, we did. In 2025-26 we provided $380.5 million to the provincial police service agreement, an increase of $3.8 million from ’24-25, and also in the 2024 budget we increased that by $20.9 million to increase the RCMP’s capacity. I can tell you right now that we’re paying for $16 million worth of services that we aren’t getting right now. In fact, given that the numbers somehow miraculously have changed without letting us know, I might argue that $16 million is actually a higher number. Now, let’s put this in perspective for everybody to understand. If I had a contract service agreement with anybody, regardless of the business, and then all of a sudden my contract service provider stiffs me $16 million and then says to me, “Hey, you know what? If you give me some more money, I’m going to give you the services that

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I already promised you” – now, look, I’m not a lawyer. You know, in fact, the members obviously have been very clear to say, “You know what? That guy is not a lawyer,” but having worked 10 years on the streets of Calgary, I can tell you, in my opinion, I think that’s a breach of contract. That’s right. You know what it’s doing? It’s putting rural Albertans in danger. Before we throw more money at a problem, here’s what I would like to ask. I’d like to ask the RCMP to start giving us the authorized strength levels for which we are paying, which, quite frankly, is the 1,911, not this 1,772 number that they miraculously made up. Now, to make matters worse for rural Albertans – if you think it can’t get worse, then believe me, it does – I can tell you that the costs in the police funding model are going to increase by 50 per cent. Fifty per cent. This is due to RCMP wage negotiations. This means that municipalities are going to pay more for the contracts with no improvement to services. Madam Speaker, despite what the members opposite think, that I’m not talking to rural Albertans, in fact, I’m the one who’s talking to rural Albertans. I suggest members opposite over there actually talk to rural Albertans because I spoke to a village not that long ago and they said: “You know what, Minister? I pay $27,000 for my services.” Would you like to know how many times in the last year that the RCMP drove through that village? Two. Twice. They drove through. That’s it. Didn’t even stop. I’m surprised they even waved to say hello. You know what? They said to me: “I can’t afford a double increase in price. I can’t afford that.” So we’re providing options under Bill 49 – right? – for that community. You know what else? And this is the thing that the members opposite don’t seem to understand. That village sits there and says to me – well, of course, the members opposite will say, well, that means there’s no crime. Actually, there is crime. You know what that community is having to do? Vigilantism. That’s right. They’re the ones that are making arrests. They’re the ones that are detaining people, and when they call the RCMP, guess who’s not showing up? The police. That’s right. Shameful. Let me be clear. Let me just be clear, though. I’ve said this before. This is not about the good men and women who are in uniform. I was a constable. I was a sergeant. Those women and men are doing everything that they can on the streets of the community to do the best job possible. What this is is gross mismanagement. This is a failure of the organization. This is a failure of the unions in Ottawa. That’s what it is. The federal government is not making rural crime a priority in this country, not just here in Alberta; in this country. Now, I can tell you that the union is going to want you to believe that – you know what? – this is a problem we’re facing all throughout this country regarding authorized strength levels and recruitment, and it’s a national problem. It’s not. I can tell you that, Madam Speaker. It’s not. You know why I can tell you that? Because of the great work being done in Lethbridge. Do you know that in Lethbridge – that’s right. The Lethbridge Police Service has a zero per cent vacancy rate. Our Alberta sheriffs have a 10 per cent vacancy rate. We have First Nations communities that have policing in here, and they have numbers regarding vacancies that are low. It’s an organizational issue that stems from Ottawa. That’s where this comes from. Now, let me talk to you about more horror stories that I hear in rural Alberta, and I’d like the members opposite to square this circle. I’d love to hear the story on this one. Peace River has an authorized strength level of 17.5 officers. Would you like to know how many they actually have? Remember they’re paying for 17.5. Five. Five. I can tell you that as a commander I don’t even know if I can do 24/7 coverage. I can tell you that I spoke to the chief of the Woodland Cree Nation, a great man, Chief Laboucan-Avirom, and he says to me,

“Of those 17 and a half officers, Minister, I paid for three.” I said: “You paid for three. Wow. How much service do you get?” He goes: “None. Zero. I get no service.” Oh, my God. Then he sits there and he tells me, he says, “Of course, because of Bill C-75, the NDP policy which has violent repeat criminal offenders causing havoc within communities all throughout Canada but especially in First Nations communities, we had somebody who was a violent repeat criminal offender who was wreaking havoc in our community.” I said, “Did you call the police?” “I did.” You know what they said? “We don’t have anybody to send you.’” Shameful. I said, “Well, then what did you do?” He said, “Minister, we had to hire mercenaries.” In this province mercenaries were hired by First Nations people because of the failure of the RCMP, because of the failure of Ottawa to respect rural Albertans, to respect, quite frankly, rural Canadians. Deeply shameful. I received letters from approximately 50 businesses in Peace River, letter after letter, with complaint after complaint talking about the social civil disorder, the fact that there were no police policing their communities, that they make calls to service and nobody was showing up. I heard that time and time again.

[Mr. van Dijken in the chair]

Mr. Speaker, despite what the members opposite are going to say, I’m going to tell you that on this side of the House we are going to provide choice to Albertans. We are going to make sure that when somebody calls 911, somebody is showing up to that call. For all you men and women out there in the RCMP, I want you to know you are loved. You are. You are loved, and it’s not your fault. It is the fault of the organization, it is the fault of the union, and it’s, quite frankly, the fault of that current government in Ottawa right now, which is why rural Albertans are unsafe. Let me just close by saying this. We’re following through with our commitments, our commitments to Alberta. We said that we will do whatever it takes to keep Albertans safe. We will continue to do so and fight and repeal Bill C-75, which is the NDP policy that puts everyone in this country at risk, quite frankly, which is probably why their poll numbers are sitting at around 7 per cent right now. 3:20

We’re giving more tools in the tool box to catch copper wire and catalytic converter thieves. Remember, as I stated, they created an environment that has allowed organized crime to thrive with little or no consequences, which is why we have 4,000 hard-core organized crime groups in this country right now. It’s because of the NDP-Liberal alliance, which, again, has made us all unsafe. We’re going to make communities resilient and also better protect individual rights during emergencies, something that we are deeply committed to. We’re building the new police review commission to make sure it is arm’s length from government, and we’re continuing and remain to keep that so. We’re laying the groundwork for the independent policing agency, where we are going to have men and women who are going to be out there. We’re going to have detachments in rural Alberta because we have over 35 municipalities – in fact, there are probably even more right now in rural Alberta – that are looking for options more than what they have right now because they cannot afford to continue to pay for the costs with the little to no service that they are getting right now. Now, Mr. Speaker, finally, I will just say this. As previously mentioned, training, pay, and funding: there are members who are not the union members but are people that indicated, who are obviously supporters and advocates for the sheriffs, that said that that’s what they need, and that is what I have been saying. We’re

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asking them to do more with less, and this is precisely why we are creating the independent police service which is under Bill 49. Quite simply, I know what the members on this side of the House are thinking right now, and I would only hope that the members on that side of the House want to support fairness, want to support equality, want to support rural Alberta in making sure that they have all of what they need to combat crime. There should never be the vigilantism that is occurring right now because of the failure of this federal government, because of the failure of the unions and the RCMP and Ottawa right now. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House I encourage every member here to support Bill 49. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Acting Speaker: Hon. members, second reading of Bill 49, Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act. Are there others wishing to join the debate? I will recognize Edmonton-City Centre.

