BonnyvilleCold Lake. Electoral Division Information Profile Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

Transcription

1 This copy is for archival purposes only. Please contact the publisher for the original version. BonnyvilleCold Lake Electoral Division Information Profile 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 216 Legislature Building Avenue Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6 P: E:

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3 Table of Contents Introduction...1 About Bonnyville-Cold Lake...2 Current Electoral Division Map...3 Referent Communities...4 Alberta First Nations and Métis Communities...5 Sources at the Legislature Library...6 Local Histories in the Electoral Division... 6 Area Newspapers... 8 Legislative History of Electoral Division...9 Elected Members - History of Representation Summaries of Members Service Aalborg, Anders O Anderson, Charles E Beaudry, KC, Joseph W Berg, Selmer A Cyr, Scott Danyluk, Raymond B Dechene, Joseph M Delisle, John A Drobot, John Ducharme, Denis A.J Fluker, Allison I. Mick Gariepy, KC, Wilfrid Hansen, Donald A Isley, Ernest D Joly, J.P. Laudas Josvanger, Jenvin H. Jake Lamothe, Romeo B Langevin, Paul A.J Leskiw, Genia Lessard, Prosper E. Pete Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library i

4 Lobay, Harry Maynard, KC, J. Lucien P Nordstrom, Karl E Reierson, Raymond Vasseur, Leo H Walker, Francis A Members Representing Armed Services Personnel Maiden Speeches ii Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

5 Introduction The Legislature Library was established in 1906 to serve as the parliamentary library for Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. It is the mandate of the Library to provide nonpartisan, confidential and timely information, news and reference services to Members and their constituency and caucus staff as well as the Legislative Assembly Office. In the course of its work, the Legislature Library frequently receives requests for information about electoral divisions and the Members that represented them. Questions vary from the straightforward ( In which constituency am I located? ) to the more complicated ( Can you provide a list of all the Members of the Legislative Assembly from 1905 to the present that have represented my constituency? ). Since 1905, there have been substantial changes to the province s electoral boundaries and the names of the electoral divisions as well as to the number of Members elected to serve in each Legislature. Over the years, Legislature Library staff have researched and compiled information about past and present Members and electoral divisions that address many of these questions. This Electoral Division Information Profile was developed for the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The profile provides current and historical data regarding the constituency, its Members, and the electorate. The specific focus of the information presented reflects the geographic area covered by the current electoral division, as defined by the Electoral Divisions Act (S.A. 2010, c. E- 4.2). For more information or to provide feedback on this Electoral Division Information Profile, please contact the Alberta Legislature Library by phone ( ) or by (library.requests@assembly.ab.ca). Key to Alberta Party Affiliations used in this Profile Ind Independent Lib Liberal PC Progressive Conservative Prov at L Province at Large SC Social Credit UFA United Farmers of Alberta W Wildrose Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 1

6 About Bonnyville-Cold Lake The electoral division of Bonnyville-Cold Lake was established in 2012 with the coming into force of the Electoral Divisions Act, S.A. 2010, c. E-4.2. The constituency is 7,344 square kilometres with an estimated population of 35, Two by-elections have occurred in this geographic area since Since 1905, 26 individuals have represented this geographic area. One Member has served in six Legislatures (Aalborg); two have served in five Legislatures (Maynard and Reierson); three have served in four Legislatures (Beaudry, Isley, and Walker); seven have served in three Legislatures (Berg, Danyluk, Drobot, Ducharme, Joly, Lamothe, and Lessard); seven have served in two Legislatures (Dechene, Fluker, Gariepy, Hansen, Langevin, Leskiw, and Lobay); and the remaining five have served in one Legislature (Anderson, Cyr, Delisle, Josvanger, Nordstrom, and Vasseur). Eight Members have held portfolios in government (Aalborg, Danyluk, Ducharme, Gariepy, Isley, Lessard, Maynard, and Reierson). Prominent Members who served in this geographic area include: J. Lucien P. Maynard, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees (1936). This article is from Scrapbook Hansard, an historical collection of newspaper clippings and a few speech transcripts compiled by Legislature Library staff on the topic of Alberta's legislative debates from 1906 to This collection is a valuable resource for researching the early history of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta prior to the creation of Alberta Hansard, the official record of the Legislative Assembly, in "Land Titles up for Discussion in Alberta," Edmonton Journal, October 6, 1913, p Alberta. Treasury Board and Finance, Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions: Bonnyville-Cold Lake (Edmonton: Government of Alberta, 2014), 3, 2 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

7 Current Electoral Division Map [Full size map 11x17] Provided courtesy of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Alberta. Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 3

8 Referent Communities Referent communities are those localities which are used to trace the history of the electoral division. The communities are representative of north, south, east, west and central boundaries of a particular electoral division over time. Bonnyville-Cold Lake has nine referent communities. Using the establishment dates of the community and the date of the community first appearing on a polling station return or an electoral map, these referent communities detail the historical electoral boundary changes affecting the geographic area since These nine referent communities have been within the same electoral division since Referent Community Date Established Year First Appeared on Electoral Division Polling Station Return or Electoral Map Ardmore St. Paul Beaverdam St. Paul Bonnyville St. Paul Formerly known as 1908 St. Louis de Moose Lake Cold Lake Date unknown 1905 Victoria Fishing Lake Date unknown 1921 St. Paul Frog Lake ca Victoria Gurneyville St. Paul La Corey St. Paul Thérien Beaver River 4 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

9 Alberta First Nations and Métis Communities Aboriginal peoples in Canada consist of three distinct groups: the First Nations, the Métis, and the Inuit. Individual First Nation groups in Alberta may contain one to several reserves, and their territory can be quite localized or in a number of different locations. Reserves belonging to the same First Nation may be located in more than one electoral division. The Election Act was amended in 1965 (S.A. 1965, c. 23) to include First Nations peoples as part of the eligible electorate. First Nations first appear on polling station returns of the 1967 general election. Using the First Nations Profiles Interactive Map from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada 2 and the Alberta Provincial Electoral Division Profiles from Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, 3 the following First Nations communities are located in the Bonnyville-Cold Lake electoral division. First Nation Reserve Cold Lake First Nations Cold Lake 149 Cold Lake 149A Cold Lake 149B Cold Lake 149C Frog Lake First Nation Puskiakiwenin 122 Unipouheos 121 Kehewin Cree Nation Kehewin 123 Alberta contains eight Métis Settlements, two of which are within the Bonnyville-Cold Lake electoral division. Métis Settlement Elizabeth Fishing Lake Current Electoral Division Bonnyville-Cold Lake Bonnyville-Cold Lake For a general overview of the eight Métis Settlements and the 48 First Nations in Alberta, including information on population, land base, location and community contacts, see the Metis Settlements and First Nations in Alberta: Community Profiles, published by the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations. 2 Canada. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Aboriginal Peoples and Communities, First Nation Profiles Interactive Map, last modified February 21, 2014, 3 Alberta. Treasury Board and Finance, Alberta Provincial Electoral Divisions: Bonnyville-Cold Lake (Edmonton: Government of Alberta, 2014), 16, Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 5

10 Sources at the Legislature Library All call numbers refer to the Legislature Library collection. Local Histories in the Electoral Division The Legislature Library collects local histories from across the province. These histories provide background from a local perspective, often first-hand, on the organizations, residents, and events that have shaped the region and communities within. Ardmore Bowers, Charlotte. The Story of Ardmore and Friends. Ardmore, AB: C. Bowers, [Call Number: FC 3699 A7 B67] Bonnyville Échos D'autrefois: Histoire De Bonnyville et District = Echoes of the Past: History of Bonnyville and District. [Bonnyville, AB], [Call Number: FC 3699 B645 EC ] Survey of Bonnyville. [Edmonton]: Alberta Publicity Bureau, [Call Number: CA2 ALPB 1970B55] Cold Lake Treasured Scales of the Kinosoo. Cold Lake, AB: [Historical Society of Cold Lake and District], [Call Number: FC 3699 C67 T71] McMurdo, Lloyd. We Went to the Bush. 2nd ed. Red Deer, AB: L. McMurdo, [Call Number: FC 3699 C67 Z49 M ]. The Yesterday Horse. 2nd ed. Red Deer, AB: L. McMurdo, [Call Number: FC 3699 C67 Z49 M22Y 2004]. The Seneca Root and Other Northern Stories. Red Deer, AB: L. McMurdo, [Call Number: FC 3699 C67 Z49 M22S 2006] La Corey Coal Oil to Crude: Iron River-La Corey and Surrounding Areas. Iron River, AB: Iron River-La Corey History Committee, [Call Number: FC 3695 I73 C63] Other Harvest of Memories: A History of the Districts of Beaverton, Goodridge, Larkin, Maloy, Truman and White Rat. Goodridge, AB: Goodridge Social and Agricultural Society, [Call Number: FC 3695 G62 H ] Memories Past to Present: A History of Beaver Crossing and Surrounding District. Cherry Grove, AB: Cherry Grove History Committee, [Call Number: FC 3695 B35 M51] 6 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

11 So Soon Forgotten: A History of Glendon and Districts. Glendon, AB: Glendon Historical Society, [Call Number: FC 3695 G46 SO1] Kissel, Elizabeth J. Portrait of a Community: A History of Rife, Hoselaw and Moose Lake. 1st ed. Bonnyville, AB: E. Kissel, [Call Number: FC 3695 R43 P83] Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 7

12 Area Newspapers The Legislature Library has a large collection of community newspapers from the past and present which detail issues and events of local importance. The following area newspapers provide coverage of this electoral division. Current Newspaper Holdings URL Bonnyville Nouvelle ; 1968; ; Present Cold Lake Courier 1972-Present Cold Lake Sun 1977-Present Historical Newspaper Holdings Bonnyville Tribune In addition, the Legislature Library also subscribes to a number of databases on behalf of the Members that provide access to newspapers, magazines, trade publications, academic journals, reports, and ebooks. Each weekday morning the Library uses newspaper databases to compile Alberta Daily News (ADN) and the Regional News Service (RNS). Intended to help keep Members informed of the latest news from across the province, these services include articles from Alberta s newspapers that focus on issues related to the Legislative Assembly as well as Alberta public policy and government. ADN includes select news stories from the Globe and Mail, National Post, the major daily Alberta newspapers and selected community and international newspapers, while RNS is a regionally focused complement. This constituency is covered by the East Central Alberta edition of RNS. Newspapers currently included are: Bashaw Star; Bonnyville Nouvelle; Castor Advance; Cold Lake Sun; Consort Enterprise; [Coronation] East Central Alberta Review; Drumheller Mail; Elk Point Review; Hanna Herald; Inside Drumheller; Lac La Biche Post; Lloydminster Meridian Booster; Lloydminster Source; Oyen Echo; Provost News; Sedgewick Community Press; Smoky Lake Signal; St. Paul Journal; Stettler Independent; Three Hills Capital; Two Hills & County Chronicle; Vegreville Observer; Vermilion Standard; Vermilion Voice; Viking Weekly Review; and Wainwright Star Edge.. 8 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

13 Legislative History of Electoral Division Since 1905, the area now covered by the electoral division of Bonnyville-Cold Lake has undergone several changes. Each of these changes is legislated by various statutes. Historically, the current electoral division (or parts of it) was under the names of Alexandra, Beaver River, Bonnyville, Bonnyville-Cold Lake, Lac La Biche-St. Paul, Pakan, St. Paul, and Victoria. This section identifies the electoral divisions in which the referent communities of Ardmore, Beaverdam, Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Fishing Lake, Frog Lake, Gurneyville, La Corey, and Thérien have been located over the course of Alberta s electoral history. The table below also cites the relevant statute which establishes the electoral division and its boundaries each Legislature. Legislature General Statute Establishing Electoral Division Referent Community Election Year Electoral Boundaries S.C. 1905, c. 3 Victoria Cold Lake Frog Lake S.A. 1909, c. 2 Pakan Cold Lake Frog Lake S.A. 1913, c. 2 Beaver River Thérien St. Paul Bonnyville Cold Lake Frog Lake S.A. 1913, c. 2 Beaver River Thérien St. Paul Ardmore Bonnyville Cold Lake Frog Lake Gurneyville S.A. 1913, c. 2; Beaver River Thérien R.S.A. 1922, c. 3 St. Paul Ardmore Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Frog Lake Gurneyville Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 9

14 Legislature General Statute Establishing Electoral Division Referent Community Election Year Electoral Boundaries R.S.A. 1922, c. 3 Beaver River Thérien St. Paul Ardmore Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake 4 Frog Lake Gurneyville La Corey S.A. 1930, c. 14 St. Paul Ardmore Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake 5 Frog Lake Gurneyville La Corey Thérien S.A. 1930, c. 14 St. Paul Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Frog Lake Gurneyville S.A. 1939, c. 94; R.S.A. 1942, c. 4 S.A. 1950, c. 36; S.A. 1955, c. 62; R.S.A. 1955, c. 174; Alexandra Beaver River St. Paul Bonnyville La Corey Thérien Fishing Lake Frog Lake Thérien Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Gurneyville La Corey Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville 4 Fishing Lake does not appear on any polling station returns for the 1926 general election. 5 Fishing Lake does not appear on any polling station returns for the 1930 general election. 6 Gurneyville does not appear on any polling station returns for the 1935 general election. 10 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

15 Legislature General Statute Establishing Electoral Division Referent Community Election Year Electoral Boundaries S.A. 1961, c. 43; S.A. 1967, c. 44; Cold Lake Gurneyville R.S.A. 1970, c. 204; La Corey S.A. 1977, c. 28; Thérien R.S.A. 1980, c. L-10; St. Paul Fishing Lake S.A. 1983, c. E-4.05; Frog Lake S.A. 1985, c S.A. 1993, c. 2 Bonnyville Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Gurneyville La Corey Thérien Lac La Biche-St. Paul Frog Lake S.A. 1996, c. E-4.06 Bonnyville-Cold Lake Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Gurneyville La Corey Thérien Lac La Biche-St. Paul Frog Lake S.A. 2003, c. E-4.1 Bonnyville-Cold Lake Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Frog Lake Gurneyville La Corey Thérien Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 11

16 Legislature General Election Year Statute Establishing Electoral Boundaries Electoral Division Referent Community S.A. 2010, c. E-4.2 Bonnyville-Cold Lake Ardmore Beaverdam Bonnyville Cold Lake Fishing Lake Frog Lake Gurneyville La Corey Thérien 12 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

