The Weekly Roundup- June 6, 2022
On June 1, the Bank of Canada increased its policy interest rate by half a percentage point to 1.5%. Inflation, affordability and the cost of living are likely to be main topics of discussion during the UCP’s leadership race. In sharp contrast to those affordability discussions will be what the province should do with the windfall of money going to the province’s coffers with royalty revenue that could reach as much as $24 billion in just the next year alone. You can read Jason Markusoff’s column on the subject here.
Speaking of the UCP leadership race, there are now five registered leadership contestants who have filed with Elections Alberta, though you would be forgiven for only having heard of four of them. Our apologies to Amisk Mayor Bill Rock, but the four main contenders are Brian Jean, Todd Loewen, Danielle Smith and Travis Toews. So far, all leadership contestants are from outside of Calgary or Edmonton. We continue to wait and see what the parameters of the race will be from the UCP’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee.
To deal with Travis Toews’ resignation as Finance Minister to run in the leadership, Environment Minister Jason Nixon has stepped in to also become Alberta’s Acting Finance Minister.
Meanwhile, the NDP official opposition has spent the past week acting as though the election is set to be held any day now rather than in a year. Rachel Notley’s NDP held a series of policy platform announcements including reviving the STEP summer jobs program, is running TV ads in the Calgary market and will have all candidates nominated by the end of the summer.
Doug Ford saw his PC government receive a second mandate in Ontario last Thursday and in the process saw both the LIberal and NDP opposition leaders resign on election night. Political organizers in Alberta will take note of the record-low voter turnout of 43 per cent and see if any lessons about political apathy are applicable. One other lesson that should be taken away? Spend less time on Twitter.
Below, you’ll find a recap of government announcements made and Orders in Council passed since our last edition.
Government of Alberta Announcements
A new Premier’s council will guide Alberta’s action in response to the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
The governments of Alberta and Canada marked the beginning of construction on a new $24.8-million housing project that will provide homes for seniors in Spirit River.
An $81-million increase in home care funding will pay for one million more hours of care in 2022-23.
The Alberta Jobs Now program opened its third and final application intake on June 3 with about $90 million in total funding available.
The UCP government is investing $500,000 annually for two years to provide support to Albertans with disabilities and their families to enable them to open an RDSP.
Beginning in December, DynaLIFE Medical Labs will provide community and non-urgent hospital lab services in communities throughout Alberta after a new service agreement with Alberta Health Services, DynaLIFE and Alberta Precision Laboratories was finalized on June 1.
Alberta’s government is investing an additional $113 million to provide targeted supports for students experiencing both academic and mental health challenges related to the pandemic.
The UCP government is providing $1.8 million in operational funding over three years to Platform Calgary for the Innovation Centre.
Enoch Cree Nation just west of Edmonton will offer approximately 3,000 publicly funded orthopedic surgeries annually in a new chartered surgical facility.
Premier Jason Kenney issued a statement in response to the joint announcement of drug decriminalization between the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia.
Alberta’s chief firearms officer Teri Bryant and Justice Minister Tyler Shandro issued a news release regarding the federal government’s new legislation focused on handguns in Canada.
A new Respectful Workplace Policy for political staff in the Government of Alberta has been released after a review of human resources policies.
A new cross-ministry action plan informed by the Child and Youth Well-being Review charts a path forward to support children and youth affected by the pandemic.
Amendments made to the Business Corporations Act in November were proclaimed on May 31 that will make it easier for businesses to operate in Alberta.
The Premier was on hand to mark the expansion of the neurosciences intensive care unit that will more than double the number of current ICU spaces at the University of Alberta Hospital Brain Centre.
Orders in Council
OC 151/2022: Makes the Food Amendment Regulation to allow dogs on patios in the province.
OC 152/2022: Proclaiming the Business Corporations Amendment Act, 2021 in force on May 31, 2022.
OC 153/2022: Makes the Business Corporations Amendment Regulation.
OC 154/2022: Makes the Tariff of Fees (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation extending the expiry to June 30, 2025.
OC 155/2022: Makes the Charter Schools Exemption and Application (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation extending the expiry to August 31, 2024.
OC 156/2022: Makes the Order Amalgamating the Town of Black Diamond and the Town of Turner Valley to form the Town of Diamond Valley.
OC 157/2022: It’s Back to the Future. Effective January 1, 1955, amends the Ministerial Order dated December 9, 1954 to alter the boundaries of the Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61.
OC 158/2022: Making some headlines, this OC rescinds the appointment of Nancy Laird as chair of The Governors of Athabasca University; appoints Byron Warren Nelson as chair of The Governors of Athabasca University for a term to expire on May 24, 2025.
OC 159/2022: Appoints Ruby Littlechild as a member of The Board of Governors of Red Deer Polytechnic for a term to expire on May 24, 2025.
OC 160/2022: Makes the Student Financial Assistance Amendment Regulation including new language for students with disabilities.
OC 161/2022: Effective July 13, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Collin P. May as a member of the Alberta Human Rights Commission; effective July 14, 2022, reappoints Collin P. May as a member and designates him as Chief of the Commission and Tribunals of the Alberta Human Rights Commission for a term to expire on July 13, 2027.
OC 162/2022: Rescinds the appointment of Brendan Miller as a member of the Alberta Review Board; effective June 1, 2022, reappoints Dr. Jane McCruden as a member of the Alberta Review Board for a term to expire on May 31, 2025; appoints Patty P. Ko as a member of the Alberta Review Board for a term to expire on May 24, 2025.
OC 163/2022: Rescinds the designation of Christine S. Enns as Chair of the Law Enforcement Review Board; reappoints Kevin Kelly as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board and designates him as Chair of the Law Enforcement Review Board for a term to expire on May 24, 2025; reappoints Glen Buick as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board for a term to expire on May 24, 2025.