Mr. Shepherd: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to rise and speak to Bill 49, the Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. I want to be absolutely clear. Every Albertan, regardless of where they live, whether in downtown Edmonton, whether in a mid-sized city like Red Deer or Lethbridge, whether in a rural community like Coaldale, deserves to feel safe and welcome in their community. Every Albertan deserves to have the ability to have support when they need it, to have crime dealt with and addressed. That is not a matter of contention on either side of this House. Now, we just listened to the minister, and we listened to him quietly, so I’m hoping that we can have the same respect from the opposite members. I took notes. I listened closely to what the minister had to say. What I will say is that the minister went at length about how much he is hearing from rural communities about how much they apparently dislike the RCMP. The minister had a wide range of disparaging remarks against the organization, against those who are providing that service here in the province of Alberta, who are co-ordinating that staffing. The minister seemed to indicate that it is a widespread feeling across rural Alberta that there has to be an alternative and they have to be removed. What I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that if that is in fact the case, if the case is as dire as the minister just presented it, why just this week did the Rural Municipalities association of Alberta come out and affirm that they are still opposed to the minister’s plan? Why is the majority of Alberta’s municipal leaders, elected by the people in rural municipalities in Alberta, still 100 per cent opposed to what the minister is proposing? He claims that he has the cure for the disease of crime in Alberta, but the very people he says are at the brunt of this crisis don’t accept his plan. In fact, what they said is that in putting together this plan, the minister is still not listening to them or even talking with them. In November of last year the Rural Municipalities association of Alberta put out, put through, and voted through – a majority of them supported a resolution saying that in the minister’s first phase of this, Bill 11 last year, they still opposed his creation of a provincial police force. They asked him to meet and consult with them before he took any further steps such as bringing in a second phase of legislation. They asked for him to provide detailed costing of what it will cost both the province and the municipalities. The minister has done neither. If his case is so ironclad, if his fury today is so justified, if he truly has the support he says he has, why did he not actually sit down and explain it to these rural leaders in the last year? He’s had 12 months. You would expect that he would have sat down,

presented that argument, and if it was so convincing, we would have heard from the Rural Municipalities association of Alberta this week that they thoroughly supported this minister’s Bill 49, but they have not. They said quite the opposite. They said that this minister – they were caught off guard. They were shocked by this bill. Not only that, Mr. Speaker. The minister, who is in charge of Alberta sheriffs – and I do not doubt that he respects officers. I recognize the service that the minister himself had. He has been there on the front lines. I thank him for that service, and I respect it, as I respect the service of all officers here in the province of Alberta. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, during our time in government I had the privilege of attending numerous graduation classes with the Edmonton Police Service on behalf of the Minister of Justice, and I was honoured to do it every single time. I’ve been out on patrol with the officers here in Edmonton. I’ve spoken with officers from rural parts of Alberta. Now, I don’t have the minister’s budget to be able to tour around the province of Alberta, but I can tell you that I’ve taken the opportunity, wherever I’ve had it, to go out and speak with rural Albertans. Certainly, I’ve had many good conversations with municipal leaders. We had the mid-sized mayor’s caucus here. We had Rural Municipalities of Alberta here. We had Alberta Municipalities here. I did not speak with one leader who supported this minister’s plan for an Alberta provincial police force. Not one. What I will say is that I respect the minister’s service, and I respect that he wants to do right by these officers, but what we heard yesterday from the Alberta Sheriff Branch Officers Association is that the minister did not speak to them. Bill 49: he said it’s all about providing more funding for them, about giving them higher wages, giving them better training. You would think, if he had such good news, if that was the intent of this bill, he would have talked to the sheriffs about it. But they were shocked, too. They were not consulted. This is a plan that was apparently hatched behind closed doors and rolled out in full form with no discussion with any of the individuals involved. That is not, Mr. Speaker, how you create a plan that’s going to effectively meet the challenge. There is no building community safety in our province without collaboration between provincial government, between municipal governments, between police services, between sheriffs, between social service organizations, who help deal with some of the tough problems that are occupying so much of police attention right now and taking them away from the crucial work they have to do fighting crime and keeping communities safe. But what we have seen time and again from this government – it has been a repeated pattern – is that every time this minister brings his legislation forward, he is not consulting. He is not collaborating. This is not a ground-up, community-based plan to create safety; this is a top-down, dictated plan from a government obsessed with control. 3:30 Let’s talk about where Bill 49 is actually coming from, Mr. Speaker. You know, there’s a long-standing rule in this Assembly that you can’t do indirectly what you’re not allowed to do directly. For example, I am not as a member allowed to say that any other member is lying. I can also not use any language that implies that or find any other indirect way to do that. I can’t do indirectly what I can’t do directly. But you know what? That’s exactly what the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services is trying to do through Bill 49. You know, for decades Albertans have been absolutely clear. They like the RCMP. That is still the case, Mr. Speaker. Recent surveys, recent polling show that a vast majority of Albertans still prefer the RCMP: 84 per cent believe that the government has more pressing priorities than this; 77 per cent of those in RCMP-served