17 Elected Members - History of Representation The following section outlines Bonnyville-Cold Lake s history of representation at each election. Listed below, by Legislature and election year, are the electoral divisions and their elected Members, who once represented the area contained in the present-day Bonnyville-Cold Lake electoral division. Legislature (Seats) Election Year (Date) Electoral Division Member Residence Party Affiliation 1 (25) 1905 (Nov 9) Victoria Francis A. Walker Fort Lib Saskatchewan 2 (41) 1909 (Mar 22) Pakan Prosper E. Pete Edmonton Lib Lessard 7 3 (56) 1913 (Apr 17) Beaver River Wilfrid Gariepy Edmonton Lib St. Paul Prosper E. Pete Edmonton Lib Lessard By-election (Dec 15) Beaver River Wilfrid Gariepy 9 Edmonton Lib 4 (58) (Jun 7) Beaver River Wilfrid Gariepy Edmonton Lib St. Paul Prosper E. Pete Edmonton Lib Lessard 5 (61) 1921 (Jul 18) Beaver River Joseph M. Dechene Thérien Lib St. Paul J.P. Laudas Joly St. Paul de Métis UFA 6 (60) 1926 (Jun 28) Beaver River John A. Delisle St. Paul de Métis UFA St. Paul J.P. Laudas Joly St. Paul de Métis UFA 7 (63) 1930 (Jun 19) St. Paul Joseph M. Dechene Thérien Lib 8 (63) 1935 (Aug 22) St. Paul Joseph W. Beaudry St. Paul SC 9 (57) 1940 (Mar 21) Alexandra Selmer A. Berg Marwayne SC Beaver River J. Lucien P. Maynard St. Paul SC St. Paul Joseph W. Beaudry St. Paul SC 10 (60) (Aug 8) Alexandra Selmer A. Berg Marwayne SC Beaver River J. Lucien P. Maynard St. Paul SC St. Paul Joseph W. Beaudry St. Paul SC 11 (57) 1948 (Aug 17) Alexandra Anders O. Aalborg Rivercourse SC Beaver River Harry Lobay Lac La Biche SC St. Paul Joseph W. Beaudry St. Paul SC 12 (61) 1952 (Aug 5) Bonnyville J. P. Laudas Joly Bonnyville SC St. Paul Raymond Reierson St. Paul SC 7 Member elected by acclamation. 8 By-election held between 1909 and 1926, if a Member was appointed to Executive Council, then the Member was required to go back to the electorate (S.A. 1909, c.2, s. 16 as amended; S.A. 1926, c. 3, s. 17). 9 Member elected by acclamation. 10 Includes two Members for the Province at Large elected to represent soldiers and nurses overseas (S.A. 1917, c. 12). 11 Includes three Members for the Province at Large elected to represent the Navy, Army and Air Force (S.A. 1945, c. 3). Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 13

18 Legislature (Seats) Election Year (Date) Electoral Division Member Residence Party Affiliation 13 (61) 1955 (Jun 29) Bonnyville Jenvin H. Jake Beaver Crossing Lib Josvanger St. Paul Raymond Reierson St. Paul SC 14 (63) 1959 (Jun 18) Bonnyville Karl E. Nordstrom Bonnyville SC St. Paul Raymond Reierson St. Paul SC By-election (Nov 27) Bonnyville Romeo B. Lamothe Bonnyville SC 15 (63) 1963 (Jun 17) Bonnyville Romeo B. Lamothe Bonnyville SC St. Paul Raymond Reierson St. Paul SC 16 (65) 1967 (May 23) Bonnyville Romeo B. Lamothe Bonnyville SC St Paul Raymond Reierson St. Paul SC 17 (75) 1971 (Aug 30) Bonnyville Donald A. Hansen Ardmore PC St. Paul Allison I. Mick St. Paul PC Fluker 18 (75) 1975 (Mar 26) Bonnyville Donald A. Hansen Bonnyville PC St. Paul Allison I. Mick St. Paul PC Fluker 19 (79) 1979 (Mar 14) Bonnyville Ernest D. Isley Bonnyville PC St. Paul Charles E. Anderson St Paul PC 20 (79) 1982 (Nov 2) Bonnyville Ernest D. Isley Bonnyville PC St. Paul John Drobot St. Paul PC 21 (83) 1986 (May 8) Bonnyville Ernest D. Isley Bonnyville PC St. Paul John Drobot St. Paul PC 22 (83) 1989 (Mar 20) Bonnyville Ernest D. Isley Bonnyville PC St. Paul John Drobot St. Paul PC 23 (83) 1993 (Jun 15) Bonnyville Leo H. Vasseur Bonnyville Lib Lac La Biche- Paul A.J. Langevin St. Paul Lib St. Paul 24 (83) 1997 (Mar 11) Bonnyville- Denis A.J. Ducharme Bonnyville PC Cold Lake Lac La Biche- Paul A.J. Langevin St. Paul PC St. Paul 25 (83) 2001 (Mar 12) Bonnyville- Denis A.J. Ducharme Bonnyville PC Cold Lake Lac La Biche- Raymond B. Danyluk Elk Point PC St. Paul 26 (83) 2004 (Nov 22) Bonnyville- Denis A.J. Ducharme Bonnyville PC Cold Lake 27 (83) 2008 (Mar 3) Bonnyville- Cold Lake Genia Leskiw Bonnyville PC 12 By-election held subsequent to the death of Nordstrom. 14 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

19 Legislature (Seats) Election Year (Date) Electoral Division 28 (87) 2012 (Apr 23) Bonnyville- Cold Lake 29 (87) 2015 (May 5) Bonnyville- Cold Lake Member Residence Party Affiliation Genia Leskiw Bonnyville PC Scott Cyr Cold Lake W Edmonton Journal, October 7, 1914, p. 1. The cartoon above is from Scrapbook Hansard, an historical collection of newspaper clippings and a few speech transcripts compiled by Legislature Library staff on the topic of Alberta's legislative debates from 1906 to This collection is a valuable resource for researching the early history of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta prior to the creation of Alberta Hansard, the official record of the Legislative Assembly, in Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 15

20 Summaries of Members Service This section provides basic information about each Member that has served the geographic area covered by the present-day electoral division of Bonnyville-Cold Lake, including Member number, legislatures served, years of service, electoral division, party affiliation and offices. The Member numbers were assigned based on the date and the order that the Member was sworn in upon first election. Offices listed include Executive Council portfolios and Legislative Assembly roles. Additional biographical information for each Member can be found in the Alberta Legislature Library. Contact the Reference Desk for assistance: or The following post-nominal is used in this section: King s Counsel (KC). Aalborg, Anders O. Member #337 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Alexandra SC Years Office Minister of Education Provincial Treasurer Minister of Telephones Anderson, Charles E. Member #514 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul PC Beaudry, KC, Joseph W. Member #241 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul SC Berg, Selmer A. Member #263 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Alexandra SC 16 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

21 Cyr, Scott Member #886 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville-Cold Lake W Danyluk, Raymond B. Member #711 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Lac La Biche-St. Paul PC Years Office Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister of Municipal Affairs Minister of Infrastructure Minister of Transportation Dechene, Joseph M. Member #133 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Beaver River Lib St. Paul Lib Delisle, John A. Member #185 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Beaver River UFA Drobot, John Member #550 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul PC Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 17

22 Ducharme, Denis A.J. Member #684 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville-Cold Lake PC Years Office 2006 Minister of Community Development Fluker, Allison I. Mick Member #452 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul PC Gariepy, KC, Wilfrid Member #79 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Beaver River Lib Years Office Minister of Municipal Affairs 1918 Provincial Secretary Hansen, Donald A. Member #454 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville PC Isley, Ernest D. Member #526 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville PC Years Office Minister of Manpower Minister of Public Works, Supply and Services Minister of Agriculture Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 1993 Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 18 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

23 Joly, J.P. Laudas Member #135 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul UFA Bonnyville SC Josvanger, Jenvin H. Jake Member #371 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville Lib Lamothe, Romeo B. Member #405 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville SC Langevin, Paul A.J. Member #663 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Lac La Biche-St. Paul Lib ( ) Ind ( ) PC ( ) Lac La Biche-St. Paul PC Leskiw, Genia Member #780 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville-Cold Lake PC Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 19

24 Lessard, Prosper E. Pete Member #32 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Pakan Lib St. Paul Lib Years Office Minister Without Portfolio Lobay, Harry Member #330 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Beaver River SC Lac La Biche SC Maynard, KC, J. Lucien P. Member #259 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Beaver River SC St. Albert SC Years Office 1936 Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Minister Without Portfolio Minister of Municipal Affairs Attorney General Nordstrom, Karl E. Member #391 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation * Bonnyville SC *Died in Office 20 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

25 Reierson, Raymond Member #349 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation St. Paul SC Years Office Minister of Industries and Labour Minister of Labour Minister of Telephones Minister of Education Minister of Telephones Vasseur, Leo H. Member #672 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Bonnyville Lib Walker, Francis A. Member #16 Legislature Years of Service Electoral Division Party Affiliation Victoria Lib Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 21

26 Members Representing Armed Services Personnel In 1917, legislation was passed to provide for the election of two Members to represent Albertans serving as soldiers and nurses overseas during the First World War (S.A. 1917, c. 12). The following two individuals were elected to represent the Province at Large. Legislature Years of Service Name Affiliation MacAdams, Roberta (Price) Prov at L (Soldiers and Nurses Overseas) Pearson, Robert Prov at L (Soldiers and Nurses Overseas) In addition, for the 1917 general election, Members who had enlisted for overseas service while serving in the Third Legislature were deemed to be nominated and elected for the constituency they represented. Members were nominated and elected to the Fourth Legislature, in accordance with S.A. 1917, c. 38, for the electoral divisions of Alexandra, Didsbury, Hand Hills, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Pembina, Redcliff, Ribstone, Rocky Mountain, Victoria, Wainwright, and Whitford. In 1944, legislation was passed to provide for the election of three Members to represent Albertans engaged in the armed services outside of Alberta during the Second World War (O.C. 1515/44, O.C. 1581/44, O.C. 1886/44, S.A. 1945, c. 3). The following three individuals were elected to represent the Air Force, Army and Navy. Legislature Years of Service Name Affiliation Colborne, Frederick C. Prov at L (Air Force) Prowse, J. Harper Prov at L (Army) Ward, Dudley L. Prov at L (Navy) Robert Pearson, Frederick C. Colborne and J. Harper Prowse were elected in subsequent general elections. 22 Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library

27 Maiden Speeches A Member s first speech in the House. By courtesy it is not subject to interruptions, and a Member wishing to make his maiden speech is given precedence over other Members who rise at the same time. He generally craves the indulgence of the House, and it is the custom for the following speaker to congratulate him. - Norman Wilding and Philip Laundy, eds. An Encyclopaedia of Parliament. 4th ed. London: Cassell, The Legislature Library has made every effort to include every maiden speech for this electoral division since the 17th Legislature when the official Hansard was established in Alberta. Maiden speech transcripts are appended in the following order. Member: Electoral Division Genia Leskiw Bonnyville-Cold Lake Raymond B. Danyluk Lac La Biche-St. Paul Denis A.J. Ducharme Bonnyville-Cold Lake Paul A.J. Langevin Lac La Biche-St. Paul Leo H. Vasseur Bonnyville John Drobot St. Paul Charles E. Anderson St. Paul Ernest D. Isley Bonnyville Donald A. Hansen Bonnyville Allison I. Mick Fluker St. Paul Party Affiliation Legislature Date of Speech Hansard Page(s) Lib Apr PC Apr PC Apr Lib 23 None located Lib 23 None located PC Mar PC 19 4 Jun PC May PC Mar 1972 (10) PC Mar 1972 (9) Bonnyville-Cold Lake 2015 Compiled by the Alberta Legislature Library 23

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29 Maiden Speech Transcripts

30 April 16, 2008 Alberta Hansard 27 [The voice vote indicated that Government Motion 5 carried] [Several members rose calling for a division. The division bell was rung at 3:36 p.m.] [Ten minutes having elapsed, the Assembly divided] For the motion: Ady Goudreau McQueen Allred Griffiths Mitzel Amery Groeneveld Morton Benito Hancock Oberle Berger Hayden Olson Bhullar Horner Ouellette Boutilier Jablonski Prins Campbell Jacobs Quest Cao Johnson Redford Dallas Klimchuk Snelgrove Denis Knight Stevens Doerksen Leskiw Weadick Drysdale Liepert Webber Elniski Lund Woo-Paw Evans Marz Xiao Forsyth McFarland Zwozdesky Fritz Against the motion: Blakeman Kang Swann Chase Pastoor Taft Hehr Totals: For 49 Against 7 [Government Motion 5 carried] 6. Mr. Snelgrove moved: Be it resolved that pursuant to Standing Order 61(9) the number of days that Committee of Supply will be called to consider the supplementary supply estimates, No. 2, for the general revenue fund shall be one day. 3:50 The Speaker: Hon. members, this motion under Standing Order 61(9) is not debatable, so I will now ask the question. [The voice vote indicated that Government Motion 6 carried] [Several members rose calling for a division. The division bell was rung at 3:51 p.m.] [Ten minutes having elapsed, the Assembly divided] For the motion: Ady Forsyth Mitzel Allred Goudreau Morton Amery Griffiths Oberle Anderson Groeneveld Olson Berger Hancock Ouellette Bhullar Hayden Prins Boutilier Horner Quest Campbell Johnson Redford Cao Klimchuk Snelgrove Dallas Knight Stevens Denis Leskiw Weadick Doerksen Liepert Webber Drysdale Lund Woo-Paw Elniski Marz Xiao Evans McFarland Zwozdesky Fawcett McQueen Against the motion: Blakeman Kang Swann Chase Pastoor Taft Hehr Totals: For 47 Against 7 [Government Motion 6 carried] Consideration of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor s Speech Mrs. Leskiw moved that an humble address be presented to His Honour the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor as follows. To His Honour the Honourable Norman L. Kwong, CM, AOE, Lieutenant Governor of the province of Alberta: We, Her Majesty s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly, now assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious speech Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Mrs. Leskiw: [Remarks in Ukrainian] [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [As submitted] It is a great honour to move acceptance of the Speech from the Throne given by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor. As a member of the constituency of Bonnyville-Cold Lake I would like to thank His Honour the Lieutenant Governor for delivering the Speech from the Throne opening the First Session of the 27th Legislature and setting the tone of the Assembly as one of respect and cordiality. I would like to thank the hon. Premier for allowing me to move the acceptance of the Speech from the Throne. As I interact with him more, I fully realize his determination to make Alberta a better place for our future generations. I am truly excited to be part of his team. The hon. Premier exhibits the leadership qualities which will enable him to transform his vision of the province into reality utilizing a clear, concise, and achievable plan to build our province for the future. Mr. Speaker, I would next like to warmly welcome the new ministers in the government. I am confident that they will represent to the best of their ability the Premier s vision of Alberta. This cabinet in many ways represents a new era for Alberta. As I gaze over those chosen for ministerial portfolios, I see a true regional and cultural mosaic which exists within our great province. I wish you all the best of luck and remind you that your colleagues who sit as private members will assist and support you along the way. For the last of my thanks I would like to acknowledge Ernie Isley, mayor of Bonnyville and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Bonnyville-Cold Lake; mayor Johnnie Doonanco of the village of Glendon; reeve Ed Rondeau of the municipal district of Bonnyville; and mayor Craig Copeland of the city of Cold Lake. Their leadership for the residents of our constituency and the input they provided me is truly priceless. My vision. Mr. Speaker, I come from a humble background. Like the hon. Premier I, too, am proud to come from a Ukrainian heritage. In fact, I am both the first Ukrainian and the first woman to be

