Debates of October 25, 2006 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a couple more questions for the Premier with regard to our theme day topic today -- resource revenue sharing -- and our efforts on behalf of that file. I would like to ask the Premier what other resources that he has at his disposal to affect some progress on this file. Last week when we talked about the distribution of workload in Cabinet, the Premier shared that he carries a very heavy workload and that his desk is seldom clear of items that need to be done. That being the case, combined with what he said today about this is his highest priority, I'd like to know what other things that the Premier is engaging or using to advance this. We say if the federal government appoints somebody on a certain file like the pipeline or devolution or resource revenue sharing, we go oh, that's a really positive signal. That means that they're interested. That means this is a high priority. What do we have in our government that would signal that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly on these files I don't do it all myself. We've got a very competent negotiator who is experienced and is continuing to work for us. We've stayed with the same negotiator. He's there.

Mr. Speaker, as we need, we do hire consultant help. Again, we're careful but we would sooner pay to have a consultant give us expert advice on a particular area than take our chances on trying to just estimate it ourselves.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, of course, we have the backup of departments like our Department of Finance, we have our Ottawa office, we have our own staff of people who are working with us on it. But, Mr. Speaker, we are not going to go out and waste money hiring more experts, but we will do it where we need it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if this is the highest priority of our government, I've been in the government 11 years and I've never heard who the negotiator is in our government on the resource revenue sharing file. I don't know if the Premier wants to share the name of who that person is; maybe I'd recognize it. But I've never heard the name of whoever that person is. We also have a presence in Ottawa? How much of the workload that is ascribed to the presence that we have in Ottawa relates to this topic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard two questions. I'll answer the first one, and I apologize if the Member wasn't aware of who our negotiator was. Our negotiator is Hal Gerein. He has been our negotiator going back in the previous government, I believe. He's been there a long time. He's an experienced person who spent many years as a deputy minister in our government and has done an excellent job, in my view, for us.

The second question is how much time in the Ottawa office. They are dealing with all kinds of files there from all the Ministers and so on. But I would estimate that probably in the neighbourhood of 50 percent of their time is on issues related to devolution, resource revenue sharing, our relationship with the federal government, in those areas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to suggest to the Premier that if this…I do know Mr. Gerein, with all due respect, and we don't want to take away from the good work that he's done here at all. I had honestly forgotten about him though; I haven't seen him for a long time. Mr. Speaker, we have appointed…On the energy file for example, we appointed a very high profile Conservative. I think Peter Lougheed did some work for our government on some previous file. It seems that when the federal government appoints somebody like Harvie Andre or David Petersen or somebody like this, it's a name and a face and experience that is undeniable and recognizable. I'd like to ask the Premier if there's any appetite, or would there be any value, in engaging somebody who has an absolute proven track record, maybe a little in with the Conservative government? I don't think we're doing enough. If this is the highest priority of our government, we need to do more. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, for the Member's information, Peter Lougheed, former Premier of Alberta, has and continues to work with us on a number of files, primarily on the hydro file but he's also worked with us in other areas in terms of relationship with the federal government, and I'll continue with him.

In terms of other people, if there's suggestions, I'd like to consider this further. But definitely, if there is somebody out there who can help us move this ahead in a big way, then, yes, I'm in favour of making an investment in that person's time and reputation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I'm not trying to be too prescriptive in terms of telling the Premier what he should do. I'd like to go to Ottawa myself on this file, but I'm a little busy right now. But it is so important and I'm glad to hear that the Premier is willing to dedicate resources to this. We have 4,500 people in our public service. We have money for a lot of things and I just want to see, if this is our highest priority, I want to see the resources and the effort that bears that out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 192-15(5): Resources Necessary To Achieve Progress On Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again I'm not sure I heard a question, but, Mr. Speaker, I want to do that too and, yes, we're not going to be shy to invest money if we feel there is going to be a good return, and this is the highest priority file we have. We've got a short time frame and whatever resources we can muster out there, we need to pick up on. Thank you.