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areas are satisfied with current policing. That remains the case. Again, we have heard from rural municipal leaders. The vast majority of them do not want this provincial police force. Albertans have been very, very clear about this for a while. Where did this all get started? Well, back in 2001 we had what was known as the firewall letter written by a few prominent Conservatives, seven of them here in the province of Alberta, to the then Premier Klein in the wake of the Chrétien government, the Liberal government, securing their third consecutive majority government. That was in around the 2000 election. These folks wrote a letter to Premier Klein because they weren’t happy with another majority Liberal government, and they outlined strategies they felt would protect Alberta from Ottawa’s influence. That included – this is familiar – the creation of an Alberta pension plan and a provincial police force. Now, Premier Klein did not follow through on those ideas. In fact, he struck a panel that looked into them, and they found out they were incredibly costly, that they would be impractical. Premier Klein, who is revered by many of the members across the aisle, said: “No. This is not worth it for Albertans. It will cost too much and deliver too little benefit.” But those ideas never really went away, Mr. Speaker. They were held close by a very small number of Albertans who continued to advocate for separation from Canada, and they continued to persist. They hung around. In 2019 we saw them resurface after the election of another Liberal government. This time it wasn’t a majority in 2019, but it was enough that we then saw the then Premier Jason Kenney strike his Fair Deal Panel. Again there was this frustration with Ottawa and people that wanted to resurrect these zombie ideas as a means of asserting their independence from Ottawa as part of a separatist agenda. Now, political scientist Dr. Jared Wesley said at the time: these are conservative ideas for the last century that don’t want to die even though they’ve been vetted by conservative governments; they just won’t work from a fiscally conservative standpoint. The Fair Deal Panel did go across the province, and they put out their report. Now, the panel recommended that we look into this and that we try to pursue this. Again, all of the polling, all of the data, what we heard from rural municipal leaders is that they did not support or want it. Alberta Municipalities, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta time and again put out statements saying: we do not support this. They did not support the level of cost, the estimates that were brought forward at the time. But the UCP government persisted in trying to chase these ideas. We saw that accelerate with the election of the current UCP government and the current Premier. Now, of course, during the election campaign they went around the province saying: no, no, no; we have no interest whatever in pursuing an Alberta pension plan. They even said: no, no, no; we are not going to continue to pursue a provincial police force. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that they have continued to do indirectly what they realized they could not do directly because it was so thoroughly opposed by Albertans. They’ve been working to establish this through the back door, coming from many of the same people, including the chief of staff in the Premier’s office, Mr. Rob Anderson, his free Alberta strategy all about working towards separation from Canada. This was a key centrepiece. Let’s be absolutely clear, Mr. Speaker. As this government has continued to pursue a provincial police force alongside an Alberta pension plan, both of which are roundly rejected and not supported by Albertans, they’ve continued to pursue this. Again, Albertans have been, every time they are asked, absolutely clear. They do not want this. It is too costly. They do not believe it is practical. They

like working with the RCMP, and I can tell you those are the conversations that I had with municipal leaders from across the province, including rural areas over the last couple of months when they have been here in Edmonton. Now, certainly they are interested, in some cases, in exploring their own local police force. Some are interested in exploring a regional policing model. Each and every time I talk with them about this, I asked them: would you like to have an Alberta provincial police force? Would you like the government to provide that franchise for you? They said no. They do welcome – and I will give the government credit – the grant funding that’s available to let them explore having their own local police force and the option to do that, but they are not interested in this minister’s proposal. Again, the minister has had a year to go around and convince people of this. If the arguments he was making so furiously here in the House today have validity, surely he could sit down and make that case. He should have been able to stand up for Bill 49 with an army of municipal leaders behind him ready to sign on the dotted line. He didn’t have one. What we have here, Mr. Speaker – it really seems to me, clearly, that this is not a government trying to provide a thoughtful, carefully thought through, collaborative, ground-up, community- based solution for community safety and rural crime in Alberta. What we have is a government that is trying to force through a top- down agenda that is more about its own political interests than actually improving safety for people in the province of Alberta. The minister talked about better pay, better training for sheriffs because he’s been asking them to perform the duties of police officers. Let’s be clear, Mr. Speaker. It has been this minister’s decision every step of the way. The creation of these new special task forces amongst sheriffs, the drive to give them more policing powers: absolutely, that has been the minister’s decision, and I do understand there are some sheriffs that appreciate the opportunity to increase their skill level and take those on. If there are concerns about pay, that’s a choice of this government. They could choose to give those individuals higher pay in their bargaining that’s happening right now. The minister does not need a new piece of legislation to make that happen. If he wants to provide better training for the officers that he is asking to do more complex work, he could also do that today. We had a good conversation at the estimates for Public Safety and Emergency Services about the training budget for Alberta sheriffs. There is nothing preventing the minister from increasing that budget today. In fact, that is exactly what the Alberta Sheriff Branch Officers Association said in their press release yesterday, in which they said that Bill 49 risks having negative impacts on Alberta sheriff officers. They talk about the potential that these initiatives from the minister – if he takes 600 Alberta sheriffs and hives them off into his new independent police service, that could actually cause our communities to become less safe. That’s the sheriffs talking, Mr. Speaker, not me as an opposition member. They indeed say that if they were to move into that agency, they would need significantly more training, but they say the minister has never sat down and talked to them about that. Seems strange. There’s a union. There’s the branch officers association. There’s no shortage of elected representatives from the sheriffs that the minister could be speaking to. Heck, you could take a page from, you know, what they’re doing in health care. As much as some of those consultations, I’ve heard, on health care are a bit of a sham, at least they’re going out and doing them. They’re making the pretense. They’re actually going and sitting folks down, health care workers at the table. The public safety minister has not even tried. He’s got a lot of furious anecdotes to share in the House, though.

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3:40 The point is, Mr. Speaker, that if the minister wants to provide, he says, further clarity and governance and the operational framework on this new independent police service, he could do that in the bill. He’s not. There is no clarity other than: governance and operational framework will exist. Everything else will be determined in the regulations. The minister has had a year to go out and talk with municipal leaders. They passed a resolution in November asking him to do specifically that, to talk about precisely these issues. He has not even bothered to make the attempt. Now, the minister swears that this organization will be independent, free from political interference, independent from government. Let’s be clear. This will be a Crown corporation, and it will have a board of directors. Now, in the briefing I asked: is this going to be like all provincial Crown corporations, where the minister will appoint everybody on that board of directors? I was told: “That’s not in the legislation. That’ll be determined in the regulation.” Mr. Speaker, this is very unusual. Pretty much every other piece of legislation creating a Crown corporation dictates the terms of the board of governance in the legislation, not in regulation, which can be tinkered with, changed, and tampered with behind closed doors. So if the minister is saying that he wants to provide increased transparency and accountability, he has a strange way of showing it. My time is coming to a close, Mr. Speaker. What I will say is that we are actively talking with RCMP officers, with municipal leaders, with folks on the ground in communities across Alberta. We have put out a public safety blueprint showing how we would comprehensively work collaboratively to create safer communities across our province. That would include working with municipal leaders, working with law enforcements of all stripes, having them actually at the table. That is our commitment as Alberta’s New Democrats, and we’ll have much more to say about this in further debate on Bill 49. Thank you.

The Acting Speaker: Thank you. I’ll recognize the Member for Taber-Warner.