31 28 Alberta Hansard April 16, 2008 elected in Bonnyville-Cold Lake in this province s history. I do not take this responsibility lightly. I am determined to provide insights into the needs of my constituency, drawing on my heritage and my years of teaching experience and my unique understanding of my area, my home. I come from a family of teachers, and though it may shock you, I myself have taught for 36 years and have called my constituency home for the last 33. I am proud of my teaching background. Teaching has provided me with a unique perspective on my community, engaging generations of children directly and experiencing the changes my community has undergone. It has allowed me to gather insights into the arising issues which face my constituency. I hope to contribute positively to help address the issues which face my constituents and Alberta as a whole. The knowledge I ve gained from 33 years of living in my constituency is priceless in this position. In my opinion, this is a necessary amount of time in order to understand my area s rich cultural diversity and unique needs. In Bonnyville-Cold Lake we have a flourishing First Nations population: the Kehewin First Nation, Frog Lake First Nation, Cold Lake First Nation, the Fishing Lake Métis settlement, and the Elizabeth Métis settlement. We have a distinct francophone community with two francophone schools. We have a large Ukrainian population and are the perogy capital of the world and house the world s largest perogy in the village of Glendon. We have a unique type of diversity with the presence of the military in our area. The military is an integral part of our community, and I thank them for protecting our way of life and contributing to the vibrant community atmosphere in Bonnyville- Cold Lake. Mr. Speaker, my constituency s diversity is a sign of the strong sense of community and opportunity that exists within our cities, towns, and villages. My family immigrated to our province with the hope that Alberta would allow them to live a high quality of life and provide a safe, secure atmosphere to raise a family. I believe that pull of opportunity remains today and has been constant since my family arrived here so many years ago. If anything, we are presented with more opportunities than we ever had before. As the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Bonnyville-Cold Lake my vision for the future of my constituency in Alberta is one full of hope and success. Our prosperity combined with Albertans determination will allow us to build a future for this province that will continue to place us among the most desirable places to live in the world. We have the ability to build an infrastructure needed for a high quality of life as well as providing means to sustain our prosperity for future generations, we have the integrity to keep our family farms productive and the determination to keep our parks beautiful and protected, and we have the ability to provide an education system which will create a future workforce of wellrounded individuals who will diversify our economy. Health care delivery. We do indeed face many opportunities, and for us as a new government addressing the efficiency of our health care system should be a priority. Our current system is comparable with other provinces and jurisdictions, and with increased efficiency Albertans will be presented with health care second to none. 4:10 Our government has committed to eliminating health care premiums. This is a great start. We have provided rural constituencies like Bonnyville-Cold Lake access to a mobile MRI facility and have committed to furthering the overall effectiveness of the system, but we need to do more. Providing access to a renal dialysis facility, for example, would provide quality care in constituencies like Bonnyville-Cold Lake without forcing them to travel extended distances for treatment. Further, Mr. Speaker, in Bonnyville-Cold Lake the cancer clinic, the orthopaedic surgery facility at the Bonnyville Health Centre provides world-class care for all members of our community. The problem, though, is that modernization and expansion projects are needed, especially in Cold Lake, where the lack of space for a specialist is reducing the potential for service delivery. Therefore, we must work with our health regions to best address the modernization of Alberta health facilities and increase the number of skilled health care professionals, increasing the overall care for Albertans. We should work towards providing quality care for our seniors within reasonable proximity to their community, their home. In my community health care service delivery is especially important to our seniors. I hope that as we increase efficiency in health care, the care of our seniors will remain a priority, that they will be given the option of accessing quality care within their communities and age in place if at all possible in their own home. Alberta s seniors have witnessed their surroundings transformed around them in the course of a lifetime. In my constituency the transformation the community has undertaken over the last 40 years is unbelievable. It has impacted all aspects of our lives. Energy and infrastructure. In Bonnyville-Cold Lake these changes have been fuelled primarily by oil. Oil has become the economic powerhouse, so to speak, for our community. I have witnessed the area I have called home for over 33 years become one of the richest oil-producing areas in Canada. Our area has enjoyed the benefits of steam-assisted gravity drainage, heavy oil projects, conventional oil wells, and natural gas. The spinoffs and related industries that are linked include numerous service companies which utilize our community as the base of their operation. Our area, as a result, is developing very quickly, and it is important that we continue to work to develop the proper infrastructure and community projects along the way. We have just finished building a $21 million sports multiplex facility, the Centennial Centre, with an indoor field house, running track, and fitness centre. In our community there are also plans in place for a project of similar size, the energy centre, Portage College, the new Cold Lake high school, and a regional water system which taps into Cold Lake. We must continue to build on their successes. Because of our energy wealth, our infrastructure and human resources recruitment efforts must keep moving forward. We lack workers throughout the area, adequate daycare spaces, and we have limited affordable housing for our new workers, our young families, and our seniors. Highway 55 between La Corey and Iron River also desperately needs widening. With the massive influx of new residents and workers in our area highway 55 is simply not efficient enough to carry the load. I am fully confident, though, that with the hon. Premier s leadership and the throne speech that His Honour the Lieutenant Governor delivered, these pressures will be overcome and fizzle into the past. Alberta communities will continue to provide the unparalleled opportunities which have made this province so desirable to call home. I am confident that our roads, schools, hospitals, and other public infrastructure will meet the needs of our growing province and that our energy production will be sustainable. I am confident that my constituency will welcome immigrants and skilled workers from all across the world to our community to fill the gaps of our labour shortage. I am confident that our government will ensure that the most feasible and effective option for facilitating and stimulating the amount of affordable housing will be pursued. Sustainability. Another opportunity for Alberta and for Bonnyville-Cold Lake is the furthering of our sustainable Alberta.

32 April 16, 2008 Alberta Hansard 29 I am extremely pleased that the hon. Premier has made this a priority. We must ensure that the K to 12 education system continues to provide its world-class curriculum, that our universities provide the necessary tools to expand students opportunities so that the Alberta economy can continue not only to grow but to grow as a well-balanced and diverse economy. Sustainability also means building upon the industry that has got us to where we are today. I am, Mr. Speaker, referring to farming. Farming is a very important industry in Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Farmers are proud, hard-working Albertans whose industry experiences great turbulence and has modernized significantly since the founding of our province. I am confident that with the hon. Premier coming from a farming background himself, our government will work with farmers to ensure that their industry continues to play a vital role in Alberta as it has for so many years. Sustainability also means ensuring that the beauty of our provincial parks remains the envy of the rest of Canada. Our parks should not only be preserved for beauty, though; rather, we should continue to pride ourselves in providing high-quality green space for Albertans to utilize through recreation and at the same time preserve habitats so that we may prosper and develop our province while living in concert with nature. As I listened to the Speech from the Throne delivered by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, I could not help but get excited to be part of this new government, this new age. Alberta does face opportunities unlike anywhere else in Canada and even the world. We have opportunities, we have determination, and we have the leadership that will build the future for Alberta, and we re all proud of it. As I look forward to the First Session of the 27th Legislature, I thank the constituents of Bonnyville-Cold Lake for granting me the opportunity to represent them in the Legislature for these exciting times. Thank you. Merci. [Remarks in Ukrainian] [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [As submitted] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Montrose to second the motion for consideration of His Honour s speech. Mr. Bhullar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me congratulate you on once again assuming the position and being elected to the position of Speaker. You, sir, are an ambassador for Alberta values, and I salute you and I thank you. It is a profound pleasure for me to stand today and second the Speech from the Throne. It is an honour to have been asked by the Premier. It is especially an honour because we are the government that has a vision that will take Alberta to new frontiers. This, sir, is a moment that I will forever cherish. As the Member for Calgary-Montrose it will be an honour to serve the community in which I was born. I was born in Penbrooke in 1980, and I was born in a family of immigrants, a family of individuals that came to this country with not more than their dreams. I, like many of my constituents, am the product of the hard work and the determination of so many immigrants. I am the product of people that came to this country, leaving back a very comfortable life for a life of struggle, for a life of hard work, all so their future could have a better life. My constituency is composed of Penbrooke, as I said, Abbeydale, Applewood, Marlborough Park, and Monterey Park. It is a very diverse area. It is diverse with respect to ethnic and religious backgrounds. It is diverse in socioeconomic conditions. Almost 32 per cent of my constituents are first-generation immigrants. These are folks that have come to this country with their dreams, just like my parents came. 4:20 Sir, we have come to this country, all of us. Some were born here, some families have been here for many generations, and others have just arrived, but the one common denominator is dreams. Everybody has come here with dreams. It is my hope and my pursuit to ensure that new Canadians fulfill their dreams for their families and for future generations to come, but it is also my hope and my pursuit that they engage in Alberta, they engage in Canada, and they take an active leadership position in this country to help shape the future of this province and this country. Beyond the external diversity of my constituents there are great similarities. There are grandparents, there are parents, there are siblings, there are many children, all of whom want the same things in life. Mr. Speaker, I m proud to say that the young families in my constituency will be delighted to know that this government is working to create 14,000 new child care spaces in this province. Calgary-Montrose is composed of hard-working people, people that do their part and expect the government to do the same. We have proved that we are sound fiscal managers of this province, and that is why we are able to get rid of health care premiums in a fiscally responsible manner. That is giving back to our constituents. The many mothers and fathers who I spoke with during the campaign that spoke about and expressed their concerns about safety in Calgary-Montrose, that expressed their concerns about crime and growing violence: these folks will be pleased to know that we are working to ensure that we get a hundred new front-line police officers this year and 300 over the next three years. Sir, the single mother from Calgary-Montrose that I met who works in a factory and has high hopes for her children to get a university education will take comfort in knowing that this government is committed to ensuring that we have a great postsecondary education system. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, this is very personal for me. That constituent is very similar to my mother. You see, my mother worked in a factory for many, many years. My mother worked in a factory for many years so that I could have opportunities that she never had. She had to leave school at a very young age in India because her mother passed away and she was left to raise her siblings. Upon coming to Canada, she s worked many jobs, two jobs at a time, whatever it took to ensure that I and my siblings had opportunities they were never given. So this, sir, is so personal for me, and I will do everything I can to encourage young people in my constituency to complete high school and to get a postsecondary education. Mr. Speaker, as you may know, I ve devoted much of my time to working with young people. I have found that what young people often need is a mentor, a positive role model, someone that believes in them, because as Marianne Williamson once said, Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Sir, I had one such mentor, a humanitarian like none other: Bhai Jasbir Singh, a humanitarian in India who started health care initiatives, who started four hospitals where the rich went because it was the best treatment and the poor went because they could pay whatever they could afford. He was a testament to true service. It is easy for us to stand and say that we are public servants, but he received no salary for his public service. He received no benefits for his public service. In my pursuit I hope and I pray that I can just do an ounce of what he was able to do in his life. Mr. Speaker, I see hope all around us. That hope we need to instill in our young people is all around us. The volunteers who give so tirelessly give us hope. The police officers and firefighters and EMS personnel that lay their lives on the line every single day give

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34 104 Alberta Hansard April 23, 2001 I m delighted to serve as MLA for Edmonton-Riverview. There are many people to thank for my election. I ll begin in an unlikely way by thanking the Premier for taking a keen interest in my political views and personally encouraging me to run as an MLA. In 1997, in response to the success of my first book, Shredding the Public Interest, the Premier announced to the media that if Kevin Taft thinks anyone supports his views, he should try and run for office. Well, it turns out that many people do support my views, and as a result I stand here today. My election success owes a great deal to an amazing band of campaign supporters who worked on my behalf in Edmonton- Riverview. Close to 500 people actively supported my campaign with time and money. People from every corner of the constituency came forward, many of them working every day of the campaign, some of them taking time off work, many of them complete strangers coming together to work in the common cause of democracy, forming friendships and establishing commitments that will last for years. I owe them more than I can say. They placed a trust and confidence in me that is humbling, and I will not betray that trust. I also want to thank Linda Sloan, the Liberal MLA for Edmonton-Riverview these past four years, for representing the constituency so well and making my election easier. 8:10 I can think of no greater privilege than representing Edmonton- Riverview in the Legislature. It has been my home for 40 years, since before there was a Whitemud freeway or a Fox Drive, since the time when the University of Alberta farm was truly out in the countryside. I know parts of this constituency with the intimacy that comes from childhood back-alley games of hide-and-seek and family picnics in the river valley. Edmonton-Riverview is truly a remarkable constituency. At its heart is the valley of the North Saskatchewan River, which flows through the centre of the constituency. On the banks of the river are some of the loveliest urban parks anywhere and, of course, the University of Alberta. The U of A is one of Canada s elite universities, and I can say from direct experience, as someone who has studied both there and at one of Britain s top universities, that the University of Alberta holds its own on the international stage. On my street alone there are three U of A faculty members who are national winners of the 3M teaching excellence award, Canada s most prestigious award for university teaching. The University of Alberta is a great resource to this province, and I will be working hard to strengthen it further and ensure that it s accessible to all deserving Albertans, regardless of income. Not to be overlooked is Grant MacEwan College, which has a campus in Edmonton-Riverview and makes a great contribution to the lives of Albertans. Edmonton-Riverview is also home to some of Canada s preeminent hospitals, including the University of Alberta hospital, the Cross Cancer Institute, and the Stollery children s centre. These facilities and their terrific staff serve all of northern Alberta and often far beyond and are frequently in the news for their groundbreaking research. The voters of Edmonton-Riverview live mostly in neighbourhoods that define the notion of healthy urban communities. Peppered with schools and community halls, parks and shops, Edmonton-Riverview is a place where people care deeply about each other, their community, their city, their province, and their country. These voters supported me for a reason. They want a strong voice of opposition in the Legislature, opposition with a capital O, strong, tough, and pointed. They want good questions asked, questions that reflect their concerns and values. For the past several months I ve been listening carefully to what people in Edmonton-Riverview and people across Alberta have been saying about politics. Here are some of the things I have heard, messages which will underline my approach to serving as an MLA. For example, the sum of Alberta is greater than the 3 million people who live here. Alberta is more than an economy; it s a society. There can be too much government, and there can be too little government. The marketplace can be endlessly productive, but a market economy cannot look after everything, as we are learning so clearly with electricity deregulation. Albertans believe in free enterprise with heart. Good government is well within the realm of human capability; it is not a contradiction in terms. It s better to outthink than to outspend, as my colleague Dr. Massey has said. Alberta s democracy is not a gated community. The processes of the Legislature are here for reasons and should be respected. For all its shortcomings the Legislature is a better place to conduct public business than backrooms or boardrooms or barrooms. Blowing up hospitals after one election and building new ones just before the next is stupid. Starve-and-binge funding is a perfect way to keep public services in constant crisis and a guaranteed way to waste resources. If some people choose to spend a hundred dollars for one loaf of bread, as you can in Edmonton-Riverview, it s their privilege, but if children are going to elementary school hungry, it is our problem, and it must be corrected not because it s a good investment in human resources but because it s the right thing to do. Women and men are equally valuable. Health care workers are as important as investment bankers. School teachers can change the world, and they often do. By helping each other, we can all be better off. Alberta s not a food chain. It s not a real-life version of Survivor. At the end of the day we want every Albertan to be here to survive and to flourish. These statements signify some of the most important values that I believe the voters of Edmonton- Riverview want me to bring to the Legislature. In an Assembly where the government members hold such a large majority, well earned, the opposition members have a special responsibility. It s a great responsibility and it is also, I think, a noble one, the essential responsibility of parliamentary democracy, the responsibility to hold the government accountable, to speak for the large number of Albertans who did not vote for this government, to make the Premier and his cabinet ministers uncomfortable by asking the genuinely difficult questions, and ultimately to put our shoulders to the wheel of change to bring a fresh start and even a new government to Alberta. As the MLA for Edmonton-Riverview I am proud to stand with my colleagues and embrace these responsibilities. We will make a difference. Just watch us. Thank you. THE ACTING SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Lac La Biche-St. Paul. MR. DANYLUK: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is my honour to address this Assembly for the first time. I congratulate you on being re-elected as Speaker of the House. I commend your initiative in taking steps to inform new members of the proceedings of this Assembly. It has been extremely helpful. It is with admiration that I observe the manner in which you conduct the challenging role of being Speaker. Your office s contribution to the enlightenment of students through Youth Parliament and the manner that you raise pertinent issues has great impact on the citizens of Alberta. I appreciate your valuable input. Mr. Speaker, it s always a pleasure to be in the presence of a wonderful lady, Her Honour Lois Hole, Lieutenant Governor of this province. The eloquence and the sincerity with which the Speech

