On behalf of all Alberta Liberal MLAs, I encourage all Albertans to take a moment today to acknowledge Human Rights Day, which is celebrated around the world to recognize the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

That includes freedom of speech, which many in Alberta hesitate to exercise because they fear they’ll lose their jobs – particularly in the public sector. A culture of intimidation exists, which is why I believe so strongly in the need for whistleblower protection for Albertans and why I’m so impressed by those that speak out despite the risk of punishment.

Here’s another example. Bill 44, forced through this past spring, jeopardizes the education our children are entitled to as stated in the Declaration by hampering the promotion of understanding, tolerance and friendship. When teachers do not have the freedom to teach an inclusive curriclum, the spirit of the Declaration is diminished.

Human rights must be fought for every day, even here in Alberta – perhaps especially here, where it is too easy to take our rights for granted. The Official Opposition will continue to fight threats to the fundamental rights of Albertans.

David

The Stelmach administration’s latest quarterly financial update is short on details but paints a compelling picture of Conservative leadership failures.

The update claimed $430 million in savings, but noted $575 million in new expenditures. It also notes that over half the Stelmach administration’s cuts are to core public services, which are vital to Alberta’s prosperity and social fabric.

A responsible government wouldn’t use its own wasteful spending as an excuse to cut core public services such as education, children’s services and health care. For Lloyd Snelgrove to claim that government has been at the public trough for ten years is true, but his administration is punishing the wrong people.

The Alberta Liberal cost savings plan takes a different approach, saving $577 million by reducing the size of cabinet, eliminating the Public Affairs Bureau, and cutting wasteful spending such as subsidies for horseracing and grants to golf courses.

If this administration were really serious about cost savings, they would take a long, hard look in the mirror and cut back on the fat. But it’s been a long time since Alberta has enjoyed that kind of leadership, and we won’t get it back until Albertans choose a different government.

David

This week, the Stelmach administration will attempt to ram Bill 50 through the Legislature. Bill 50 takes away the rights of Albertans to have a say over the construction of new electricity infrastructure. Not only is the Premier taking away your say – the Stelmach administration’s plans to build billions of dollars worth of new power lines and force consumers to pay 100% of the cost will raise every Albertan’s power bill by hundreds of dollars a year.

Call the Alberta Liberal Caucus’ toll free number: 1-888-886-2834,

Or, visit www.bill50.ca

To tell us your views on Bill 50, the importance of genuine public consultation, or rising electricity costs. Record a question you’d like us to ask the Premier or his cabinet on your behalf. We’ll ask some of those questions in the Legislature, so that Premier Stelmach and his cabinet understand that Albertans have a say in the issues that affect them.

November 11th is a bittersweet occasion, for it commemorates the end of a great war and a return to relative peace, while at the same time honouring and mourning the sacrifices of our veterans.

November 11th is a day of hope and gratitude, sadness and reflection. Though I’m not a veteran, I’ve seen firsthand the terrible human cost of war, and I share the profound hope of all human beings that one day the world will know true peace.

It may sound contradictory to say that peace is what our veterans fight for, but it is nonetheless true. For there can be no peace without freedom of expression, without human rights, without freedom from tyranny. Our veterans defended these universal human values in the massive wars of the 20th century, and they continue to do so today in wars that may be smaller in scale but no less dangerous for our men and women in uniform. Indeed, we are reminded of the human cost to our troops at regular intervals, and our hearts go out to the families of the fallen.

This Remembrance Day, I ask all Albertans to pause for a moment of genuine and heartfelt contemplation. We must all do our best to understand and respect the sacrifices of the citizens who stand up to defend us and to defend the weak and helpless overseas, and to keep the peace in the world’s most troubled regions. We have so much to be grateful for here in Alberta and in Canada, and the men and women of our armed forces deserve our gratitude.

David

Pandemic influenza is here but should not cause panic. It is similar to seasonal influenza and personal hygiene can prevent much disease.  High risk individuals must be given first access to the vaccine. Then others should be vaccinated to reduce spread.

As line-ups continue across the province today, I am hearing from many concerned Albertans about the negligence, lack of planning and shortage of resources around this important vaccination campaign.

I’ve heard from parents, who are worried for their young children and frustrated by the hours of waiting imposed on their families.

I’ve heard from seniors with chronic disease, many with disabilities, who are not able to line up for hours due to their conditions. These are the very people most at risk and most likely to benefit from the vaccine!

I’ve heard from pharmacists who are inundated with phone calls after the Minister’s announcement that 400 pharmacist’s will be available to administer the vaccine shortly.  These pharmacists have not been given any prior information and are frustrated that they cannot answer the questions being asked.

Many people have suggestions about how to make positive changes to the vaccination campaign, and I would like to acknowledge their efforts to make a bad situation better for everyone.

Bed closures in hospitals and the cutting of essential front line health care staff will certainly add to the pressures in hospitals, especially intensive care units, where official predictions are for 600 during this pandemic.  

We’ve had months to plan, and communicate yet the delivery is a mess.

In my opinion we must do the following:

1.      Open vaccine clinics immediately and give whatever vaccine exists to the highest risk people.

2.      Ensure that all vaccine available now is used ONLY for high -risk individuals – young children, pregnant women, aboriginal people and people with a chronic disease. This should have been the decision from the outset.