Mr. Hunter: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a privilege to stand in support of Bill 49, Public Safety and Emergency Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. The hon. Member for Edmonton-City Centre had a lot to say on this bill, and I would like to counter a few things that he said in this debate. First of all, he said that it would be easy for the minister not to bring forward a piece of legislation; instead, to just give the system more money. I’m pretty sure that I heard the minister say that the RCMP members, the RCMP officers are not the problem. They’re giving their all. In fact, most of the time, Mr. Speaker, because they’re understaffed, they feel that this is not helpful, what they’re doing. They feel frustrated. I have many friends that are actually in the RCMP, and they’re concerned about what they’re seeing from a systemic problem from Ottawa. For the Member for Edmonton-City Centre to stand up and say “just give them more money” doesn’t make sense. If the system is not working, then you have to fix the system. I believe that that’s what’s going on in this argument with Bill 49, that we can create an option for communities in Alberta if they believe the system has failed them. This is why I do believe we need to have this piece of legislation to move forward. I want to say, Mr. Speaker – I’ve said this before in this House – that when governments were first thought about by the people in this world, they had to make a decision about giving up freedoms and liberties and providing those freedoms and liberties to a body,

and they called that government. In order for them to give up those freedoms and liberties, there was a bargain struck by the two parties. The bargain that was struck was that government would be able to provide security and safety. Banding together, they realized that would be a good approach. That’s the reason why. When governments were first thought about, it was to protect the people. We are a government, we are a people, we are legislators for the people of Alberta. Our first and primary responsibility is to protect the people of Alberta. Full stop. If we fail in that primary responsibility, we fail Albertans. When I listen to the members on a regular basis run block for their mother ship, I’ve heard it said – I won’t go down that road – the NDP-Liberal coalition in Ottawa, for their failed liberal policies, I would like one member from the opposition NDP side to stand up at least once and say that they stand for Albertans. Just once, Mr. Speaker. Just once. [interjections] Of course, they’re chirping and saying that they don’t want to. I just need one time for them to stand up and say: let’s make sure that we fix the system that is broken by the NDP-Liberal coalition in Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, this is the problem that I have with the NDP’s argument. There is ample evidence that the United States and Canada in those liberalized jurisdictions, soft-on-crime jurisdictions are losing people out of those provinces and out of those states. They’re moving to those states and provinces that are going to protect the people. This is happening in the United States and in Canada. In 2023 we had a net migration into this province of 204,000 people. That’s not just because of the Alberta advantage, which we are willing to take credit for; that is also because we have a society that believes in the rule of law. We have a society that actually creates pieces of legislation like this one that says that we will protect you, and we will do better than those other jurisdictions. When the Member for Edmonton-City Centre stood up, I saw a person that was really naive to what’s going on. There’s a situation in southern Alberta. A guy came to a meeting with the RCMP and some of the councils down there, frustrated as all get-out, and said, “Listen, I’m now to the point where I’m sleeping in my Quonset.” He was a heavy-duty mechanic, and he said: “You know what? The reality is that I’ve been broken into so many times, they’ve stolen my tools so many times that the insurance companies will not give me insurance anymore. I have to sleep in the Quonset to stop those robbers from coming in and taking my tools in order for me to be able to provide for my family.” How is that a good thing for their family? It’s not. Mr. Speaker, on my farm I was broken into four times in three years. They stole everything. They stole the toilet plunger. I really liked that toilet plunger, but they stole even the toilet plunger. They stole everything. Four times, three years. I don’t blame the RCMP officers. I blame a system that has failed Albertans, and I believe that . . . [interjections] Heckling from the opposition on this one. It’s amazing, you know, but that’s exactly what we hear from Team Angry on the other side. 3:50 Mr. Speaker, a responsible government builds a strong economy, builds a safe community, provides a place where people can thrive. What I hear from the people on the opposite side, in the opposite benches are people who want to break down what we already have. On this side of the House we will continue to stand up for Albertans. We will continue to make sure that there is thriving happening here, that people can come here. This will be the best place to live, start a business, grow, and make this a place we can feel proud of. I’m proud of Alberta. I’m proud of Canada, what Canada can be and needs to be again. I hope that on April 28 we remember that Canadians can say to that broken NDP-Liberal coalition in Ottawa:

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no more. We’re not going to put up with it anymore. I look forward to that in good time. Thank you so much.

The Acting Speaker: The Deputy Government House Leader.

Mr. Amery: Mr. Speaker, at this time I’d like to move to adjourn debate.

[Motion to adjourn debate carried]

Bill 38 Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025

[Adjourned debate April 8: Mr. Williams]

The Acting Speaker: The hon. Minister of Mental Health and Addiction has 14 minutes left to speak if he so wishes. If not, I will call on the Member for Edmonton-Highlands- Norwood.

Member Irwin: Thank you. Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood is my riding, one I’m very proud of. It is an honour to rise to speak to Bill 38, Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. You know, I had the chance as I was sitting here – when I wasn’t listening closely to the speech from the member opposite, I was perusing Hansard debate on Bill 38, and I’m actually really quite proud of my colleagues for their thoughtful commentary on Bill 38 and, in particular, a number of my colleagues whose shadow minister portfolios are impacted. The Member for Calgary-North East in particular and our shadow minister, the Member for Calgary-Acadia, spoke really well, eloquently. They and other members on this side of the House . . .

Ms Hoffman: Thank you.

Member Irwin: Yeah, including the Member for Edmonton- Glenora, who’s looking for some approbation, which is fair enough. Like, we all need affirmation from time to time. I get it. They spoke really well about the fact that Bill 38 really is just a complete slap in the face of families who’ve lost kids. It’s been said many times, again, as I was perusing Hansard, that dead children are not and should not be considered red tape. Just in the interest of time I’m not going to speak to those aspects as a number of my colleagues have, but I’m proud of my team for standing up for youth in care in particular and highlighting the fact that, you know, more than 70 per cent of children and youth in care are Indigenous and the fact that the UCP has failed drastically on this issue and that Bill 38 does nothing to support some of the most vulnerable young people in our province. The reason why I wanted to rise briefly to Bill 38 is to talk about one piece of the bill, and that is actually the section that talks about the changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. I haven’t seen too many people chat about this yet in this Chamber. Many folks watching at home, and I do know – actually, I was at an event this morning. It was a housing announcement. Shout-out to the Member for Leduc-Beaumont. He was there as well, from the UCP, and it was good to have that multipartisan collaboration. As I was there, a community member came up to me and said that she was watching the legislative proceedings when my colleague from Edmonton- Gold Bar was speaking just before 6 p.m. yesterday. I thought that was fascinating, that she and many others were tuning in at that time, so I do know people at home are watching. I want to talk a little bit about the changes to the RTA. As my role is the shadow minister of housing, I’ve actually heard from a few people about this specific section of the bill. This section of the