OC 164/2022: Effective May 30, 2022, designates Judge Clifton Gould Purvis as Assistant Chief Judge of the Edmonton Region of The Provincial Court of Alberta for a term to expire on May 29, 2027.
OC 165/2022: Orders remission in respect of certain tourism levy payments and interest.
OC 166/2022: Appoints Bonnie Andriachuk, employer organization nominee, nominated by the Minister responsible for the Joint Governance of Public Sector Pension Plans Act, as a member of the board of directors of the PSPP Corporation for a term to expire on April 30, 2025; appoints Kerry Swann, employee organization nominee, nominated by the University of Alberta Non-Academic Staff Association, as a member of the board of directors of the PSPP Corporation for a term to expire on April 30, 2025.
OC 167/2022: Effective June 15, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Tiffany Poltz as a public member to the council of the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists.
OC 168/2022: Effective June 15, 2022, appoints Gary Christopherson and Tiffany Poltz as public members to the council of the College and Association of Respiratory Therapists of Alberta, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 169/2022: Effective June 15, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Gary Christopherson as a public member to the council of the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta.
OC 170/2022: Appoints Dustin Schinbein as a public member to the council of the College of Midwives of Alberta for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 171/2022: Appoints John Jossa as a public member to the council of the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 172/2022: Appoints Lisa Evren as a public member to the council of the Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 173/2022: Makes the Rural Utilities (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation extending the expiry to September 30, 2025.
OC 174/2022: Effective July 1, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Frank Anderson, representing the interests of workers, as an appeals commissioner to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act and reappoints him, representing the interests of workers, as an appeals commissioner to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act for a term to expire on April 30, 2025; effective July 1, 2022, reappoints Gia K. Wong, representing the interests of employers, as an appeals commissioner to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act for a term to expire on April 30, 2024; effective July 1, 2022, reappoints Gregory Kelly, representing the interests of workers, as an appeals commissioner to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act for a term to expire on April 30, 2024; effective July 1, 2022, reappoints 2 persons, representing the interests of workers, as appeals commissioners to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act, each for a term to expire on April 30, 2025; effective July 1, 2022, reappoints 3 persons, representing the interests of employers, as appeals commissioners to the Appeals Commission under the Workers’ Compensation Act, each for a term to expire on April 30, 2025.
OC 175/2022: Proclaiming the Municipal Government (Firearms) Amendment Act, 2020 in force on June 1, 2022.
OC 176/2022: Effective July 1, 2022, reappoints 6 persons as members of the Land and Property Rights Tribunal, each for a term to expire on June 30, 2025.
OC 177/2022: Appoints Johan Bolton as a member of The Board of Governors of Northwestern Polytechnic for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 178/2022: Appoints Roy Weasel Fat, to succeed Anita Heuver, as a member of The Board of Governors of Olds College for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 179/2022: Makes the Administrative Penalty (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation extending the expiry to June 30, 2024.
OC 180/2022: Makes the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta) Regulation.
OC 181/2022: Proclaiming section 7 of the Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 in force on June 30, 2022.
OC 182/2022: Makes the General (Extension) Amendment Regulation adjusting Alberta’s contribution to the public transit and green project infrastructure act payment schedule.
OC 183/2022: Makes the Authorities Designation (Expiry Date Repeal) Amendment Regulation.
OC 184/2022: Makes the Critical Infrastructure Defence (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation extending the expiry to October 31, 2024.
OC 185/2022: Makes the Interprovincial Subpoena (Expiry Date Repeal) Amendment Regulation.
OC 186/2022: Effective July 12, 2022, appoints Peter Gordon Barber as a justice of the peace and designates him as a part-time justice of the peace for a term to expire on April 17, 2027.
OC 187/2022: Effective July 4, 2022, appoints Sunita Chowdhury as a justice of the peace and designates her as a full-time justice of the peace for a term to expire on July 3, 2032.
OC 188/2022: Effective July 12, 2022, appoints Maria Gallo as a justice of the peace and designates her as a full-time justice of the peace for a term to expire on July 11, 2032.
OC 189/2022: Effective July 4, 2022, appoints Denis Lefebvre as a justice of the peace and designates him as a full-time justice of the peace for a term to expire on July 3, 2032.
OC 190/2022: Effective July 4, 2022, appoints Emanuel Vomberg as a justice of the peace and designates him as a full-time justice of the peace for a term to expire on March 17, 2026.
OC 191/2022: Effective July 1, 2022, appoints Peter Sherstan as acting Ombudsman.
C 192/2022: Rescinds the appointment of Geri Bemister-Williams as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board; appoints Victoria Foster as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board for a further term to expire on May 31, 2025; appoints Joshua I. Selby as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board for a term to expire on May 31, 2025.
OC 193/2022: Effective July 1, 2022, appoints Peter Sherstan as acting Public Interest Commissioner.
OC 194/2022: Proclaiming the Captive Insurance Companies Act in force on July 1, 2022.
OC 195/2022: Makes the Alberta Investment Management Corporation Amendment Regulation regarding the process for recommending individuals to fill vacancies on the AIMCo Board.
OC 196/2022: Makes the Captive Insurance Companies Regulation.
OC 197/2022: Makes the Insurance Enforcement and Administration Regulation.
OC 198/2022: Makes the Recovery of Insurance Administration Costs Regulation.
OC 199/2022: Makes the Captive Insurance Companies (Prescribed Enactments) Regulation.
Upcoming Events Calendar
June 28, 2022: New West Public Affairs presents Alberta Relaunch
September 10, 2022: New CPC Leader announced