35 April 23, 2001 Alberta Hansard 105 from the Throne was delivered was inspiring. The throne speech reflects issues that Albertans expressed during the recent campaign and gives confidence that this government intends to address their concerns. Mr. Speaker, I would like to praise our Premier for his commitment to the people of Alberta. His ability to stay on task despite formidable pressure is a sign of a strong leader. Our Premier understands the direction that Albertans have given and will guide us towards a positive future for Alberta. Congratulations to the new and returning MLAs who sit before me. We come from different backgrounds, different places, and have differing views, but we re all driven by a common mandate of making Alberta a better place for all. I am excited to be part of this process and honoured to have the opportunity to work alongside each and every member. Mr. Speaker, it is important for me to also recognize and thank those government members who represented the Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency before me, the most recently retired, Mr. Paul Langevin, and the late Mr. John Drobot, who was also my neighbour, both good men who gave many years of excellent service to their community and this great province. 8:20 Mr. Speaker, by way of introduction I would like to give some personal background. I am a third-generation Albertan of Ukrainian and Romanian descent. I farm the land that my grandparents relocated to in the 1940s, east of Stony Lake, situated between Elk Point and St. Paul, bordering the North Saskatchewan River. My first language was Ukrainian. Together with my wife and three children I operate a cow/calf, grain, and forage farm. With two children presently in university and one who lives away from the farm to play hockey, our family life is in transition, and the future of our generational farm is ever present on our minds. My children are appreciative of the opportunity they had growing up on the farm. To witness the rebirth of life every spring is a heartwarming experience that brings us in touch with nature. The responsibilities and the hardships that are incurred with this lifestyle are excellent training and character builders. Our ties to the land are very strong. The legacy of stewardship of the land was instilled in me through my grandfather. Treat the land with care, nurture it, and it will take care of you. Respect the land; it cannot be fooled. Living in a rural community has offered us unique opportunities. Our family benefited through involvement in 4-H and minor sports. I enjoyed coaching junior and high school basketball and minor hockey. My interest in youth was expanded during my tenure as a school trustee. My commitment to the rural community increased during my years as county councillor. My focus is now expanding beyond the borders of that county. I would like to highlight my constituency, Lac La Biche-St. Paul, Mr. Speaker. I believe I am not alone in stating that I represent the best and most unique constituency in our province. It takes three and a half hours to drive from Frog Lake First Nation on the southeast, close to the Saskatchewan border, to the community of Owl River, north of Lac La Biche on the northwest boundary. The constituents of Lac La Biche-St. Paul are a diverse group of people, rich in culture and broad in occupational scope. Fostering and preserving cultural heritage is very much alive through the region, as exemplified by various cultural celebrations and museums. Although the region is diverse, the ability to work together has proven successful to the benefit of the communities that take the initiative. Many recreational and cultural facilities have been built with community co-operation and volunteer labour. Ambulance service is maintained through municipal co-operation and support. Volunteers staff the fire departments that serve our towns and rural areas. Communities work together to enhance the quality of life within the region. Mr. Speaker, health care and medical services are essential to the residents of rural communities. Opportunity for quality health care should be accessible to rural people, as it is to urban people. The burden of transportation and accommodation for patients who need to travel great distance needs consideration. Keeping our senior citizens in their home community is a priority. The waiting list at Sunnyside Manor seniors lodge in St. Paul is currently 68, even though additions were made only two years ago. The residents can move elsewhere in the province, but this means that they will be isolated from their families. Distance is a detrimental factor. Education is very important to the constituents of Lac La Biche- St. Paul. In 1994, when the Minister of Education announced that the structure of school boards had to be changed, St. Paul region led the way. Protestant, Catholic, and county school boards united to form a unique governing board in Alberta, St. Paul education regional division No. 1. Cultural and religious identities are determined at the individual community school. Sparcity and distance funding are major concerns in our rural schools. There is also a continuing demand for modernization and upgrading. Blue Quills First Nations College and Portage College provide upgrading and postsecondary education in our area. Recent initiatives involving collaborating programs with other postsecondary institutions are taking positive strides in accommodating student needs. There is a demand for skilled labour in this constituency. The gas and heavy oil industry continues to expand. The largest salt plant in western Canada is located at Lindbergh. The logging and forestry industry is strong in the northern part of the constituency. Alberta- Pacific is a major industry that employs and subcontracts a significant labour force. They are leading the industry in techniques in extraction and reforestation. Agriculture continues to be the prime industry in the region. Livestock generates the largest revenue of various farm enterprises. There are over 1 million cattle in northeastern Alberta. Resourceful alternative livestock farmers are visible in the area, with bison and elk being prevalent. The challenge to us as politicians is to support the development of value-added products. The agriculture centre of excellence in St. Paul conducts research on grains, pulse crops, and herb and spice varieties. Historically the area has been a significant grain producer. The first wheat grown in western Canada in commercial quantities was at the Lac La Biche mission. Foreign subsidies, rising transportation and input costs threaten grain production in the area today. The abandonment of rail lines, the closure of prairie elevators, and the prolonged drought have put tremendous pressure on the grain farmers and farm communities. The landscape is changing. Stewardship of the land must be managed to control the infestation of noxious weeds and rodents. As my grandfather said, Take care of the land. With the trend towards factory farms, environmental stress will increase. The recent closures of railways has increased pressure on the highways. Industrial activity needs to be supported by strong infrastructure. Transportation routes continually need upgrading due to increased traffic transporting heavy oil, logs, and agricultural products. Road safety continues to be an issue to our residents. Although the loss of the railway causes considerable grief, something quite positive has arisen in the tracks from Heinsburg to Elk Point. A 34-kilometre Iron Horse trail was started with a delegation of snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, walkers, horseback riders, wagon trailers, ATVs, and adjacent landowners. In

36 106 Alberta Hansard April 23, 2001 conjunction with the municipality an association was formed to manage and maintain the trail for recreational use. Other groups are working with the municipalities and adjacent landowners to extend the trail west to Waskatenau. One of the most attractive features in Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency is the multitude of lakes. Commercial fishing and recreational angling are active pursuits. There is a concern about the depleting fish stocks due to various contributing factors. One area I feel needs to be addressed is the control of the cormorant. Incentives such as the Vincent Lake working group are making sure people who live and participate in recreational activities around the lake are working together so that the future generations will have a healthy lake to enjoy. It is an approach that symbolizes a major strength in my constituency: people working toward a common goal for the community at large. The residents of the area have showed they re willing to take a proactive approach to protecting their environment for future generations. Mr. Speaker, the Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency has lots to offer in the way of tourism. There are lakes, campgrounds, trails, rodeos, agricultural fairs, jamborees, and cultural events to be enjoyed. Plan to sample our community s hospitality in the future, and I guarantee you will be impressed. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the residents of Lac La Biche-St. Paul constituency for their support and their faith in my abilities to represent them in the Alberta Legislature. I am truly honoured to be here, and I thank you all. THE ACTING SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton- Glengarry. 8:30 MR. BONNER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I m pleased to rise this evening on behalf of constituents of Edmonton-Glengarry and provide some thoughts and insights with respect to the Speech from the Throne. Each year we look forward to the proposals put forward by the Lieutenant Governor in that document. Albertans also look forward to the throne speech. They look at it in terms of being a very important document setting the direction for our province for at least the next year and often for much longer terms than that. They look for thoughts and ideas that will reflect some of the issues important to them. There is also an expectation on their part that the speech will provide some leadership from the government in terms of some of the new direction and provide some new ways of addressing challenges and a plan for achieving their success. The throne speech talks about the government s vision for this province. All Albertans are happy to see that as a province we will soon be debt free. This part of the vision is good. But I was also struck by the corporate focus of this budget and the lack of a social focus on certain segments of our population. I also noted that great attention was placed on economic development in this province. There was not a strong emphasis placed on the protection of our environment. The problem is that with their attention to the economic and corporate agenda, they are not dealing with the job that government in this province or any other province has the responsibility to deal with. Mr. Speaker, there are sections in this throne speech that imparted some of the concerns that I have identified. I don t think it is a conscious effort on the part of this government to neglect people, to see the differences and distinctions, to see the divisions grow larger despite our positive economic situation. I think it has happened to some extent because they tend to think that while the province is experiencing good times, all of its people will share equally in that success. All Albertans want to share in the abundance of Alberta. Recent announcements indicate that our provincial surplus could reach $10 billion this year, allowing us to pay off the debt sooner than we had expected. If we are to take full advantage of our windfall profits while they last, then the plan must be set now and not only talked about in vague terms in the throne speech. I recently had the opportunity to attend the AAMD and C convention in Edmonton. In one of the sessions participants were divided into groups and asked to identify their greatest concerns. The number one concern of all groups was the protection of our air and water quality in this province. These people fully realize the importance and long-term advantages of a healthy environment. In the throne speech under the heading A Clean Environment I read that the government of Alberta will strengthen its reputation as a leader in environmental issues with a number of new initiatives to enhance environmental stewardship and ensure that economic growth is responsible and sustainable. I refer back to my earlier statement on differences and distinctions. On further examination of the above quote is the distinction that our environment in this province will be considered only after the economic growth and sustainability is considered. Recent announcements continue to support the notion that our environment is not a priority of this government. We see the province indicating that more coal-fired generating plants will be brought on-line within the next five years. We see where some industry would like to switch their gas-fired plants to coal-fired. We hear of applications by electrical transmission companies to build export lines to the south, yet we do not see a plan or commitment for the conservation of energy in this province. I welcome the commitment by the government to introduce a new policy dealing with intensive livestock operations. On a recent tour to southern Alberta we had the opportunity to visit a number of intensive livestock operations, and I was quite struck by how those operators realize the importance of the environmental concerns in the operation of their feedlots. Also at the AAMD and C convention, Mr. Speaker, they want to see regulations concerning the intensive livestock operations in this province, and they also want their local governments to be in control of land use and planning. In the Speech from the Speech, Mr. Speaker, I was also quite struck by our continued commitment to the north/south trade corridor. Now, one of the great advantages of this corridor will certainly be a safety aspect, that we will have a twinned highway all the way to the north. This will also facilitate the movement of exports to the United States and Mexico, and I think we should also note that our exports to Mexico from 1996 to 1999 increased a whopping 640 percent, from $8.9 million to $66.1 million. As well, the twinning of this highway will increase the amount of tourism to the north, and we have to respect that since tourism is our fourth largest industry in this province. Yet it still outlines the great problem that we do have in tourism, and that is getting tourists who enter our province at gateway locations to travel north. For example, for someone that enters at our southern border, it would take them roughly 12 hours of driving to get to Peace River. Certainly one of the hurdles we can help our northern providers of tourism with is to have affordable flights in this province. Another thing that we have here in this province, Mr. Speaker, is the development of a large greenhouse industry. Now, we know that energy costs are certainly eating up those profits, and this is one of the hurdles that this industry will have in continuing to grow in this province. As well, one of the drawbacks of this huge north/south trade corridor is the fact that cheaper products from Mexico and the southern United States will be able to come into Alberta, thus

37

38 66 Alberta Hansard April 17, 1997 before the province became a province. In my voluntarism in the northeast I spent 18 years with minor hockey in Edmonton, chairing all levels of it. I was an original member of the northeast health committee in the late '70s in order to build a sorely required medical facility, which, I add, is still not in place due to a lack of planning and funding. The northeast health facility is now proceeding 15 years after the fact. I've chaired citywide arena strategies for the last 10 years, where we were instrumental in deciding where arenas will be built, and was instrumental in developing a computerized allocating ice system for the city of Edmonton. We were part of a formation of agreement between the two school boards and the city of Edmonton on the joint use agreement. For the last 10 years I have sat on the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues board and am presently the president, which I will be turning over the reins of in the next couple of weeks. The Federation of Community Leagues, for those out in the country, has a population between 2,000 and 10,000 per community. These communities are similar to the size of Wetaskiwin. They administer sports, planning, and everything from that entity. I also want to let everybody know that in our caucus we have five people that have grown up through the 4-H system, so we know what the country is like. I strongly believe in caring for the children of our neighbourhood, our elderly, and our disadvantaged. I believe that I must convince this Assembly that caring for the residents of this wonderful province is of our utmost importance. When knocking on the doors, many people asked me if I felt I could influence this Conservative government to have compassion and have a conscience in administrating this province. If I can do that, then I have fulfilled my mandate. I ran for this public office because, once again, something had to be done, except this time we have to make the government accountable to us. The government should work for us, listen to us. Madam Speaker, I end my first speech in the Legislative Assembly, but I would like to leave with a note of caring. If every decision we make in this House is made with thought and a sense of caring for all the individuals who make up this wonderful province, then we will come out of the next few years intact. My commitment is to care about my constituents and help them when they need it. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak, and I am truly honoured to be part of this Assembly. MR. DUCHARME: Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and honour that I rise today to deliver my maiden speech as the member for the constituency of Bonnyville-Cold Lake, a constituency that our newly elected Speaker has known since birth. I will not mention when that was, only that he was born and raised in one of the most vibrant and exciting constituencies in all of Alberta, that of Bonnyville-Cold Lake. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment before I begin today so that I may pay my respects to the late Mr. George Normand. As many of you know, Mr. Normand was a six-time world champion chuck wagon driver. His skill at the reins will be sorely missed in future competitions, but his memory will not be forgotten, as later this year Mr. Normand will be inducted posthumously into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. On a lighter congratulatory note, Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate you on your recent election. I would also like to congratulate all MLAs on their recent election to the Legislature. I'll look forward to working with all of you. At the outset, Madam Speaker, I would like to commend and thank the constituents of Bonnyville-Cold Lake for their confidence and endorsement of my abilities to represent them in this Assembly. As a newly elected member of the Conservative government I pledge my continued support of the vision that Premier Ralph Klein has presented to Albertans. Thank you, Mr. Premier, for creating a province which is the envy of the country. Under your guidance our province has become a leader in terms of economy, diversity, and growth potential. I say this with confidence, Madam Speaker, because this government has kept its word. It continues to be committed to building an Alberta that benefits us all. As the hon. Lieutenant Governor expounded for us in the Speech from the Throne, Alberta is looking to the future, a future which is full of prosperity and growth. I would like to highlight some key issues which show this government's success over the last four years. Included in these highlights is the fact that more Albertans are working than ever before. We have the lowest overall taxes in Canada. The budget is balanced, and the net debt will be paid off by the year 2005, 16 years ahead of schedule. Our students are outperforming many provinces and countries in academics, as proven by their results in recent international studies. Alberta has high quality, accessible health care and a government that listens to concerns of all citizens. Madam Speaker, this government has proven again and again it is dedicated to creating a province that is the best it can possibly be. I am very proud of all areas in my constituency, and at this time I would like to share with the Assembly a brief description of Bonnyville-Cold Lake. My constituency covers in excess of 4,000 square miles of northeastern Alberta and is rich in natural resources, human resources, and industry not usually attributed to Alberta. The scenery is inspiring and the people some of the friendliest in the province. Madam Speaker, one should be very proud of where they come from, and I am no different. Areas in my constituency date back almost 200 years, to the time when fur trading was at its peak. Madam Speaker, times have not changed in the Bonnyville area. We are still heavily dependent upon the local resources for our business, and these resources drive our local economies. Madam Speaker, I will not go into details about the boom and bust years of the oil and gas industry and the effect upon the area. I will only say that Bonnyville-Cold Lake is looking to the future, a future that is increasingly bright with the support of this government. 4:10 Alberta is Canada's major supplier of energy resources, having 85 percent of Canada's natural gas reserves. Approximately 16 percent of the province's gross domestic product and more than half of its exported products are related to energy. Madam Speaker, Bonnyville-Cold Lake is famous for its heavy oil sands, and with the help of the national task force on oil sands Bonnyville-Cold Lake is well prepared to produce 1.2 million barrels a day, nearly tripling the output of the 1980s. [The Speaker in the Chair] Agriculture, as with many areas in Alberta, is the backbone of the constituency. The agricultural side of Bonnyville-Cold Lake is a prosperous one, and with the increased effort into value-added products I can clearly see that agriculture is the future of Alberta. I would like to mention that in the local Bonnyville area our