bill would allow for landlords to use electronic communication like e-mail to serve documents such as eviction notices and rent increases. We know that in some cases this is already happening. But one of the concerns – and I’ve had, actually, a few stakeholders, including the wonderful folks at ACORN, speak out about this. If you don’t know, ACORN is a group; they’ve got a branch in Calgary. They’re doing really good work to stand up for tenants’ rights. Among others, one of their main concerns is that, you know, if landlords can give those notices electronically, that might be all that they do. For some tenants the only time the landlord goes to the building or unit is when they have to post notices. So if this is no longer a requirement, it will remove the landlord from the tenant even further and allow them to basically ignore, avoid their tenants completely. Of course, that’s one concern. The concern that I have as well is low-income folks. As somebody who represents a number of people who, believe it or not, still in 2025 don’t have access to technology, don’t have easy e-mail access, especially folks who are precariously housed, this is a concern. Seniors as well. I do have to ask: who’s asking for those changes? I haven’t heard about this need from tenants, so I do wonder if this is the UCP government once again supporting landlords’ rights over tenants’ rights. I raise that as well and this is why I wanted to get it on the record in second reading because I’m happy to have the minister respond to that and maybe give me a bit of background, something I’m potentially missing on this. My other big concern is that this is a UCP government that has continued to not stand up for tenants’ rights in Alberta. The RTA, the Residential Tenancies Act here in Alberta, is quite outdated. It’s incredibly concerning to me that this government is willing to update the RTA for this, but they’re not willing to take any actions to tangibly support renters here in Alberta. If you’re going to update the RTA, why not do what I proposed in Bill 205 and look at things like caps on rents, look at things like vacancy controls, actual – actual – tangible things that would help renters here in Alberta? With that, I would like to urge this government to take action for renters to support them, and I do want to hear from the minister about these changes. I also just want to get on the record that there are a whole lot of other sections of this bill, Bill 38 – if the UCP were really wanting to reduce red tape, they would first start by standing up for Albertans, like that minister over there said earlier in his debate on Bill 49, accusing NDP members of never standing up for Albertans. I can’t tell you – this is not an ego thing. The number of people every day who thank me for standing up for Albertans in this House is immense. How out of touch, how tone deaf. We’ll continue supporting Albertans. I’ll continue fighting for renters. With that, I will stop speaking right now.

The Acting Speaker: Are there any others wishing to speak? Seeing none, I’m prepared to call the question. The hon. Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction has the opportunity to close debate. That is waived.

[The voice vote indicated that the motion for second reading carried]

[Several members rose calling for a division. The division bell was rung at 3:59 p.m.]

[Fifteen minutes having elapsed, the Assembly divided]

[Mr. van Dijken in the chair]

For the motion: Amery Johnson Pitt Armstrong-Homeniuk Jones Rowswell

2868 Alberta Hansard April 10, 2025

Boitchenko LaGrange Sawhney Bouchard Long Schow Cyr Lovely Schulz de Jonge Lunty Singh Dyck McDougall Stephan Ellis McIver Wiebe Fir Nally Williams Getson Neudorf Wilson Glubish Nicolaides Wright, J. Horner Nixon Yao Hunter Petrovic Yaseen Jean

Against the motion: Arcand-Paul Gray Irwin Calahoo Stonehouse Haji Kasawski

Dach Hoffman Shepherd Deol Ip Wright, P. Goehring

Totals: For – 40 Against – 13

[Motion carried; Bill 38 read a second time]

The Acting Speaker: I will recognize the hon. Minister of Justice and deputy House leader.

Mr. Amery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make a motion to move that the Assembly be adjourned until 1:30 on Monday, April 14, 2025.

[Motion carried; the Assembly adjourned at 4:17 p.m.]

_________________________________________________________Bill Status Report for the 31th Legislature - 1st Session (2023-2025)

Activity to Thursday, April 10, 2025

The Bill sponsor's name is in brackets following the Bill title. If it is a money Bill, ($) will appear between the title and the sponsor's name. Numbers following each Reading refer to Hansard pages where the text of debates is found; dates for each Reading are in brackets following the page numbers. Bills numbered 1 to 200 are Government Bills. Bills numbered 201 or higher are Private Members' Public Bills. Bills numbered with a "Pr" prefix are Private Bills.

* An asterisk beside a Bill number indicates an amendment was passed to that Bill; the Committee line shows the precise date of the amendment.

The date a Bill comes into force is indicated in square brackets after the date of Royal Assent. If a Bill comes into force "on proclamation," "with exceptions," or "on various dates," please contact Legislative Counsel, Alberta Justice, for details at 780.427.2217. The chapter number assigned to the Bill is entered immediately following the date the Bill comes into force. SA indicates Statutes of Alberta; this is followed by the year in which it is included in the statutes, and its chapter number. Please note, Private Bills are not assigned chapter number until the conclusion of the Fall Sittings.

Bill 1 — Alberta Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act, 2023 (Smith) First Reading — 10 (Oct. 30, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 57-58 (Nov. 1, 2023 aft.), 96-97 (Nov. 2, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 145-47 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 147-54 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c6 ]

Bill 2 — Alberta Pension Protection Act (Horner) First Reading — 89-90 (Nov. 2, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 154-55 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 274-85 (Nov. 21, 2023 aft.), 336-43 (Nov. 23, 2023 aft.), 394-400 (Nov. 28, 2023 aft.), 424-30

(Nov. 29, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 522-30 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft.), 552-59 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed) Third Reading — 565 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve.), 583-90 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 cA-29.5 ]

Bill 3 — Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Amendment Act, 2023 (Williams) First Reading — 22 (Oct. 31, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 90-93 (Nov. 2, 2023 aft.), 180-87 (Nov. 8, 2023 aft.), 272-73 (Nov. 21, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 307-09 (Nov. 22, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 334-36 (Nov. 23, 2023 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c10 ]

Bill 4 — Tax Statutes Amendment Act, 2023 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 55 (Nov. 1, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 159-63 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 155-56 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 187-90 (Nov. 8, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 309-13 (Nov. 22, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 336 (Nov. 23, 2023 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2023 c13 ]

Bill 5* — Public Sector Employers Amendment Act, 2023 (Horner) First Reading — 55-56 (Nov. 1, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 156-57 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 190-97 (Nov. 8, 2023 aft.), 265-72 (Nov. 21, 2023 aft.), 403-09 (Nov. 28, 2023 aft.), 430-35

(Nov. 29, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 456 (Nov. 30, 2023 aft., passed), 519-22 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., recommitted), 559-62, 563-64 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed

with amendments on division) Third Reading — 515 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., recommitted to Committee of the Whole), 564-55 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve.), 575-83 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed

on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on Proclamation; SA 2023 c12 ]

Bill 6 — Public Health Amendment Act, 2023 (Amery) First Reading — 90 (Nov. 2, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 157-58 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 313-20 (Nov. 22, 2023 aft.), 435-38 (Nov. 29, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 456-62 (Nov. 30, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 462 (Nov. 30, 2023 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c11 ]

Bill 7 — Engineering and Geoscience Professions Amendment Act, 2023 (Sawhney) First Reading — 111 (Nov. 6, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 158-59 (Nov. 7, 2023 aft.), 273-74 (Nov. 21, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 400-03 (Nov. 28, 2023 aft.), 423-24 (Nov. 29, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 514-15 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c7 ]

Bill 8 — Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2023 (Amery) First Reading — 209 (Nov. 9, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 299-307 (Nov. 22, 2023 aft.), 438-41 (Nov. 29, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 515-18 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft.), 546-52 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed) Third Reading — 564 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve.), 569-75 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2023 c8 ]

