Bitumen Royalty in Kind Program/Funding for Private Schools (November 24)
Mr. Hehr: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Energy. It just appears that the left hand of his government does not know what the right hand is doing.
One minute you have a Premier saying that we believe there is an opportunity to do more upgrading in Alberta, and next we have a minister saying that upgrading in Alberta is a crapshoot. In any event, can the minister tell me: are they getting even deeper into the business of upgrading by extending the BRIK program, or are they getting out of the business of being in business?
Dr. Morton: Mr. Speaker, the record is very clear on this. This government is proceeding with the BRIK program with the North West upgrader. We’re in the process of negotiations with North West and CNRL at the moment. This is a risk-sharing operation between CNRL and North West and the government, and as I indicated in my earlier answer, it’s going to provide 8,000 jobs in construction, 600 permanent jobs, new tax base in the county, and supplies of diesel, so less chances of the recurrence of the diesel shortage that was referred to in the earlier question.
Mr. Hehr: Well, given that the Minister of Energy, well known for his firewall letter wherein he stated that Alberta should be pulling government out of the business of subsidizing business, can this minister assure us today that he’s not going to let blind Conservative philosophy get in the way of doing what is in the best interests of the Alberta people, which may well be to have our government play a larger role in bitumen upgrading?
Dr. Morton: I think what I said quite clearly, Mr. Speaker, is that I fully support and am taking responsibility for advancing the North West project. In terms of a go-forward basis I agree completely with our Premier that what’s needed now is a robust discussion of the various instruments that government has at its disposal to incent more upgrading. That’s the discussion that will be taking place in our caucus in the coming months.
Mr. Hehr: Well, Mr. Speaker, it’s good to talk not only to your caucus members. Given that it’s always important for the Minister of Energy to consult with industry players on something as major as bitumen upgrading in this province, can the minister share with us what views are being expressed to him about the possibility of the Alberta government being more involved in the upgrading process?
Dr. Morton: Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows full well, there is a whole spectrum of opinions on this subject. We receive all of them. There is a spectrum of opinions within our caucus. I think that if you paid close attention to what the Premier said in her remarks last night, she is inviting a full debate on what the options are. I think that’s one of the marks of this new government: a full policy debate about not just choosing one option and charging down that road but discussing what the options are in advance.
Funding for Private Schools
Mr. Hehr: Mr. Speaker, government should support equality of opportunity. Equality of opportunity is the principle that whether you’re born into a rich family or a poor family, you’ll have the opportunity to succeed. This is a cornerstone of any democratic, equitable society. The way governments ensure equality of opportunity is through a publicly funded and delivered education system. To the Minister of Education. Given that the Premier stated that she is concerned with the continuing development of private and charter schools and that because of these the public system is at risk of being a second-tier level of education, how is the minister going to ensure that this does not happen?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, our Premier, like me and everybody on this side of the House, we are committed to a public education system. But we are also committed to choice. The problem is what we’re hearing from the other side, this member for the last three days going out of his way trying to characterize private schools as elitist and only for the rich. As a matter of fact, that’s not the case. We have Sikh schools both in Edmonton and Calgary. We have Islamic academies in Edmonton. We have many private schools that do not cater to the rich, do not cater to the elite of Alberta but simply cater to parents who want to exercise choice.
Mr. Hehr: To the same minister: given the Premier’s concerns about the continuing development of private and charter schools what is this minister doing to address this situation given that we are creating a system that divides the wealthy from the poor and the religious from the secular? Does the minister understand that this is not developing an inclusive system?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, this member should be less concerned about the Premier’s concerns and be more concerned about facts because he is as far away from facts as he possibly can be.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, it’s not a secret. It’s a world-known fact that Alberta education is in the ranks of the top five always and usually the top three. Finland and Korea and Alberta, not Canada but Alberta, usually are the countries considered to be the leaders in education and partly because of the fact that we have choice. I choose to send my daughter to a Catholic school system. You may choose to send your children to public. Another person can send them to a charter, and the list goes on.
Mr. Hehr: Given that this government divides our children by funding private schools with public funds up to $127 million a year, will the minister cut public funding to private schools in order to act on the Premier’s concerns about the continued growth of private and charter schools?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Again, concerned about the Premier’s concerns and not concerned about the facts.
Mr. Speaker, we fund private schools only at a rate of some 70 per cent of regular funding. They build their own infrastructure. One could actually argue, if you want to use the twisted logic of the opposition, the fact that the private schools subsidize public schools because kids go to school and we don’t have to pay for the infrastructure.
Alberta Hansard, November 24, 2011