39 April 17, 1997 Alberta Hansard 67 ranchers are not of the common ilk. They do raise traditional animals such as cattle, pigs, and dairy cows, but Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned earlier, the people of my constituency are looking to the future. The future in this case includes specialty farms which raise animals such as elk, deer, buffalo, llamas, wild boar, and ostriches. The traditional ways of using the land are changing to meet demand and doing so with ease. However, Mr. Speaker, the advances in consuming our natural resources must be tempered with our commitment to the environment. We must use our resources in a manner that is sustainable for the long term so our children and grandchildren will be able to experience the Alberta we often take for granted. With the reliance upon heavy industry in the area be it oil sands, agriculture, or forestry we must not be negligent of our infrastructure. It is this infrastructure which is part and parcel of the industry that uses them. Our roads in rural Alberta are so heavily used by large vehicles that they are at times not safe to travel upon. We must not be negligent in our concerns over safety for the benefit of industry. In the Bonnyville-Cold Lake area there are four aboriginal communities which I would like to name, with a purpose. They include the Fishing Lake Métis settlement, Elizabeth Métis settlement, Kehewin Cree Nation, and Cold Lake First Nations. Mr. Speaker, the reason I wish to name these particular areas is because of the work that I feel can be done in partnership with these communities. I would like to see all constituents from Bonnyville-Cold Lake join together to create a better place to live, and I would like to see a harmonious balance between all peoples regardless of their heritage. I feel that many hands and minds working together can create a sense of community spirit unmatched anywhere in the province. Mr. Speaker, I have many aspirations. One of those is to better the life of my constituents, and I am sincerely dedicated to that cause. One instance that has shown many hands and hearts working together for a common purpose is the recent amalgamation of the tritown communities. In 1996 the former towns of Cold Lake, Grand Centre, and CFB Medley joined forces to create the new town of Cold Lake. The joining of these towns will eventually lead to the creation of Alberta's newest city and a stable, diverse, and optimistic economic future for all residents. The constituency is not solely based upon natural resources. In fact, Mr. Speaker, Four Wing Cold Lake is one of the largest air force bases in all of Canada, and it is because of this base that we in Bonnyville-Cold Lake can call ourselves the best in the world at least in one aspect. In October of 1996 Captain Steve Nierlich and his team won the William Tell air-to-air combat against six U.S. air force contingents. This was the first time since the competition began in 1954 that a Canadian has won. Our top-gun fighter pilots are some of the best trained in the world, and I would like to congratulate all the members and families of Four Wing Cold Lake for their continued work at becoming the best and representing our country with honour and dignity. Another town I would like to mention, Mr. Speaker, is that of Bonnyville. The natural beauty of my constituency is exemplified by this area. It is surrounded by lakes, creating a treasure trove of natural wonders. In fact, bird-watchers flock to Bonnyville's Jessie Lake every spring to spot the nearly 200 species that use the lake as a stopping ground on their migration route. Our recreational facilities in all areas of Bonnyville-Cold Lake need to be updated according to the demands of people who are coming to the area for its natural wonders. Bonnyville is the first stop on the trans-canada skidoo trail before going into northern Alberta, and it is recreational possibilities such as this that need to be expanded. With the advent of ecotourism Bonnyville is a natural beginning, but we must put in place the mechanism to make it one. I hope I have given all the members a view of my constituency that will entice them to the area, and I will guarantee you will enjoy yourself if you come. Besides, the fact you can see the world's largest pyrogy in Glendon and the marina at Cold Lake are reason enough to visit. Mr. Speaker, before I close, I would like to remind all members why we are here. We are here because the people of our constituencies voted us here. We are here to represent them and their needs. As members of the Alberta Legislature we have a tradition to uphold. We must work as diligently as possible to create a province we can all be proud of. Thank you. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fort. MR. CAO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to speak in the Legislative Assembly. I am very honoured and proud to be a newly elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, to be the first to represent the new constituency of Calgary-Fort. It is with deep conviction that I accept the trust bestowed upon me by the constituents of Calgary-Fort. I look forward to being a part of leading Alberta into the next century. The 21st century will, without doubt, be a century full of prosperity based upon sound public policy created in this Chamber. I would like to take a moment to express my everlasting thanks to all those who made sacrifices and struggled throughout the hardships in order to build this country and this province. We must be grateful to these people, as they were responsible for the foundation we have today. Not only did they build this land; they were there to protect and nourish it for those of us who live in it today. One of my reasons for wanting to become an MLA is that I believe in this province, in this country. I want all Albertans to be part of the continued development and success of this province. The role I now have allows me to directly contribute to Alberta on behalf of those who were here before me, those who are here with me and have given me the confidence in representing them, as well as those who will be here after me. On behalf of both myself and my family there are numerous people that I would like to take this time to thank. This thank you extends to the voters of Calgary-Fort for coming out and participating in the democratic process of choosing your MLA. I pledge to you that I intend to serve the constituency of Calgary-Fort to the best of my ability. I encourage my constituents, regardless of political inclinations, to come to me with your concerns, to share your ideas, and to keep me informed of the issues that you want me to address in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. I would like to pass along a message to the other candidates. To you I say: you have given me a challenge which I worked and will continue to work hard to achieve. I want to listen to your ideas. Your ideas are meaningful and acceptable to Albertans, to Calgary-Fort residents. You can count on my support. Let's work together to continue building our country that was started so long ago. 4:20 I would like to thank my supporters and volunteers throughout the nomination and campaign processes. You are the gems of my personal treasures. A word of thanks to my campaign manage-

40 March 15, 1983 ALBERTA HANSARD 97 these good folks, and justifiably so. We're still sincerely striving to improve the lot of our Metis and all of our native peoples. I'm most anxious to revisit the native people at Eden Valley, to talk over the Native Venture Capital Corporation. They are already doing quite well developing their own enterprises, and it will be fun to encourage them into forging for greater heights of accomplishment. Another fellow out there, Merv Edie, is doing a fantastic job of educating young men that are almost impossible to control anywhere else. He feels we should, through private enterprise, have a work position for these fellows to fit into when they finish school. Won't he be delighted to hear of the new employment expansion development program and the new Department of Manpower, that has a responsibility for apprenticeship and manpower training programs. I'm suggesting that he will, and at my first opportunity I'll be down there to talk it over with him. Mr. Speaker, almost every paragraph of the Speech from the Throne has a bearing on some part of my constituency. The Alberta government's economic resurgence plan will continue to stimulate our economy. Programs such as the Alberta heritage fund mortgage interest reduction program and the seniors' home improvement program will no doubt continue to provide the homeowner with substantial benefits. The agricultural sector with its primary agricultural producers' rebate program and the Alberta small business and farm interest shielding program have allowed more dollars to be put into the hands of our farmers, freeing them from or reducing the financial burdens that prevented them from improving their equipment, and thus increasing their productivity. Yes, Mr. Speaker, the government has responded most admirably to the difficult times some sectors of our economy experienced. I am sure that this government will continue to provide the public of Alberta with the best possible array of services and programs. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to you and members of this Legislative Assembly for the consideration and attention you have shown me during this my maiden speech. My sincerest wish is that I won't have to make another, but somehow I don't think the system works that way. In any event, I leave all of you with this final thought as we progress through this 20th Assembly of the Legislature: let us all deliberate with equity, ponder with resourcefulness, and decide according to truth. MR. DROBOT: It is a great pleasure to speak to this Assembly for the first time. I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your re-selection as Speaker of this House. I would also like to thank His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor of this province for his presentation of the Speech from the Throne. My colleagues who have spoken to date are to be congratulated for their contribution to the debate. The people of my area are dedicated and hardworking. I would like to thank them publicly for their support. Mr. Speaker, the human mind is a wonderful machine: it starts working the minute you are born, and it stops the minute you are going to make a speech. Our constituency consists of people of many backgrounds. This unique mixture of cultures has contributed to a rich history, and I am sure it will continue to contribute to a promising future. As early as 1792, the North-west fur company and the Hudson's Bay Company built trading posts at Fort George and Buckingham House, near the modern town of Elk Point. The provincial government has seen fit to begin excavation and eventual restoration of the Fort George site. I commend this effort, as it is important to keep these reminders of our colorful past and preserve them for future generations. The establishment of a new provincial park at Whitney Lake will be a great benefit to our tourist industry in the constituency, especially the town of Elk Point. The town of Elk Point, a dynamic little town, certainly deserves recognition. During the past while, this community had over 1,000 volunteers from 33 organizations put in a total of 65,000 hours of free labor to build and keep their community projects going. At $5 per hour, this comes to $325,000. Father Lacombe in 1896 established St. Paul as an experiment in encouraging the Metis into a farming venture. Hunting and trapping was an ingrained way of life for the Metis, and the experiment failed. However, this townsite began to attract French-Canadian settlers from eastern Canada. The excellent soil and opportunities led to a solid flow of settlers from all over Europe and the U.S.A. Early co-operation between the settlers, the Metis, and the local Indians set the stage for our multicultural character present in this constituency today. Saddle Lake, Goodfish Lake, Frog Lake, as well as the Metis colony of Fishing Lake, are important and productive areas and add to the St. Paul constituency. Mr. Speaker, the St. Paul constituency is productive agriculturally and has a growing oil and gas industry. It contains the largest salt plant in western Canada at Lindberg, Alberta. It has many successful businesses and enjoys government services that are based in St. Paul. The present standard of living is a tribute to our socially active and interested ancestors. But this socially active spirit is not a thing of the past in our area. Mr. Speaker, you will remember in June 1982 the visit to the bustling town of St. Paul by Mother Theresa of India. She came to see the people, who impressed her with their generosity and fine work. Thousands of people flocked to see her, recognizing her humanitarian services. It is my pleasure to say that with the help of the provincial and federal governments matching grants program, over $1 million was raised to be used in her work. Yes, the people of my constituency are very self-sufficient and resourceful. Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne addressed the concerns of the people in my area as well as other Albertans. However, we must keep the economic problems of our farmers in mind, for as our farmers prosper so will our towns and cities. The emphasis on education is certainly welcomed, for it was in St. Paul that the first regional school was built. What makes this academic vocational school special is that it was the first example of co-operation between town, county, separate and public school boards, working jointly, planning and funding, and building up this school. I am proud to say that I was a trustee of that first regional school for many years. Recently, county schools in Lafond, Mallaig, Ashmont, as well as the Racette public school, have attained community school status. The extra funding and recognition of the need for these facilities is well founded. Glen Avon, St. Paul, and Elk Point schools are also requesting this status, and I hope that we can recognize their need. The town of St. Paul has some special concerns with regard to a new water line and possible water treatment plant. I recognize economic times call for some restraint, but this facility is of great importance to our major town. The upgrading of the St. Theresa hospital is welcomed

41 98 ALBERTA HANSARD March 15, 1983 and will have a positive effect on the health services in our area. Plans for a provincial courthouse in St. Paul cannot be shelved, as we have a great need for one. We take good care of our citizens in Alberta and in the constituency. Phase two of the senior citizens' lodge in St. Paul has proven that. A proposed 44-unit senior citizens' lodge for Elk Point has been approved by the St. Paul foundation, and I personally support this excellent proposal and urge its full implementation. The Speech from the Throne emphasized our government's high priority on transportation safety. We agree with this priority and are glad that the much-needed new bridge and alignment at Elk Point is getting serious consideration, there having been a bad history of truck crashes experienced with the old bridge. All Albertans will be glad when this hazard is corrected. Highway 646 east of Lindberg is scheduled for reconstruction and paving. This will open the east end to safer trade routes, markets, and will improve the flow of heavy tourist traffic. As we can see, Mr. Speaker, this government is addressing the concerns of my constituents. I am hopeful that I can maintain the high standard of response by this government. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite all MLAs to visit our constituency. It is known as the gateway to the lakeland. The vacationer will find this area very scenic. Though I expect an argument, I am sure we have the best fishing to offer anywhere in Alberta. From the proud little hamlet of Tulliby Lake, near the Saskatchewan boundary, to Vilna in the west, we welcome you all, and we will accept your tourist dollars. Thank you. MR. MUSGROVE: Mr. Speaker, I am honored by this opportunity to respond to the throne speech. First, as the others, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your re-election as Speaker of the House. I would like to congratulate everyone else that was elected on November 2, I would also like to commend Lieutenant- Governor Lynch-Staunton on his delivery of the throne speech. Of course, what was in the speech was also for the benefit of the people of Alberta. I'd like to take a few minutes to pay tribute to my predecessor, Fred Mandeville. Fred was the M L A for the Bow Valley constituency for about 15 years. I wish him the best of luck on his retirement. I would also like to thank the people of Bow Valley for their support in the election. I might say I was the first PC M L A in history to be elected in Bow Valley. I'd like to make a few comments about the Bow Valley constituency, Mr. Speaker. It runs from Medicine Hat to Cluny. It takes in almost all the property between the Red Deer River and the Bow River. It is bisected by Highway No. 1. There are two major towns, Brooks and Bassano. Brooks is one of the fastest growing towns in Alberta. Since 1971, it has tripled its size. It now has a population of something over 9,000 people. It is the home of the Alberta wildlife research centre, where they raise 100,000 pheasants a year to be turned loose for the pleasure of the hunter. It is also the home of the Alberta Horticultural Research Centre where, on 160 acres, new methods of farming, fertilizing, and seeding are being developed. Bassano, the second largest town, has a population of about 1,100 people and is both an agricultural and industrial centre. Thermo-electric generators are manufactured there and distributed throughout the world. Bow Valley is primarily a ranching and farming area, with a large percentage of its 20,000-plus people working directly or indirectly with agriculture. It has one of the major irrigation districts in Alberta. I believe that it is the largest in North America, not in irrigated acres but in the perimeter of the district. It has one of the largest feedlots. Lakeside Feeders. It's got a capacity of 40,000 cattle. It spends over $100 million a year on feed grain, silage, and cattle. It has other smaller feedlots. South Slope is one; agri-beef in Bassano is another. They're significant sizes. In Bow Valley we have the British block. It's approximately 1,000 square miles of reserve land that is used for experiments, research, and training of the British army. It is also sitting on top of the most extensive gas fields in Alberta, which has certainly helped the economy. It also helped the expansion of the towns. There are approximately 140 petroleum-related industries serving about 5,000 gas wells in Bow Valley. There's also a significant number of oil wells. Bow Valley has had a significant gas and oil industry in the past. It was certainly hurt by the economy. The drilling companies and service industries did get a benefit of the infusion of funds in 1982 of the service industry and drilling rigs. Also some dirt moving contractors got the benefit of the economic stabilization program. It's encouraging to see, however, that Nova had a substantial increase in profits in 1982, especially for this day and age. I believe they showed a 15 per cent increase in net profits over They have a major compressor site in Bow Valley. Of course they're the company responsible for the transmission of natural gas to other provinces and into the Alaskan pipeline. I guess what we need for the residents of Bow Valley, Mr. Speaker, is some export market for natural gas to other countries. Bow Valley, as I said before, has one of the largest irrigation districts in Alberta. Just a little history might be of interest; it shows what happened in downturns in previous years. The irrigation district was established in return for the construction of the transcontinental railway. Canadian Pacific railway was given some 1.25 million acres that comprised the irrigation district. That was at the time of the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway. After surveys by the CPR, it was decided to construct the Bassano dam. Construction was completed in It wasn't until 1915 that that significant settlement began to occur. At that time the irrigation district belonged to the CPR. They were selling irrigation parcels of land to people under some kind of long-term contract. The problem was that the economy had a downturn in In March 1935, under mounting costs, the CPR negotiated a transaction with the province of Alberta whereby the railway agreed to transfer to the trustees of the district the entire irrigation block and grazing land as described in the original confines of the district, plus staff houses, office buildings, and machinery to operate the district, together with $300,000 working capital. To get that off their back, to get rid of it, they gave the whole irrigation project away, and $300,000 with it. That's what happens in economic downturns. We have had some benefits in the irrigation district recently through the Department of the Environment, with improvements on our canal system and dredging out some of our spillways. We've developed several off-river storage reservoirs for irrigation water, and are presently working on the Crawling Valley reservoir, hopefully to begin construction this year. There is a benefit to having on-river storage, however. There are two reasons, the first being that off-river reservoirs, however helpful to the irri-