Bill 9 — Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2023 (Schow) First Reading — 478 (Dec. 4, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 513-14 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 546 (Dec. 6, 2023 eve.., passed) Third Reading — 590-92 (Dec. 7, 2023 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c9 ]

Bill 10 — Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 673 (Mar. 12, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 705-16 (Mar. 14, 2024 aft.), 868-73 (Mar. 26, 2024 aft.), 904-05 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft.), 899-901 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft.), 970-75

(Apr. 9, 2024 aft.), 1003-05 (Apr. 10, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1005-09 (Apr. 10, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1040-43 (Apr. 11, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2024 c4 ]

Bill 11 — Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Ellis) First Reading — 685 (Mar. 13, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 976-90 (Apr. 9, 2024 aft.), 1009-15 (Apr. 10, 2024 aft.), 1091-96 (Apr. 16, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1217-20 (Apr. 23, 2024 aft.), 1334-1341 (May 7, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1448-55 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force May 16, 2024, except section 1, which comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 c6 ]

Bill 12* — Consumer Protection (Life Leases) Amendment Act, 2024 (Nally) First Reading — 727 (Mar. 18, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1015-22 (Apr. 10, 2024 aft.), 1043-46 (Apr. 11, 2024 aft.), 1096-102 (Apr. 16, 2024 aft.), 1135-40 (Apr. 17, 2024 aft.,

passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 1220 (Apr. 23, 2024 aft.), 1239-48 (Apr. 24, 2024 aft., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 1367-74 (May 8, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force May 16, 2024; SA 2024 c3 ]

Bill 13 — Real Property Governance Act (Guthrie) First Reading — 779 (Mar. 21, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1102-09 (Apr. 16, 2024 aft.), 1132-35 (Apr. 17, 2024 aft.), 1161-63 (Apr. 18, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1220-28 (Apr. 23, 2024 aft.), 1341-43 (May 7, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1395-1400 (May 9, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force May 16, 2024, with some sections deemed to have come into force on March 21, 2024;

SA 2024 cR-5.3 ]

Bill 14 — Appropriation Act, 2024 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 791 (Mar. 21, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 855-63 (Mar. 26, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 887-93 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft., adjourned), 903 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 920-24 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Mar. 28, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on March 28, 2024; SA 2024 c1 ]

Bill 15 — Appropriation (Supplementary Supply) Act, 2024 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 841 (Mar. 25, 2024 eve., passed) Second Reading — 863-68 (Mar. 26, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 893-99 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft., adjourned), 901-04 (Mar. 27, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 924 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft, passed), 920 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft.) Royal Assent — (Mar. 28, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on March 28, 2024; SA 2024 c2 ]

Bill 16 — Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Nally) First Reading — 935-36 (Apr. 8, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1127-32 (Apr. 17, 2024 aft.), 1248-53 (Apr. 24, 2024 aft.), 1279-82 (Apr. 25, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1456-60 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1490-92 (May 15, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2024 c7 ]

Bill 17 — Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence Act (Williams) First Reading — 959 (Apr. 9, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1156-61 (Apr. 18, 2024 aft.), 1272-79 (Apr. 25, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1361-67 (May 8, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1464-66 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 cC-1.5 ]

Bill 18* — Provincial Priorities Act (Smith) First Reading — 993 (Apr. 10, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1122-27 (Apr. 17, 2024 aft.), 1209-17 (Apr. 23, 2024 aft.), 1253-60 (Apr. 24, 2024 aft.), 1329-34 (May 7, 2024 aft.),

1533-40 (May 21, 2024 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 1540-42 (May 21, 2024 aft.), 1569-77 (May 22, 2024 aft., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 1664-68 (May 28, 2024 aft.), 1692-99 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 cP-35.5 ]

Bill 19 — Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Neudorf) First Reading — 1177 (Apr. 22, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1344-48 (May 7, 2024 aft.), 1400-03 (May 9, 2024 aft.), 1455-56 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1460-64 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 1492-96 (May 15, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2024 c8 ]

Bill 20* — Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (McIver) First Reading — 1271 (Apr. 25, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1374-82 (May 8, 2024 aft.), 1562-69 (May 22, 2024 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 1591-94 (May 23, 2024 aft.), 1669-75 (May 28, 2024 aft.., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 1699-1700 (May 28, 2024 eve.), 1712-13 (May 28, 2024 eve.), 1729-35 (May 29, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation, except ss 2(24) and (25), which come into force on

January 1, 2025; SA 2024 c11 ]

Bill 21 — Emergency Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Ellis) First Reading — 1394 (May 9, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1508-19 (May 16, 2024 aft.), 1542-48 (May 21, 2024 aft.), 1634-41 (May 27, 2024 eve., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 1649-50 (May 27, 2024 eve.), 1675-81 (May 28, 2024 aft.), 1683-84 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 1700-01 (May 28, 2024 eve.), 1704--11 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force May 30, 2024; SA 2024 c9 ]

Bill 22 — Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (LaGrange) First Reading — 1447 (May 14, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1594-1600 (May 23, 2024 aft.), 1641-48 (May 27, 2024 eve., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 1650 (May 27, 2024 eve.), 1684-90 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 1700-01 (May 28, 2024 eve.), 1713-15 (May 28, 2024 eve.), 1735-41 (May 29, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 c10 ]

Bill 24* — Alberta Bill of Rights Amendment Act, 2024 (Amery) First Reading — 1754-55 (Oct. 28, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1788-1805 (Oct. 29, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1819-36 (Oct. 30, 2024 aft.), 2051-58 (Nov. 20, 2024 aft.), 2082 (Nov. 21, 2024 aft.), 2144-45 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft.,

passed with amendments) Third Reading — 2171-72 (Nov. 27, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force December 5, 2024; SA 2024 c12 ]

Bill 25 — Early Learning and Child Care Amendment Act, 2024 (Jones) First Reading — 1818 (Oct. 30, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1855-56 (Oct. 31, 2024 aft.), 1907-12 (Nov. 5, 2024 aft.), 2027-29 (Nov. 19, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2189 (Nov. 27, 2024 aft.), 1717-20 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 2222-27 (Nov. 28, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 c13 ]

Bill 26 — Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2) (LaGrange) First Reading — 1848 (Oct. 31, 2024 aft., passed on division) Second Reading — 1900-07 (Nov. 5, 2024 aft.), 1969-77 (Nov. 7, 2024 aft.), 2137-40 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2145-50 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft.), 2172-77 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 2299-305 (Dec. 3, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation with exceptions; SA 2024 c16 ]

Bill 27* — Education Amendment Act, 2024 (Nicolaides) First Reading — 1848 (Oct. 31, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1912-20 (Nov. 5, 2024 aft.), 2020-27 (Nov. 19, 2024 aft., passed on divison) Committee of the Whole — 2177-89 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 2305-11 (Dec. 3, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 c14 ]

