Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier said in her emergency debate that we are not defined by our hopes and wants but by our actions.

I disagree. Albertans are defined by their hopes and wants and actions, and they want a safe public health care system. By not calling a public inquiry under the Public Inquiries Act, the Premier stands in the way of the truth, improving the lives of our seniors, cancer sufferers, mentally ill, and all Albertans waiting in the waiting rooms. Does the Premier want to be defined as a flip-flopping promise breaker, or will she . . .

The Speaker: The hon. the Premier.

Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, we are doing the right thing. We’re introducing legislation that’s going to allow for a public inquiry that’s independent, that’s judge led, that can compel witnesses. That’s going to ensure that we have a strong public health care system that serves Albertans.

Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, the Premier’s answers are confusing because I have these articles saying that she promised a public inquiry, not a public relations exercise and a delay exercise as we already have the tools in place under the Public Inquiries Act to call the inquiry. Did the Premier really call for a real public inquiry, or are her comments in all of these recently tabled articles wrong?

Ms Redford: What we’re doing as a government is entirely consistent with what I said that we would do. We are having an inquiry. It will be public. It will be independent. It can be judge led, and it can compel witnesses. Mr. Speaker, it can also ensure that a council that understands the issues related to health care is involved in the inquiry, and that’s what matters to Albertans.

Dr. Sherman: Mr. Speaker, the only thing that’s consistent here is that the government is consistently breaking its promises. Given that the Premier’s promise is well documented in these articles, news reports, and even her own website, will the Premier just end the charade and the confusion and say plainly whether or not she will call a public inquiry today under the Public Inquiries Act, and if so, when?

Ms Redford: The only person who seems to be confused is the Leader of the Official Opposition. We have been very clear, Mr. Speaker, that the most important piece of work in this legislation is that this inquiry will be fully independent, and we’ve put legislation in place that I hope this House passes so that we can ensure that public health care is supported in the province.

The Speaker: Second Official Opposition main question. The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition.

Mental Health Services

Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here is another confusing issue. When questioned yesterday about kicking the mentally ill to the curb, the Premier said that opposition questions undermine the independence of provincial offices and institutions. Apparently, democracy under her rule is when everyone just shuts up and does what she says. Immediately after taking office, the Premier made political coronations that meddled in the ruling of a quasi-judicial body, the AUC. Isn’t the Premier’s interference in the regulatory process more dangerous to independence? How much more of this can Albertans expect as her reign continues?

Ms Redford: Well, Mr. Speaker, there’s no doubt that that was a confusing question. I’ll try to answer both parts of it. What I’ll say is that we have a regulatory structure in this province that allows for independent decisions to be made. I respect that process and in no way interfere with that process.

The Speaker: The hon. leader.

Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only confusing thing is what one minister says and what the Premier says. Given that questioning the Premier is clearly thought of as dangerous to her democracy and our democracy and our provincial institutions, doesn’t the Premier think it’s equally dangerous not to understand the difference between having competent management staff and giving them the resources that they need to do their job so that you don’t have to kick the mentally ill Albertans, as stated in this memo, to the curb?

Ms Redford: Mr. Speaker, I believe we’re now talking about mental health issues. Again, I’m very happy to speak about that. They’re very important to Albertans. One of the issues that came up yesterday subsequent to question period was comments from a Dr. Owen Heisler, who is the medical director for Edmonton zone, who made it very clear that there has never been anyone discharged to the streets who may have had issues that needed to be dealt with around mental health and the health care system.

The Speaker: The hon. leader.

Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s clear that there are many psychiatrists who have been discharged out of their profession and out of this province and country. Given that over three years ago the Auditor General recommended properly implementing the mental health plan, creating better standards, accountability, funding, planning, and reporting of mental health services – and the list goes on and on – at a time when the Premier was in charge of SafeCom, why didn’t this government take these recommendations seriously before Albertans were kicked to the curb? In light of this evidence what’s the Premier and the government going to do to rectify this?

Ms Redford: The Auditor General’s report, which has been the topic of this week, actually refers to the fact that a number of the recommendations that have been made with respect to mental health care and services for people that might have mental health care issues had been acted on in every respect. There was progress made on all of them, Mr. Speaker. I would remind the hon. House that as a government we’ve introduced the safe communities initiative, which has brought mental health beds to every community across this province that identified a need. In addition to that, we’ve seen a very active mental health plan that has begun to address these issues overall in rural communities.

Alberta Hansard, November 24, 2011

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