42 162 ALBERTA HANSARD June 4, 1979 the way in opposition and put it pretty strongly, in terms of feeling and determination, that our judgment as a provincial government is that we were not a junior government. We abhorred, frankly, were embarrassed with the phraseology of junior government. In the '80s, I think we will be moving into a situation where there's no question that provinces will not be junior governments. What we will face in Canada and it will have its complications and difficulties, but I believe we can work it out will be true co-operative federalism, not a domination by the federal government. For that reason, I feel we will see a new federalism in Canada. Perhaps the recent events in Ottawa will alter some long-standing western grievances, and the chance, the opportunity at least, for some new approaches is there. But there's no panacea in these events, and we must be well aware, as I'm sure we are in this Assembly, of the nature of the realities in the federal House of Commons. So, Mr. Speaker, there will be new opportunities, a new approach in terms of international affairs and a new federalism in Canada, which certainly emphasizes the other point we put to the people of this province, which was for a strong Alberta government at this particular time in our development. Mr. Speaker, that mandate is there and with it come some very major responsibilities. I've referred to some of them. It puts on us, as it should, the pressure by the people of Alberta to meet the constant demand of continued effective performance at all levels of our activity here. We accept and welcome that challenge. That mandate puts upon us the responsibility, in our judgment, to move with the opportunities that develop as economic conditions change and to respond to social needs in the same way as our dynamic province alters, in my judgment, for the better: challenges in many ways that I would not today take the time to underline, but just to say to you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that I have in front of me on my desk a long list of decisions that need to be made over the course of the next couple of years. Some will be controversial and some will perhaps not be as controversial, but they need to be made. In my judgment, we have that challenge in front of us; we have the mandate to do it; so without any further talk from me, I say let's get on with the job and do it. DR. C. ANDERSON: Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise and speak in this Assembly. I'd like to congratulate you on your appointment as Speaker of this Assembly. I'd also like to congratulate our Lieutenant- Governor, Ralph Steinhauer, for the excellent job he has done during his tenure of office. As you know, the Lieutenant-Governor is from my constituency. He has been a very important example and a great inspiration to his people on the Saddle Lake Reserve. As he returns to his home at the end of this term, I am sure many hearts will be saddened at his departure from this position he has handled so humbly. I wish Lieutenant- Governor Ralph Steinhauer health and happiness in his retirement. I am sure he will put his fishing equipment to good use. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take the opportunity to congratulate my seat-mate from Three Hills on her fine moving speech, the seconder from Calgary Forest Lawn, and all my colleagues who have spoken so aptly before me. Mr. Speaker, you've heard from many other members about their constituencies; now I'd like to tell you about the greatest of all, the St. Paul constituency. With an area of 1,785 square miles, the constituency is the location of the only UFO landing pad. The constituency is also the area of the largest salt mine in western Canada, being situated at Lindbergh, Alberta. The constituency has the towns of St. Paul, Vilna, and Elk Point; and the hamlets of Spedden, Ashmont, Mallaig, St. Lina, Heinsburg, Lindbergh, and Tulliby Lake. There are three Indian reservations: Frog Lake, Saddle Lake, and Goodfish Lake; and the Metis colony of Fishing Lake. With a population of 14,705, it is blend of many ethnic backgrounds. Seven per cent of the population is native or Metis, 16 per cent is Ukrainian, and 17 per cent is French. It is a constituency which has already seen the harmony in diversity theme in play. I am proud of the people of this great constituency, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for their faith in me and their support in the March 14 election. I pledge to devote my time, energy, and talents to represent them well. Mr. Speaker, the St. Paul constituency has a rich heritage. On the east side of our constituency we have the Metis colony of Fishing Lake, near the Frog Lake Reserve. It was in the Frog Lake area that the Frog Lake massacre occurred during the Louis Riel rebellion. The Metis people originated as the offspring of the white fur traders and native people. They served as middlemen in the fur trade, specializing in the transportation of goods and furs to the white men at Fort George and Buckingham House, on the North Saskatchewan River near Elk, Point. The Metis call themselves the first Canadians, stating that the Indians immigrated to Canada from Asia, and that the Metis were the first people to originate on Canadian soil. Father Lacombe created St. Paul des Metis, a half-breed colony, in The French Canadians immigrated to the area in 1909, the start of the multicultural area. Mr. Speaker, our primary renewable resource is our people. The educational process is a refiner's fire of this resource. The programs announced in the throne speech are very welcome in our constituency. We look forward to the expansion of the learning disability fund and of the educational opportunity fund to include high school students. It is extremely important to assist these students, so that they have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to keep them in school and prevent the high drop-out rate. [Mr. R. Speaker in the Chair] We look forward to the heritage learning resource project, with its Canadian content in books, photographs, and films, to teach our children about their rich heritage, geography, and environment. We look forward to the implementation of the school building quality restoration program, with the anticipation that this program will replace the very old, inadequate classroom facilities in schools such as Mallaig and Heinsberg. In our school district we are encountering difficulty with enrolments. The St. Paul regional school, a very well equipped high school with vocational training facilities, is experiencing a drop in enrolment. With a size geared to 600 students, we predict the enrolment

43 June 4, 1979 ALBERTA HANSARD 163 will drop below 400 students soon. We appreciate the government's assistance with the large deficits we have had, but we look forward to establishing other uses for these school facilities to include perhaps Lakeland College and Athabasca University, in addition to our learning resources centre and the Barbara Ward Centre, presently housed in these facilities. These additions would increase the utilization and efficiency of the system, and hence decrease our deficit. While the St. Paul regional school is experiencing decreasing enrolment, other areas are experiencing overcrowding. We also find that our industrial arts courses are being conducted with antiquated equipment in poorly designed classrooms. We would hope that more funding will be provided to remedy these inadequacies. We appreciate the commitment of Advanced Education and Manpower to continue to emphasize quality postsecondary education programs. The emergency medical technician program is welcome news for our ambulance service. The apprenticeship and trades certificate program is providing a great number of skilled personnel for our labor force. Mr. Speaker, we welcome the announcement that the temporary holding pattern on submissions for new hospital projects will be lifted June 1. Some of my constituency finds itself in dire need in relation to hospital facilities. The Vilna hospital, with its wood structure, is a real potential fire hazard. It has no isolation facilities and is sadly lacking in such simple amenities as hand-washing facilities. Something must be done to replace this structure. We are also in need of auxiliary hospital beds, and I would hope that St. Therese hospital in St. Paul will be placed on a high priority for expansion, with auxiliary beds and outpatient and diagnostic facilities. The Alberta heritage foundation for medical research cannot help but improve the quality of medical care in our province. At the same time, it will help broaden our province's economic base by creating a new research industry. The Alberta assured income plan for the handicapped, the aids to daily living program, and the home care program are eagerly awaited in our constituency. At the present time we have some of the best facilities in Alberta and Canada, with St. Paul's New Hope school for the retarded and the Habitat Enterprises Unlimited sheltered workshop. These new programs will ensure to handicapped people, lives that are happy, challenging, and free of want. Mr. Speaker, agriculture is the prime industry in my constituency, The farming community welcomes the prospect of a new grain terminal at Prince Rupert, and commends the government for its foresight in purchasing the Canadian government inland elevators. The farmers commend the government for its initiative in promoting Alberta-grown food products. However, the farming community does have some concerns. This year our constituency will be hit with rail closures from Lindbergh east to Heinsberg. This will cause increased hardship on our farmers who will have to haul their grain longer distances without assurance of room in the elevator at their destination. Increased utilization will require additional funding to upgrade the rapidly deteriorating road system in this region. The farming community welcomes the expectation of continued record levels of exploration, drilling, and geophysical activity, but it is apprehensive about surface rights and the surface rights appeal system. However, many farmers continue to be buoyed up by their off-farm income, created by the increased activity in the constituency. The farming community is very dependent on grazing reserves, and they hope more of these reserves will be created in our constituency. With the initiative of our provincial government in its rural gas program, our farming community is receiving some of the advantages of urban residents through the highly successful St. Paul Lakeland Co-op. Mr. Speaker, the St. Paul constituency wishes to thank the government for the introduction of the $500 per capita municipal debt reduction program. Whereas the county of St. Paul has just been through some difficult years, which required the appointment of a government controller and special funding, for the first time in many years our county will have a surplus. It will be able to purchase some badly needed road maintenance equipment, and at the same time create its own mini-heritage fund. Our towns, villages, and hamlets will also be left in a stable financial position, allowing residents a respite from escalating property taxes. Mr. Speaker, my constituency welcomes the creation of a new ministry of Workers' Health, Safety and Compensation. We would hope that that ministry would look to include the farm work force under its jurisdiction. Farmer's lung and accidents take their toll in the farming community every year. Mr. Speaker, the establishment of the minimum security correctional facility at St. Paul is a welcome example of our government's continued program of decentralization. This facility will create jobs and bring new families into our constituency, thus broadening the economic tax base. My constituency welcomes the news of the development of new outdoor recreation opportunities. My constituency is badly in need of a provincial park on its eastern side: in the Ross, Laurier, and Whitney lakes area. This park would not only serve my community but would also serve my Lloydminster colleague's riding. My constituency also looks forward to the upgrading of Garner Lake Provincial Park on the west, and to the restoration of Fort George and Buckingham House. With these restorations and a development of a park in the eastern part of the constituency, the tourist trade in our area will receive a big shot in the arm. Mr. Speaker, in closing I would again like to say what a great privilege it is to live in this province and to be in this Assembly to represent my constituency with its multicultural background. The native people of the Saddle Lake Reserve are having their second annual Saddle Lake intercultural days, June 29, 30, and July 1. The event is one of the biggest multicultural events in our province. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the native people of Saddle Lake, I would like to invite you, and through you the members of this Assembly and residents of Alberta and Canada, to visit our constituency, and witness harmony in diversity. MR. BORSTAD: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Grande Prairie constituents and myself, I would like to congratulate my colleagues who have spoken to date, especially the Member for Three Hills and the Member

44 38 ALBERTA HANSARD May 28, 1979 reached fruition. In 1973, 2,800 acres of Fish Creek valley and the Bow River valley were acquired by this government to be preserved as a provincial park, a truly magnificent recreational area that shares the name of this new but great constituency. As one who was raised in a house of silence by deaf-mute parents, Mr. Speaker, I was greatly encouraged, as were many in my constituency and undoubtedly throughout Alberta, by the emphasis given in the Speech from the Throne to our physically and mentally handicapped Albertans: expansion of the learning disabilities fund, a new program unit to enhance the assistance available for dependent handicapped and multihandicapped children, the commitment to introduce the Alberta assured income plan for the handicapped, the commitment to establish the aids to daily living program, new programs for daytime development opportunities for mentally retarded and handicapped children, and the list goes on. I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that all these programs clearly sustain Alberta's leadership in the provision of services for the handicapped. As well, they are a stirring refutation of partisan and highly suspect suggestions that people programs don't get a high priority with this government. I was encouraged also, Mr. Speaker, by the indication given in the Speech from the Throne that during 1979 a number of the specific features of the heritage learning resources project will become available in Alberta schools. As the members of this Assembly are undoubtedly aware, many Albertans have had a longstanding concern for the inadequacy of Canadian content in our educational materials. With the availability of the works of Albertan and Canadian writers, and audio-visual materials in Canadian history and geography, Alberta students will be in a significantly better position to know, to understand, and certainly to revere our great nation. In my constituency, Mr. Speaker, are many representatives of the Alberta business community. I am confident they were heartened by the commitment given in the Speech from the Throne to continued support of the policy to use the private sector wherever appropriate. I'm advised by senior departmental officials that the tendering to the private sector of computer systems development work and multicolor printing has been a most successful endeavor. I think we do a great disservice to private industry when we develop within government capabilities that merely duplicate capabilities which already exist in the private sector and which are inevitably more efficient and more competently managed. The suburban constituency of Calgary Fish Creek, Mr. Speaker, has one of the most rapid new housing development rates in Canada. Homes are frequently sold before they are completed. Homes on the resale market are usually sold in a matter of days or weeks, rarely in a matter of months. In such a dynamic housing market it's not surprising that prices continue to escalate, making it increasingly difficult for apartment and town house renters to purchase a home of their own. These constituents have been given new hope by the priority given in the Speech from the Throne to the need for new housing, and the indication that substantial funds will be requested from the Assembly to support important new initiatives under the Alberta family home purchase program and other key programs. On their behalf, Mr. Speaker, I express gratitude and urge my colleagues in this Assembly to support these funding requests when they are made. A Bill to create a new government department, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Economic Development, will be presented to the Legislature during this session. I suggest that creation of this department illustrates that this is a government not of opportunities missed, as has been suggested today, but of opportunities seized. I noted with interest the three primary objectives of the new department: one, strengthening our base industries of agriculture and energy; two, balanced economic growth throughout the province; and, three, diversification of the Alberta economy. The latter I regard as a highly important but admittedly difficult objective. In recent months a number of my constituents have expressed their misgivings over what they perceive as an undue reliance on our energy resources. I recognize, Mr. Speaker, that the risk of overheating our economy and our distance from markets are but two of many limiting factors in this aspect of the government's economic strategy. Despite these limiting factors, however, the challenging goal of diversification holds so many potential benefits for the people of Alberta, that it is a goal that merits every effort the new department can make toward its realization. These benefits include broadened employment base, additional skill requirements, new research and development opportunities and, of course, new revenue sources. I am somewhat dismayed, Mr. Speaker, by the increasing tendency within Alberta and elsewhere to attribute Alberta's strong economy solely to our hydrocarbon resources. Oil and gas revenues, to be sure, play a dominant role in Alberta's economy. But that simplistic conclusion obscures the fundamental exploration and development skills of our petroleum industry, and the enlightened legislative and regulatory leadership shown by this government. That simplistic conclusion also obscures an even greater and more profound factor: the initiative, the ambitions, and the energies of the people of Alberta. They constitute a remarkable resource that has contributed much to Alberta's past achievements and current prosperity, and most assuredly will contribute to Alberta's future prominence in Confederation. While on the subject of our people, Mr. Speaker, I was intrigued by your remarks on the steps of the Legislature last week to a group of very young Alberta people during ceremonies commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. As I have reflected on your remarks, sir, and on the children-related programs outlined in the Speech from the Throne, I've asked myself: what can I, what can we as legislators, bequeath to our province's children over and above government programs? Might I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that as legislators, as lawmakers, we commit ourselves to new standards of parliamentary excellence. Might I also suggest that we commit ourselves to legislation that will significantly enhance the rights as well as the opportunities for our children and for generations of Albertans yet unborn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. ISLEY: Mr. Speaker, as the fourth rookie to participate in the throne speech debate, I'm not sure I can attain the high standards set by the hon. members for