Bill 28 — Meat Inspection Amendment Act, 2024 (Sigurdson, RJ) First Reading — 1818 (Oct. 30, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1854-55 (Oct. 31, 2024 aft.), 1966-69 (Nov. 7, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2058-60 (Nov. 20, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2066-68 (Nov. 20, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force December 5, 2024; SA 2024 c18 ]

Bill 29 — Fairness and Safety in Sport Act (Schow) First Reading — 1848-49 (Oct. 31, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1934-40 (Nov. 6, 2024 aft.), 2088-92 (Nov. 21, 2024 aft.), 2140-44 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2150-52 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2311-14 (Dec. 3, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 cF-2.5 ]

Bill 30* — Service Alberta Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Nally) First Reading — 1868 (Nov. 4, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1946-53 (Nov. 6, 2024 aft.), 2068-70 (Nov. 20, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2082-88 (Nov. 21, 2024 aft.), 1720-24 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 2227-31 (Nov. 28, 2024 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 c20 ]

Bill 31 — Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Amery) First Reading — 1898 (Nov. 5, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2029-35 (Nov. 19, 2024 aft.), 2270-78 (Dec. 2, 2024 eve., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2319-23 (Dec. 3, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 2376-79 (Dec. 4, 2024 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force December 5, 2024, except s. 1(4), which comes into force on

proclamation, SA 2024 c17 ]

Bill 32 — Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2) ($) (Horner) First Reading — 1868 (Nov. 4, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1940-46 (Nov. 6, 2024 aft.), 1724-27 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2314-17 (Dec. 3, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2336-37 (Dec. 3, 2024 eve.), 2366-69 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft.), 2379-89 (Dec. 4, 2024 eve., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2024 c15 ]

Bill 33* — Protection of Privacy Act (Glubish) First Reading — 1931 (Nov. 6, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2060-66 (Nov. 20, 2024 aft.), 1727-31 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve.), 2231-33 (Nov. 28, 2024 aft.), 2278-80 (Dec. 2, 2024 eve.,

passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2351-57 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 2360-63 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on the proclamation of SA 2024, cA-1.4; SA 2024 cP-28.5 ]

Bill 34* — Access to Information Act (Nally) First Reading — 1931 (Nov. 6, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2035-38 (Nov. 19, 2024 aft.), 2153-57 (Nov. 26, 2024 aft.), 2259-66 (Dec. 2, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2281-84 (Dec. 2, 2024 eve.), 2323-32 (Dec. 3, 2024 eve., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 2363-66 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 cA-1.4 ]

Bill 35 — All-season Resorts Act (Schow) First Reading — 1965-66 (Nov. 7, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1731-36 (Nov. 27, 2024 eve.), 2266 (Dec. 2, 2024 aft.), 2267-70 (Dec. 2, 2024 eve., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2332-35 (Dec. 3, 2024 eve.), 2357-59 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2371-76 (Dec. 4, 2024 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2024 cA-38.5 ]

Bill 36 — Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (Schow) First Reading — (Nov. 20, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2280-81 (Dec. 2, 2024 eve., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2335-36 (Dec. 3, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 2389-90 (Dec. 4, 2024 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 5, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on various dates; SA 2024 c19 ]

Bill 37 — Mental Health Services Protection Amendment Act, 2025 (Williams) First Reading — 2402 (Feb. 25, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2441-50 (Feb. 26, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 38 — Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Nally) First Reading — 2437 (Feb. 26, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2534-44 (Mar. 13, 2025 aft.), 2642-47 (Mar. 24, 2025 aft.), 2796-804 (Apr. 8, 2025 aft.), 2867-68 (Apr. 10, 2025 aft.,

passed on division)

Bill 39 — Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 2478 (Mar. 10, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2692-98 (Mar. 25, 2025 aft.)

Bill 40 — Professional Governance Act (Sawhney) First Reading — 2499 (Mar. 11, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2724-29 (Mar. 26, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 41 — Wildlife Amendment Act, 2025 (Loewen) First Reading — 2511 (Mar. 12, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2841-48 (Apr. 9, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 42 — Appropriation Act, 2025 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 2618 (Mar. 20, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2679-85 (Mar. 25, 2025 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 2712-21 (Mar. 26, 2025 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2743 (Mar. 27, 2025 aft.), 2745-49 (Mar. 27, 2025 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Mar. 27, 2025 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on March 27, 2025; SA 2025 c1 ]

Bill 43 — Appropriation (Supplementary Supply) Act, 2025 ($) (Horner) First Reading — 2667 (Mar. 24, 2025 eve., passed) Second Reading — 2686-92 (Mar. 25, 2025 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2721-24 (Mar. 26, 2025 aft., passed) Third Reading — 2743-44 (Mar. 27, 2025 aft.), 2749-50 (Mar. 27, 2025 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Mar. 27, 2025 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on March 27, 2025; SA 2025 c2 ]

Bill 44 — Agricultural Operation Practices Amendment Act, 2025 (Sigurdson, RJ) First Reading — 2577 (Mar. 18, 2025 aft., passed)

Bill 45 — Critical Infrastructure Defence Amendment Act, 2025 (Amery) First Reading — 2597 (Mar. 19, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2804-11 (Apr. 8, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 46 — Information and Privacy Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Glubish) First Reading — 2613 (Mar. 20, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2830-34 (Apr. 9, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 47 — Automobile Insurance Act (Horner) First Reading — 2629 (Mar. 24, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2811-16 (Apr. 8, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 48 — iGaming Alberta Act (Nally) First Reading — 2711 (Mar. 26, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2834-41 (Apr. 9, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 49 — Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Ellis) First Reading — 2762 (Apr. 7, 2025 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2862-67 (Apr. 10, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 50 — Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (McIver) First Reading — 2787 (Apr. 8, 2025 aft., passed)

Bill 51 — Education Amendment Act, 2025 (Nicolaides) First Reading — 2787 (Apr. 8, 2025 aft., passed)

Bill 52 — Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Neudorf) First Reading — 2859 (Apr. 10, 2025 aft., passed)

Bill 201 — Alberta Health Care Insurance (Access Fees) Amendment Act, 2023 (Brar) First Reading — 90 (Nov. 2, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 114-25 (Nov. 6, 2023 aft.), 234-37 (Nov. 20, 2023 aft., reasoned amendment agreed to on division; not proceeded with)

Bill 202 — Education (Class Size and Composition) Amendment Act, 2023 (Chapman) First Reading — 209 (Nov. 9, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 237-46 (Nov. 20, 2023 aft.), 358-64 (Nov. 27, 2023 aft., defeated on division; not proceeded with)

Bill 203 — Foreign Credential Advisory Committee Act (Dyck) First Reading — 111 (Nov. 6, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 364-70 (Nov. 27, 2023 aft.), 479-86 (Dec. 4, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 730-43 (Mar. 18, 2024 aft., passed) Third Reading — 805-12 (Mar. 25, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Mar. 28, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on June 28, 2024; SA 2024 cF-16.5 ]

