Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, my questions will be to the Minister of Justice. The previous two Premiers received payments and benefits that raise serious concerns about the risk of conflict of interest; the case of True Blue, for example, a company solely set up to pay the former Premier.

To the minister: is there any government policy or legislation that prohibits or restricts interest groups or corporations or individuals from paying money or other benefits to a Premier of this province that are in addition to the Premier’s salary and party benefits?

Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, again, we’ve been answering these questions for a week, a week and a half now. I can explain, if the hon. member needs me to explain again, that we have things such as the Conflicts of Interest Act. We have a Chief Electoral Officer, who’s an independent officer of the Assembly. We have an Ethics Commissioner, who’s an independent officer of the Assembly. We have a Lobbyists Act. We have all kinds of provisions for disclosure. Our government is fully compliant. This Premier is fully compliant. I don’t think anything more needs to be said.

Dr. Taft: Well, Mr. Speaker, given that there are holes in the legislation as big as this Assembly, let me ask this: as long as these payments are generically disclosed with no detail other than being, quote, over $5,000 per year, is there any limit on the value or nature or source of these potential payments?

Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, again, we’ve got the legislation there. It provides for full disclosure. No more needs to be said.

Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, I don’t think this minister knows his own legislation. Is there any government policy or law that prevents a shell company being established, collecting unknown sums of money from unknown sources and paying these to a Premier of Alberta in such a manner that their specific source and value are never known to the public? It certainly seems to be what’s happening.

Mr. Olson: Mr. Speaker, with respect, I’m trying to be polite here. This member first of all didn’t know that a report had been filed and a discussion paper filed with the standing committee on leadership finances. He also doesn’t seem to know what the legislation says. I’ve explained to him generally what the legislation is, but I’m not going to sit here and read it to him. I also want to make a little point about private business. It is not the responsibility of this minister to look into private business.

Mr. MacDonald: Point of order.

Mr. Olson: This member has offended my department by suggesting that lawyers are somehow unethically appointed. There is only one way a lawyer gets appointed by this government, and that is if they are professionally competent and have professional expertise. This member should be ashamed of himself for . . .

Speaker’s Ruling

Legal Opinions

The Speaker: There was an interjection there for a point of order. If it has anything to do with providing a legal opinion, that will not be dealt with by the chair because Beauchesne 408 clearly says that members in asking oral questions will not ask a question that requires an answer involving a legal opinion.

Alberta Hansard, December 6, 2011

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