45 May 28, 1979 A L B E R T A H A N S A R D 39 Three Hills, Calgary Forest Lawn, and Calgary Fish Creek, but I will do my best to improve as time goes on. At this point in time I would like to share with the Assembly a brief description of the constituency of Bonnyville, which I represent, and to share some of the concerns held by residents of that constituency. My constituency covers in excess of 4,000 square miles of northeastern Alberta, encompassing a large portion of the heavy oil sands. Until recently the constituency could probably have been fairly described as a quiet, rural area with an agriculturally orientated base. Located in the Bonnyville constituency are three major towns Cold Lake, Grand Centre, and Bonnyville; the village of Glendon; a number of hamlets; two Indian reserves, Kehiwin and Cold Lake; and the Elizabeth Metis colony. Being located in the lakeland country, the agricultural economy of this area has been supplemented by the tourism industry which, by the way, is in a very preliminary development stage. The other major contributor to employment to this point in time has been the Canadian Forces Base, Cold Lake, which is in the east end of the constituency. Mr. Speaker, as the hon. members of this Assembly are no doubt aware, the importance of our constituency to the Alberta and Canadian economy has increased dramatically with the application of Esso Resources for the construction of their major heavy oil plant. Add to this the numerous other oil companies that have pilot projects in the area and which could feasibly be constructing commercial projects in the not-too-distant future, and you suddenly realize we have become a potential boom area. In this regard I and, I believe, the majority of the residents of the Bonnyville constituency were very pleased to hear the announcement that the former Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Don Getty, was retained to assist the Hon. Merv Leitch in the transition period, because a smooth flow of the plans with relation to energy resources is important to our area. Although the majority of the residents of the constituency are progressive minded and hence supportive of the heavy oil industry, they also have some very deep and justifiable concerns. These concerns could probably be summarized as follows: number one, environmental. We must strike a balance which makes development of the energy resources economically feasible and yet retains the beauty of the lakeland region. Emphasis must be placed on proper reclamation of land disrupted by the heavy oil industry for both agricultural and non-agricultural purposes. Concern must be given to the private landowner who is going to have his rights infringed on with the widening of highways, pipelines, and power lines. A second major concern of residents in the area is the protection and development of existing industries, and I refer to the three industries of agriculture, tourism, and Canadian Forces Base, Cold Lake. The third concern is to ensure local participation in the development of the area, job opportunities for local people, including native people, and involvement of the local people in the planning process. A fourth major area of concern to residents in northeastern Alberta is social impact. What will be the impact of a boom area on the life style of the communities? Will schools become overcrowded and hence the quality of education in the area deteriorate? Can we keep pace with the increased demands for hospital services, social services, police protection, et cetera? Mr. Speaker, over the years governments have probably earned the reputation of being reactors as opposed to actors. I think we're now in a situation where we can reverse that conception. This means that all departments of our provincial government must be prepared to play some real leadership in conjunction with the local governments in making the growth of the Cold Lake area a positive success story. From my reading of local constituents, I would suggest the following as areas of immediate attention: number one, housing will be the first basic requirement of people as they flow into the area. In order to ensure these needs are met, we must assist municipalities with front-end financing to get their municipal infrastructure in place. Water and sewage systems currently under review must be expanded in the near future. There must be a smooth, efficient flow of land through the annexation process, the planning process, and the development process, so that we do not end up with a shortage of serviced land and hence an increase in housing prices. I have a high degree of faith in the free-enterprise system, and I would urge that we in government set the stage so that the private developer and the private contractor can satisfy the housing needs. Hospital services in the Bonnyville constituency are at present inadequate to serve the current needs, and planning must be done in the near future to update things so that we're ready when the boom arrives. Local hospital boards are currently agitating to get on with the planning process, and I would hope that we will be prepared to sit down and work with them. A third area is education and job training. I think both Alberta Education, and Advanced Education and Manpower are faced with the challenge of developing educational services in advance of population needs. Advanced Education has already taken some positive steps in the area through their manpower training workshop and through the planning carried on by Lakeland College. The Hon. Dave King has spent two days in the area, assessing the K-to-12 situation. I believe he was very well received. I think he has an excellent grasp of the many problems the area is facing. I think I would go one step further and suggest that if he can solve all the education problems in our constituency, he'll have a handle on all the educational problems in the province. We are faced with the problem of seven different school jurisdictions involved in the delivery. We have the basic differences and aspirations as a result of religious differences, linguistic differences, problems as far as sharing of taxation when you get that many jurisdictions. I think Mr. King has a handle on it, and we're looking for some very good things. Recreation: as I previously mentioned, the area has a tremendous tourism potential, and we must become more active now in developing parks and related recreation facilities to handle the local population, the current tourist population, and the anticipated incoming population. Within our constituency we have a number of very attractive lakes, which have a tremendous potential. Cold Lake, which I'm sure many people here are aware of, is undoubtedly one of the most attractive lakes in Alberta. A provincial park has been designated for this lake; the slowness of progress on the park is causing concern with many people there. I would hope that Alberta Recreation and Parks would hasten forward with completion of it. In the field of

46 40 A L B E R T A H A N S A R D May 28, 1979 recreation, I think we should also be giving some consideration to helping communities get capital recreation facility infrastructure in place before we get large numbers of people coming in. The fifth area, protection and development of existing industries: I have strong concerns and I think we see some of this happening in the local area that we don't become so involved in developing the energy industry that we forget the basic industries of agriculture and tourism. Neither of these industries have yet been developed to their potential, and I think we must find ways of encouraging this to happen. The substantial increase in the area's population will put additional demands on our food industry, and I wonder if it's not possible for us to find ways of developing programs that would encourage local production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products. In closing, Mr. Speaker, may I reiterate that we have an opportunity to become actors as opposed to reactors in the development of a boom area. I hope we're prepared to pick up the challenge and make the development of the Cold Lake area a positive success story. MR. STEVENS: Mr. Speaker, members of this Assembly, I welcome this opportunity to take part in this Speech from the Throne debate in the 19th Legislature of this province of Alberta. It was indeed a special privilege for me to hear the Lieutenant-Governor read the Speech from the Throne. He has a special place in my constituency. It's described in this book, Big Hill Country, and I'm indebted to Margaret and Harvey Buckley, who have given me this publication. This was produced by the Cochrane and Area Historical Society in 1977, and [there is] a great deal of work and love by many people in this publication, including Marjorie Spicer, who had made this all possible. Ralph Steinhauer, who began his term on July 1, 1974, was born on the Morley Reserve in Banff-Cochrane on June 8, 1905, the same year Alberta became a province. May the Great Spirit be with the Steinhauers always. As I look around this Assembly, I am very conscious of the strengths and qualities of the members elected by their constituents to represent them. In my own constituency, Banff-Cochrane, I've had the privilege of knowing three of its previous members. The first is Frank "Pop" Gainer. He was elected in 1955 as one of the three coalition members of this Legislature. He came to Cochrane in 1912, the youngest CPR station operator in Alberta, and he served that area until 1945, 34 years, when he went to Lethbridge for two years, and then back to Banff until his retirement in He served this Assembly and the people of Banff-Cochrane for three terms until The second member I would like to note is Mr. Fred Kidd, my immediate predecessor. Fred served this Assembly from 1975 until His father, Stuart Kidd, came to this province in He homesteaded about seven miles north of Calgary up the Simons Valley Road. In 1907 he moved to Morley to operate a store and became the agent. He was the first white honorary chief of the Stoney tribe. Mount Kidd, on the Kananaskis Road, south of Morley, is named after Fred's father Stuart. Fred and his wife Helen live in the Cochrane district, and he gave me his time, guidance, and advice during the campaign. I'm sure that members will join me in acknowledging his service to this Assembly. [applause] The third member from my constituency whom I have had the privilege to know is Clarence Copithorne. Clarence was first elected to this Assembly in 1967 as an Independent M L A. In 1970 he joined the Progressive Conservative party. He was re-elected in 1971 and became the Minister of Highways and Transport. I could list his contributions, humor, strengths, and warmths, but instead I would like to read a letter to the editor of The Calgary Herald of May 26 from a Mr. G. Elson of Cochrane. This letter refers to the dedication which marked the opening of the Cochrane Ranche historic site on May 21 and the unveiling of the statue by Malcolm MacKenzie, Men of Vision. You'll recall that occasion well, Mr. Premier, my colleague the Minister responsible for Culture, and those other MLAs, both present and past, who were there last Monday together with over 2,000 people last Monday. The letter reads: On May 21st I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Cochrane Ranch Historic Site. The occasion was very well planned with a tribute to the various groups: fur traders, missionaries, Indians, ranchers, ranchers' wives and surveyors, who through pure grit and determination helped to put this country on a firm foundation for the generations... to follow. Although this ceremony was a tribute it was... a reminder to us that there is value to be had in preserving at least a little of our heritage. One man who believed in the importance of preserving our heritage was present at the opening ceremonies although he was unable to take his place of honor at the podium. The determination of this man, Clarence Copithorne, who was instrumental in establishing this historic site was evident just in his appearance. Many of us present were touched by Copithorne's supreme effort, not the least of which was Premier Lougheed who at one point faltered when describing Copithorne's involvement in establishing this... site. Although this ceremony was an official opening of an historic site and a tribute to our forefathers, it was also a tribute to the man who made it... possible, for us and for our children. G. Elson, Cochrane Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to follow these men Mr. Fred Kidd, Mr. Clarence Copithorne, Pop Gainer, and those before and I am grateful to the people of Banff-Cochrane for this privilege. My constituency stretches from within the city of Calgary, the northwest corner, right to the Alberta- B.C. border. It lies between the constituencies of Rocky Mountain House, Olds-Didsbury, Three Hills, Drumheller, Highwood, and the Calgary constituencies of North West, Bow, West, Glenmore, and Fish Creek. There are nearly 14,000 voters. Less than half of them live in three urban communities: Banff, Canmore, and Cochrane. The remainder live in such communities and I was thinking of words like bubbling and babbling, words that make a lot of sense to us as we hear them. Listen to these community names: Lake Louise, Harvie Heights, Exshaw, Seebe, Pigeon Mountain, Lac des Arcs, Morley, Bearspaw, Springbank, Redwood Meadows, Bragg Creek, Priddis, Red Deer Lake, Ghost Lake, Waiparous, Greenwood Village, and Jumping Pound. Or they live on ranches, farms,

47

48 10-40 ALBERTA HANSARD March 15th 1972 fully debated the second time after having been resolved by the House, and I must say that reference to the matters which were discussed at great length and with great latitude last night, must be out of order at this time. MR. HENDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker; I didn't intend to deal with the arguments that, I understand, were presented in this House last night. The one thing, Mr. Speaker, that I'm concerned about is the basis on which this government now decides to set up legislative committees, in view of certain other actions which have been taken on their part, that with the stroke of pen the Premier of the province apparently believes that he can create committees of this Assembly in a particular form which are equivalent of legislative committees established by resolution of this Legislature. I'm simply hoping, Mr. Speaker, that before this session is over, we would get an outline of the policy statement from the government as to the basis on which it makes decisions on which to establish legislative committees as well as hold public hearings. I find some of the actions taken thus far, Mr. Speaker, make something of a mockery out of the proposition of a legislative committee. I can only conclude that the basic determining factor in when to set up a legislative committee, when not to set up a legislative committee, is that on an issue in which the government doesn't want to make a decision, it sets up a legislative committee. So, Mr. Speaker, I simply would say that I would hope, because I think this is a vital matter, it's an important principle, that we would get a statement of policy out of the hon. Premier before this session is over, and as early as possible in this session, as to his basic philosophy for deciding as to how he approaches the question of special committees of this Assembly, whether we're going to hold public hearings, or other forms of committees that he's going to set up to deal with specific issues. I think some of the things that have happened raise some very serious questions that should be answered in principle. Mr. Speaker, that briefly sums up the advice that I'd like the particular gentleman opposite to take cognizance of at this point. I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that I don't knock the style of business, obviously it has paid real dividends for the Conservative party. I think, Mr. Speaker, that the election campaign is over. It's about time we skipped the style for at least a year or two. They've won the basic argument on that for the present, we're not going to debate that with them any further, and it is time that we get down to dealing with the substance of the problems that face the people of this province and get off this mutual admiration society kick which they seem to be on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MR. HANSEN: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure and honour to rise on this debate. But I would first like to congratulate you, as Speaker, on the way you are handling the House. I would also like to congratulate the Premier and all the cabinet ministers, for the way he has set it up and the way it is operating. I think that most of the people in this audience realize that I'm from the farm, so I'm more or less going to give you my viewpoints on agriculture and on some of the things that I feel should have been done a long time ago. I would also like to mention at this time, that the hon. members, Marvin Moore, J. Cookson, and Gordon Stromberg, gave you a detailed account on some of the things that were happening within the government, which I do not want to repeat at this time, for it is in the record what the government is doing in those areas. I would also like to say that I think the hon. Dr. Horner is doing a wonderful job to get agriculture in the right

49 March 15th 1972 ALBERTA HANSARD direction. Before I go any further, I would like to say at this point, and put it on the record, I would like to thank the people of the Bonnyville constituency for having faith in me in electing me to this House to represent them. I think the Throne Speech had a lot of things that will help my area in the future. As a farmer and cattle raiser, I'm very interested in agriculture. I think and I know that it is the backbone of Canada. If you look into it, you will find that there are jobs provided through the farm, not directly but indirectly, that go clean across Canada. To enlarge a little on that I will mention that all the people who are building and working in machinery, and all the way down the line, even in your car industry, your trucks, and so on; a lot of them have jobs because of the farm. I think it is a very important industry, and I also think that the governments in the past have not set about and paid enough attention and looked into this industry and helped to make it work, so that the farmers would be able to make a decent living and stay on the farm. Another thing I'd like to bring up at this time concerns labour; you've got your grain, you've got your meat, your packing industries, your railways, it's all tied in with farming. You haven't got to look at just what the farmer needs, of course, for the more prosperous your farming is, the more jobs will be available on the work force as well. Pair prices for the products that come off the farm is one of the most important things. Mr. Cookson brought to your attention the price of grain the other day, and I hoped when he started on that he would go a little farther and say that machinery today costs four times what it did in 1950, but I would like to say a little more about fair prices. Now when I say fair prices for the farmer, I want you to realize that I m talking about the product at the price it is today and the price that the farmer actually receives for it. I could take one of the smallest things, an egg. Back a few years ago I raised eggs on the farm, but I only stayed with it one year, and I'll tell you why. I raised eggs for 18 cents a dozen. You took them to the grading station and you put them through the grading station. But to raise this egg, first you got the chicken and you went all the way down the line, you did all this work and I got 18 cents for it. After I delivered it to the grading station, they took it through the back door of the station to the store right by, and they got 60-some cents for my same dozen of eggs. I said no more eggs. You can take the market, whether it's beef, or whether it's grain, it is all the same. If the farmer got his fair share for the amount of time and the work that he put into it, and the other person got the -same amount for the time that he put into it, I think the farmer would get along alright. But the farmer always ends up with just that little wee bit at the bottom, and the rest all goes for expenses down the line. Another product I will mention, and that will be all of that, is wheat. A bushel of wheat actually is about equal to 50 loaves of bread, but what does your farmer get per loaf? If anybody wants to figure that one out, they can easily do it. I have a list down here, and where am I at? Oh, yes. Now I've got down here on the list, farmers on the poverty line. For the last 15 years I've travelled among farmers on one job or another, and the homes that you enter travelling on a job like I had is a disgrace to Canada, and I will say this before any government, or any place. You enter homes that aren't fit for cattle to live in, in some areas. This isn't only that they haven't got running water, and what not. The rest of the homes are up to the same thing. This is why I say that the federal government and the provincial governments have never given farming a fair chance. They have never looked into it and tried to help it. This is a large group of people, ladies and gentlemen, that I'm speaking about, and I think it is an industry that should be well looked into, Mr. Speaker. I think Alberta is on