Bill 204 — Municipal Government (National Urban Parks) Amendment Act, 2023 (Lunty) First Reading — 332 (Nov. 23, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 486-92 (Dec. 4, 2023 aft.), 649-58 (Mar. 11, 2024 aft., passed on division) Committee of the Whole — 812-17 (Mar. 25, 2024 aft.), 938-48 (Apr. 8, 2024 aft., passed on division) Third Reading — 1059-66 (Apr. 15, 2024 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (May 16, 2024 aft.) [Comes into force May 16, 2024; SA 2024 c5 ]

Bill 205 — Housing Statutes (Housing Security) Amendment Act, 2023 (Irwin) First Reading — 510 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., passed) Second Reading — 658-62 (Mar. 11, 2024 aft.), 948-50 (Apr. 8, 2024 aft.), 1066-71 (Apr. 15, 2024 aft.), 1178-81 (Apr. 22, 2024 aft., defeated

on division; not proceeded with)

Bill 206* — Child and Youth Advocate (Parent and Guardian Liaison) Amendment Act, 2024 (Cyr) First Reading — 917-18 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1181-90 (Apr. 22, 2024 aft.), 1294-1300 (May 6, 2024 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 2491-92 (Mar. 10, 2025 aft.), 2557-70 (Mar. 17, 2025 aft., passed with amendments on division) Third Reading — 2632-39 (Mar. 24, 2025 aft., passed on division) Royal Assent — (Mar. 27, 2025 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on proclamation; SA 2025 c3 ]

Bill 207 — Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education (Valuing Skilled Workers) Amendment Act, 2024 (Hoyle) First Reading — 1152-53 (Apr. 18, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1300-09 (May 6, 2024 aft.), 1417-20 (May 13, 2024 aft., defeated on division; not proceeded with)

Bill 208 — Psycho-Educational Assessment Access Act (Hayter) First Reading — 1359 (May 8, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 1420-29 (May 13, 2024 aft.), 2764-70 (Apr. 7, 2025 aft., defeated on division)

Bill 209 — Reconciliation Implementation Act (Arcand-Paul) First Reading — 1868-69 (Nov. 4, 2024 aft., passed) Second Reading — 2770-76 (Apr. 7, 2025 aft., adjourned)

Bill 210 — Employment Standards (Protecting Workers’ Tips) Amendment Act, 2024 (Gray) First Reading — 2350 (Dec. 4, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill 211 — Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Council Act (Ceci) First Reading — 1590 (May 23, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill 212 — Organ and Tissue Donor Information Agreement Act (Metz) First Reading — 1663 (May 28, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill 213 — Cancer Care Delivery Standards Act (Goehring) First Reading — 2298 (Dec. 3, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill 214 — Eastern Slopes Protection Act (Miyashiro) First Reading — 1729 (May 29, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill 215 — Prohibiting Ownership of Agricultural Lands (Pension Plans and Trust Corporations) Act (van Dijken) First Reading — 2221 (Nov. 28, 2024 aft., passed)

Bill Pr1 — St. Joseph’s College Amendment Act, 2023 (Sigurdson, L) First Reading — 289 (Nov. 22, 2023 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills), 421 (Nov. 29, 2023 aft., reported to

Assembly; proceeded with) Second Reading — 455 (Nov. 30, 2023 aft., passed) Committee of the Whole — 515 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., passed) Third Reading — 530 (Dec. 5, 2023 aft., passed) Royal Assent — (Dec. 7, 2023 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on December 7, 2023; SA 2023 c14 ]

Bill Pr2* — Community Foundation of Medicine Hat and Southeastern Alberta Amendment Act, 2024 (Justin Wright) First Reading — 918 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills) Second Reading — 1633 (May 27, 2024 eve., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1691 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed with amendments) Third Reading — 1711 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on May 30, 2024; SA 2024 c21 ]

Bill Pr3 — Providence Renewal Centre Amendment Act, 2024 (Calahoo Stonehouse) First Reading — 918 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills) Second Reading — 1633 (May 27, 2024 eve., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1691 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 1711 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on May 30, 2024; SA 2024 c22 ]

Bill Pr4 — Rosebud School of the Arts Amendment Act, 2024 (Petrovic) First Reading — 918 (Mar. 28, 2024 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills) Second Reading — 1633-34 (May 27, 2024 eve., passed) Committee of the Whole — 1691 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Third Reading — 1711-12 (May 28, 2024 eve., passed) Royal Assent — (May 30, 2024 outside of House sitting) [Comes into force on May 30, 2024; SA 2024 c23 ]

Bill Pr5 — Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta Act (Miyashiro) First Reading — (Mar. 27, 2025 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills)

Bill Pr6 — Burman University Amendment Act, 2025 (Johnson) First Reading — (Mar. 27, 2025 aft., passed; referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills)

Table of Contents

Prayers ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2849

Introduction of Guests .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2849

Members’ Statements Investigation of Health Services Procurement ..................................................................................................................................... 2850 Political Discourse and Women’s Political Participation .................................................................................................................... 2850 Provincial Response to U.S. Tariffs ..................................................................................................................................................... 2850 Family and Community Support Services ........................................................................................................................................... 2851 Calgary-North East Constituency Concerns ........................................................................................................................................ 2851 Rural Bus Service ................................................................................................................................................................................ 2851

Oral Question Period Provincial Response to U.S. Tariffs ..................................................................................................................................................... 2851 Investigation of Health Services Procurement ........................................................................................................................... 2852, 2853 Oversight of Alberta Law Foundation ................................................................................................................................................. 2852 Bill 49 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2854 Calgary Downtown Revitalization ...................................................................................................................................................... 2854 Funding for Indigenous Justice Initiatives ........................................................................................................................................... 2855 Postsecondary Faculty Recruitment and Retention.............................................................................................................................. 2855 Personal Income Tax Rates ................................................................................................................................................................. 2856 Support for Persons with Disabilities .................................................................................................................................................. 2856 Support for Newcomers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2857 Tourism Industry Support .................................................................................................................................................................... 2857 Domestic Violence Prevention and Social Supports ............................................................................................................................ 2858

Introduction of Bills Bill 52 Energy and Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 .......................................................................................................... 2859

Tabling Returns and Reports .................................................................................................................................................................... 2859

Orders of the Day ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 2862

Government Bills and Orders Second Reading

Bill 49 Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 ........................................................................ 2862 Bill 38 Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 ..................................................................................................... 2867

Division ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 2867

Alberta Hansard is available online at www.assembly.ab.ca For inquiries contact: Editor Alberta Hansard 3rd Floor, 9820 – 107 St EDMONTON, AB T5K 1E7 Telephone: 780.427.1875 E-mail: AlbertaHansard@assembly.ab.ca Published under the Authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta ISSN 0383-3623