3.      Get the resources and staffing to get on with the job.

4.      Invite all available health professionals, including students and retired, to assist.

5.      Expand the staffing to hospitals to ensure that patients are properly treated and moved quickly to the service appropriate for their condition.

As leader of the Official Opposition, I’m calling on Ron Liepert to resign, or be fired.

Thousands of high-risk Albertans who should be inoculated against H1N1 have not had access to the potentially life-saving vaccine. After days of six-hour line-ups and inconsistent messages from both the Premier and the Health minister, the Stelmach administration abruptly shut down all of the immunization clinics on Halloween night.

The first duty of a responsible government is to protect its citizens. The Premier’s incoherent response to a serious public health problem is putting our entire population at risk.  Mr. Liepert has shown he’s not up to the challenge, and if he can’t handle a province wide flu clinic, how can he manage a complex province wide health system? He should be replaced immediately.

As nine H1N1  vaccination clinics opened their doors Monday morning in Calgary and Edmonton, they greeted thousands of people, many small children and seniors.  Line ups were long, and many “high risk” candidates were forced to spend hours standing outside as clinics were under order to “not turn anyone away.”

On Monday in the opening question period for this fall’s legislative session, I addressed this issue with the Premier and the Minister of Health.  Both the Premier and the Minister were adamant about defending their vaccination program as it stood.

This is followed by yesterday’s announcement that 11 additional H1N1 vaccination clinics will be open to Albertans in the coming weeks. It is still unclear exactly where and when they will be open. The lack of openness and real planning around this vaccination program is evidence of a government that doesn’t understand this vital service. Twelve Albertans have died from this illness already and we’ve had months to plan for vaccine delivery. This leaves many, including myself, disappointed and angry.  Seasonal vaccination programs are a regular event across the province.

At this rate of vaccination it will be Valentine’s Day before our population is fully immunized!

If I were Premier I’d make this the priority.

Please read the complete transcript from the Hansard below.

Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pandemic influenza is here.

The vaccine will save lives, and I applaud the tireless efforts of

health officials and front-line workers delivering this important

preventative measure. I myself will be getting the vaccine when I

have hours to spare. Unfortunately, there are only nine flu clinics

available between Edmonton and Calgary to cover over 2 million

people. My questions are to the Premier. With years of planning for

pandemics already completed, how is it that there are only nine

clinics providing immunization to over 2 million people in Alberta

today?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, as the minister communicated earlier,

there are specific populations that we’re asking to receive their

H1N1 flu vaccine. Over the course of time the vaccine will be

available for all Albertans, but we’re asking those that are more

susceptible to the flu to receive their vaccine today. We’ll ensure

that all other Albertans, including those that may not be at risk as

much as others, receive their vaccine in the province.

Dr. Swann: Well, Mr. Speaker, that was a real dodge.

Will the Premier actually admit that his leadership is responsible

for the lack of staff and the lack of funding for these essential clinics

in Alberta?

Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, we said many months ago that even

though the budget is under pressure, this is a priority, that we want

to ensure that all Albertans have an opportunity to receive the

vaccine. There are some that still are undecided whether they should

or not. We certainly encourage everyone to receive the vaccine. We

will do everything in our power to make sure that everybody

receives the vaccination.

Dr. Swann: Will the Premier, then, commit to opening new clinics

within days to address the backlog of individuals who need this

vaccination?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear. We’ve had a number of

discussions in this House in the past about whether or not government

listens to our chief medical officer of health and our public

health officials. This plan that was rolled out was clearly the plan of

the chief medical officer of health and public officials around the

province. For us as political members of this Assembly to interfere

in that rollout would be inappropriate.

Now, let’s make it clear that every Albertan who wants the

vaccine will receive it. They may not be able to receive it in the first

hour of the first day. We need to ensure that with limited supplies

we get it to the most vulnerable the quickest we can, and that’s the

reason for the clinics as they’re set up today.

I invite you to participate in a community consultation, hosted by the Alberta Liberal Caucus, on issues surrounding the health care system in Alberta.

October 14th

7:00-9:00pm

Cochrane  Ranche House

101 RancheHouse Road, Cochrane AB

For more information please contact Kim: 780 422-0506

David

Canada’s Senators have unanimously agreed to recognize Alberta’s Famous Five as Honourary Senators, a fitting tribute for this month’s celebration of the 80^th anniversary of the ‘Persons’ Case, which led to women being recognized as persons under the British North America Act and therefore eligible to serve as Senators. 

The Famous Five were Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards. Their fight for women’s rights and their later work as public servants helped women all over the world recognize that they need not be defined by traditional roles.

McClung also served as an Alberta Liberal MLA in the 1920s, and since then many fine Alberta Liberal women have served in the same role, including current Alberta Liberal MLAs Laurie Blakeman and Bridget Pastoor. Other prominent Liberal women include Mary Dover, Betty Hughes and Lois Hole.

Congratulations to the Senate for recognizing the heroic struggle of five remarkable women – and thanks especially to the women across the nation who keep our democracy alive through their participation and support. Here’s to the Famous Five and all who follow in their pioneering footsteps.

David