50 10-42 ALBERTA HANSARD March 15th 1972 the right track this time, with Dr. Horner at the head of agriculture. Another hardship in areas all over Alberta, especially in the north where I am, is that to have your power put into your farm you will pay anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000 for that post in your yard. Then you go ahead and wire your building and start paying for power. But after you get your power hooked up and you start paying, every month you pay an upkeep on that line, so that in 25 years you've paid for two lines, when it's the first place that pays for the lines. Another thing that bothers me in my constituency is natural gas. It's bothered me for years. Where I am, there is natural gas wherever they dig, but it's never been put in to where the farmer can have natural gas in his home. I was glad the other day in the House when Dr. Horner said that we are on the way for natural gas to be provided to the farmers of Alberta. And I'm 100% behind it, in anything that I can do. We have a fair number of roads in, my constituency but the roads stand to be improved a great deal. And another thing I'd like to draw to the attention of the hon. Minister of Highways is that some of these roads, when they are built can be built both for tourists and for farmers if they are put in the right place. But if they are put only in the tourist's place nobody uses them the rest of the year outside the tourist season. I have a couple of roads there that have been in this category and I have brought them to the hon. minister's attention, and I hope he will review them and consider them. Now in my constituency we have many lakes and good fishing, commercial and angling. But with the last government, I did not agree when they put a hatchery down in Calgary. They put it into the big city. I figure the hatchery should have been built out where the fishing is, not in the middle of a city. Now, hunting regulations. I hope the minister will look into this and study it very carefully. I believe very deeply that the hunting regulations should be changed in many ways, both for the hunter and also for the hunted. But I do not believe that this will be achieved only by adding on more fines. I think it is something that will have to be studied with the people who know the industry and have hunted for many years. There is one other thing I would like to mention here. It is purple gas for farm trucks, which I am 100% for. But there is one thing that I cannot understand about what the last government did with that. Now, whether it has ever been brought to anybody's attention, I don't know. But if I go to town, if I run out of purple gas, and I am driving a truck, I am not allowed to put gas in that truck in town, whether it's licenced or everything else. I have to load it in the barrel, put different gas in the truck, drive it home, and then I'm free to put all the gas in that I can put in. But I think if you're allowed to burn it you should be allowed to pour it in at the filling station. Another extravagant thing that I feel has been out of date for a long time. We built a seed clearing plan in Bonnyville, we finished it this last winter, and it's in operation now. The government put in so much, the farmers put in so much, and the municipality put in so much. But in that area, in my dealing with it, I found out that there was only one contractor who had blueprints for a seed cleaning plant. Now I believe he has had these for quite a while, because that plant had not started operations before we found mistakes in it. But I say to the government that this should be looked into, there should be a government plan laid down for seed plants and stuff that we put our money into, so all contractors can bid on this without spending $5,000 which he claims his blueprints cost. This is why he could underbid the others, because he would not let these blueprints

51 March 15th 1972 ALBERTA HANSARD go. If they wanted to bid, it was going to cost them another $5,000 to have blueprints drawn up. Now I say to you that this blueprint should have been available in the government offices here, and when any contractor bid it, everyone had an equal chance, and this is where we would have saved money on our seed cleaning plant. Now I have a beef in my area and I also think it is deplorable how it has been going on, and that concerns your unemployment insurance. But I realize that our Treasurer has looked into this and he is rewriting part of it. But I believe strongly that we should look into it, and we should see to it with all the powers that we have that this won't happen again, and put people to the hardships that they were put through in this last winter. I had one case who applied in October. In January he came to my home. He had borrowed all the money he could for groceries, his rent was behind, and he said to me - 'if I can't get my unemployment insurance I don't know what I'm going to do'. So we sat down and we phoned, and we phoned, for an hour - that line was busy - busy busy. So the operator whom I kept phoning back asked me, in a not too pleasant way, if I was ever going to get done trying. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I told her that I was the MLA from Bonnyville and I said I would like a line, and I said - maybe I would have to phone and get one built in there, but I said - I want a line in there today. In two minutes I had a line, and six days later he had a cheque. Compensation is another thing that I think is very badly handled. I had a case which was in the family. Last fall, on the 27th of November, my son broke his leg on a job, but he was working in B.C. The first money he received for that was at the end of January. Now why should anybody that is paying into this fund have to wait so long for a settlement? They said right away that everything were right. Papers - everything, were all in order. But why this wait when a person has it coming? This is the thing that got me interested enough to come, to run, and to be here today. This is why I am bringing some of these things to the people here. I have one thing I should have mentioned to the hon. Minister of Highways which I think is really unique in my constituency. Now I stand to be corrected on this, but I think I have the only highway - the number is 28 - that when you are driving down it has stop signs on it, and you stop before you can go. This is a main paved highway. And right in the town of Grand Centre is an intersection which is very dangerous. I was up there last Saturday, there were twelve stopped cars one way on the highway, fifteen the other way, and the traffic behind them was going on to side roads. I think this is one of the things that has to be fixed before too long, because... DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, would the hon. member permit a question? MR. HANSEN: When I'm finished. Because I think this is the only place - now there might be more, but I haven't run into them in all the driving that I've done but when you come up Highway 28 to go to Cold Lake you stop on the highway. I would just like to say that I am very happy with the way things are going in this government, but there is one thing I would like to mention, and that is welfare. There still are a lot of people on welfare, and my belief is, if you keep people on welfare too long, their pride is gone. I would very strongly urge this government to put more money into making jobs available and getting

52 10-44 ALBERTA HANSARD March 15th 1972 the people out to work, rather than just having them sitting there on a salary that they get so involved in they don't ever want to get up and work. I haven't made any comments against the other side, they have been fairly moderate so far, but there is one thing that kind of bothers me. One of the members on the other side, the other day - it struck me as kind of funny while sitting here listening to him - when he came out with the statement that Peter may have to walk on water. This is something that struck me, so I have been thinking about it, and I think the people of Alberta have the sense to realize that when this government took over they didn't expect our Premier, Peter Lougheed, to be God, or all the members on this side to be God, and I believe that the people of Alberta realize that it's going to take time and effort and planning to overcome the mistakes that were done in the last 36 years. DR. BUCK: Mr. Speaker, will the hon. member permit a question now? MR. SPEAKER: I must leave that to the hon. member, does he wish to answer? MR. HANSEN: DR. BUCK: Go ahead. Now, Mr. Speaker, just for a point of clarification for the members of the House, it's a legitimate, honest, sincere effort to. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh! DR. BUCK: I would just like to ask the hon. member that road you are speaking about with the stop sign isn't Highway 28. Would you not think that the majority of the traffic travels between the air base and Grand Centre rather down the main portion of highway 28, and that is why the stop sign is there? MR. HANSEN: I think there should be lights put in there or a circle or something else. When you are in a hurry you are going on that highway. On a busy morning at eight o'clock there is no way that highway moves, and there's no way at five o'clock it moves. Everybody stops. The public stops. The east and west traffic goes. Now this east and west traffic, I will say, goes to an airbase which has 8,000 people, roughly, which is two miles west of there. The other road goes off and goes to the - there's quite a population with a big school and all the rest. East is the town. So there you get a flow of traffic and if you are there at 7:30 or 8 o'clock in the morning you might just as well forget it and shut the car off and wait until the traffic moves. This I don't believe is right. There should have been a circle; there should have been lights - something should have been put in there.

53

54 9-46 ALBERTA HANSARD March 14th 1972 MR. FLUKER: head: THRONE SPEECH DEBATE (Adjourned) Mr. Speaker, in rising to participate in this debate which marks the opening of the 17th Legislature, may I say at the very outset that it is indeed a great privilege and honour to speak on behalf of the constituency of St. Paul and each and everyone of the people whom I represent. This debate marks a new political era in this province, an era which marks a new approach in its administrative affairs, an era which will mark a turning point in the social, economic, and cultural attitudes of this province. May I take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your election as Speaker of this Chamber. I know your decisions will always be firm and fair, reflecting the rare qualities which you possess, knowing that you will discharge your duties, bearing in mind always the importance of preserving our system of parliamentary democracy and the necessity and desirability for full and open debate throuqhout our future deliberations. I also wish to extend my warm congratulations to my friend and colleague, the hon. Member, Mr. Bill Diachuk, on his election as Deputy Speaker. I see he is not in his seat tonight. I was indeed impressed by the remarks of the mover and seconder, the hon. Member, Mr. Mr. Peter Trynchy of Whitecourt, and the hon. Member, Mr. Cal Lee of Calgary McKnight, both of whom spoke with such sincerity and eloquence. Their contributions to this debate can only be measured as an assurance of the important contribution they will be making throughout the future deliberations of this House. I would also like to congratulate the hon. Member, Mr. Roy Farran of Calgary North Hill on his very moving speech concerning senior citizens and the steps this government is taking to improve their lot. On behalf of the constituents of St. Paul, I wish to convey to all the members of this Assembly, sincere greetings and best wishes. My constituency is one which is greatly entrenched in the industry of agriculture and it is primarily to this that I will be devoting the major part of my attention. The town of St. Paul, which is the central hub, is an active and vibrant community. It is famous for many achievements, provincially, nationally, and internationally. Perhaps it is most notable for its forward and ambitious projects undertaken during Centennial Year. Many Canadian communities spent more money, but none showed such originality or made as much of an impact as St. Paul. In fact, we are so forward looking in St. Paul, that we re already in touch with the space age. The other major communities of Elk Point, Vilna, Ashmont, Mallaig, and Lindbergh enjoy equally the benefits of people with initiative, drive and enthusiasm. Now with a government that will give us a little help, our people will show you that we have more get up and go than any other community in Alberta. My constituents have made it abundantly clear to me throuqhout my contact with them, that one of our major challenges is the survival and indeed the growth and enchantment of our rural and smaller communities and our rural way of life. However, these goals cannot be achieved single-handedly. There must be a government which is sympathetic and dedicated to the spirit of promoting and developing this part of our very diverse society.

55 March 14th 1972 ALBERTA HANSARD 9-47 And it is for this reason, Mr. Speaker, that I welcome the government's commitment to restore prosperity to the family farm. Any dispassionate economist will tell you that Alberta has a dangerous imbalance between its densely populated cities and its almost empty rural areas. And here we are in this huge province, only onethird of which is populated and two-thirds of which is still bush, and two-thirds of the people live in cities. The reason is obvious. The economic return to the farmer is too little to make agriculture attractive. Small towns suffer if the farmer suffers, and so does all of Alberta. So this government has a two-pronged attack: a $50 million fund to promote industry in small towns and a $50 million fund to restore the family farm and to provide a meaningful life to keep our young people at home. These policies will do a great deal to overcome the deterioration which was allowed to occur in large part, by the complacency of the non-sympathetic approach of the previous Social Credit administration. And that administration which grew out of the 'hungry thirties' seemed to forget that another economic depression could be a thousand times worse if all our people were on welfare in the cities. There are a number of matters, Mr. Speaker, of specific concern which require the attention of this government, which will, I'm sure be worked out within the framework of these programs (as well as others which will be adopted in the future) and conformity with the priorities as executed in the Speech from the Throne and previously by the Premier and his cabinet colleagues. First of all, I would name the relief of the property tax of the burden of our human resource programs; secondly, the guaranteed loans for such things as breeding stock to restore prosperity to agriculture. And never, might I say, has any province had a Minister of Agriculture so full of practical ideas as the hon. Member, Mr. Hugh Horner. Now the area which I represent is blessed with more lakes than any other similar geographic area in the province. And the attraction of fishing and hunting will see a future tourist development that will be truly one of our major secondary industries. I would ask the government to give serious consideration to the development of more small parks in the area, and to advance a fishstocking program which would encourage other varieties of sporting fish in the area. Mr. Speaker, the area which I represent possesses some of the finest camp grounds in Alberta. Now with official recognition of the Yellowhead Route which is just adjacent to my constituency it's shown a 20 per cent increase in traffic in the past year we will be seeing tourists moving northward in an ever-increasing number. And I must compliment my colleague Mr. Robert Dowling, the hon. Minister of Tourism, for the excellent new information centre at Lloydminster, which I am sure will be directing people northward so that they may enjoy the potential that lies waiting for them. Number four, I would say is to improve our rural road system, and bring all rural market roads up to at least secondary standards, so that our rural people can move to their market centres without difficulties in all types of weather conditions. And I might mention here, Mr. Speaker, the road from Elk Point to Lindbergh the 12- mile stretch of road leading to one of the cleanest and most thriving industries in our province, the Canadian Salt Mine at Lindbergh, a plant which produces 20 per cent of all the salt produced in Canada an industry that contributes some $90,000 per year in royalties to the province. The former administration rebuilt the road three times in the last 20 years, but never saw fit to hard-top it. And with the heavy traffic load, this road becomes very nearly impassable at different times of the year. I feel, Mr. Speaker, that this road is of such importance that it should be number one priority in our highway paving program.

56 9-48 ALBERTA HANSARD March 19th 1972 In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, this government is faced with many challenges, as we enter the second year in the decade of the 70's. And all hon. members of this Assembly are faced equally with the overall challenges within this province and within their respective constituencies. In my opinion the challenge of the St. Paul constituency is the opportunity available to develop a hub of agricultural production, processing and distribution, capable of supplying agricultural products for a growing northern economy which will develop rapidly under my government. And it is with a feeling of humility, pride and honour that I have been given the opportunity to participate in this debate and I do hope my remarks will give hon. members an insight into the potential we have in our constituency, as well as some of the problems and matters of concern which we face at this time. I look forward with enthusiasm to these challenges, and with optimism to a fresh new approach which this government is taking in so many areas. Thank you. MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, I have great pleasure in takinq part in the Throne debate and would like to extend the customary congratulations to the mover and the seconder, and to you, Mr. Speaker, on your election to the hig h post which you hold. I would like to congratulate you on the very excellent way you have been conducting your office. I'm sure it's been in keeping with the highest traditions of Speakers throughout the British Empire and we can all be proud of that. I'd also like to congratulate the hon. Premier of the province, and the members on all sides of the House who were elected at the last provincial election. It's an honour to be elected by the people, irrespective of the party to which we belong, because it also carries a responsibility in our society. And I'm sure that those of us who were successful in being elected or re-elected must feel a great deal of heavy responsibility upon our shoulders. While we may be happy to be sitting in this Chamber I think we have to remember those who were not successful at the polls who also wanted to serve. I think they deserve credit too. I'd like to say that I've enjoyed the discussions in the Throne debate and I hope that the tradition of the Throne debate will ever be a symbol of the freedom of speech found throuqhout the British Empire and throuqhout our democracy. There are those who would like to limit the Throne rebate, those who think that it may be a waste of time, that it is time-consuming, and sometimes we read editorials and hear speeches to this effect. With those I do not agree at all. I think it is the one debate evolved from the Mother Parliament of England in which any member can voice the thinking of his people, irrespective of how far to the right or how far to the left that thought might be. And this is freedom of speech. We may not agree with all those who speak, but I'm sure everyone of us would fight for the right of every member to have the right to say what he thinks on behalf of the people who sent us here. So I congratulate those who have given voice to their various thoughts in the Throne debate and no one, if he is representing the thinking of the people who elected him, has any reason to be ashamed of the points that he raises if he raises them in sincerity and with a desire to serve the people of this province and of this nation of which we are all proud to be a part. Now, Mr. Speaker, when I look at the Speech from the Throne there are some very fine things in it of which I am very proud and for which I would like to congratulate the government and those who carry office in the government. The priorities that are set out are very excellent. I don't know of anyone who would quarrel with these priorities; - the protection of human rights - this is something for