Government Spending
February 9, 2010
Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government likes to talk about working for all Albertans and taking care of their priorities. When the Premier announced his new cabinet, he also added a Political Minister for Calgary and a Political Minister for Edmonton. My question is to the Deputy Premier. If the work of these political ministers is so valuable and so needed, why didn’t he name a political minister for rural Alberta or the larger cities, like Fort McMurray or Red Deer, that exist across this province?
Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, obviously Edmonton and Calgary, the two larger centres in the province, contain roughly two-thirds of the province’s population. There are a number of issues that are being worked on in both of those cities, and it’s a prudent move to have one place for those cities, those municipalities to have a contact. I also point out that we have a chair of Calgary caucus, we have a chair of Edmonton caucus, we have a chair of the rural caucus, and we have representations to all of those committees. This is simply a political move on the other party’s part to try to take away representation from those two cities.
Mrs. Forsyth: Mr. Speaker, we have 83 MLAs elected that are supposed to be representing their constituents. The government also likes to stand up and say that it is fighting for Albertans and working on their priorities. In 2004-2005 the Executive Council office cost taxpayers about $2.1 million. In 2008-2009 the same office cost taxpayers about $4 million. That is an 84 per cent increase in the size of the Executive Council office budget. Mr. Speaker, my question again is to the Deputy Premier.
The Speaker: Okay. Deputy Premier, go ahead.
Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, obviously we’re going to have a fair bit of time here in the next little while to debate the budget. We’re going to be debating the estimates. In fact, today, obviously, the Minister of Finance and Enterprise is going to be presenting the budget, which is going to show that this government has listened to Albertans. This government is going to do what Albertans want us to do based on their priorities, not their priorities.
Mrs. Forsyth: That’s nice to hear, Mr. Speaker. I’ll look forward to a decrease in Executive Council’s budget. Mr. Speaker, the previous Premier didn’t need as many advisers. Perhaps if the government had a vision that Albertans knew about, then they wouldn’t be so troubled right now. My question is to the
Deputy Premier. If extra staff and salary are so essential to do the job, where is the accountability and why aren’t Albertans getting better results?
Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, I heard the question, but I guess I’m struggling with the idea of extra staff because we haven’t actually had the budget yet. I’m sure the hon. member will have plenty of time to discuss the budget in the estimates, which is her right as a private member in this House. I look forward to her participating in the debate in the many hours that we’ll be going through that debate.
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