Alberta Premier Alison Redford was on committee that never met
By Darcy Henton, Calgary Herald March 10, 2012
Alberta Premier Alison Redford at the McDougall Centre on February 24, 2012 in Calgary. Redford, the Calgary Herald has learned, was a member of a controversial legislative committee that never met.
Photograph by: Dean Bicknell , Calgary Herald
CALGARY - Alberta Premier Alison Redford was a member for several months of a controversial legislature committee that never actually met, the Calgary Herald learned Friday, just a day after the premier said she did not know about the "disappointing" situation.
Redford told the Calgary Herald on Thursday that she was unaware that 21 government and opposition provincial representatives have been paid $1,000 a month - a total of $261,000 annually - to sit on a committee that hasn't met since 2008.
"I did not know," she said.
But according to Hansard, the official record of the Legislative Assembly, she was appointed to the standing committee on privileges and elections, standing orders and printing on Oct. 28, 2009 through a motion in the legislature.
Her office said Friday the former justice minister left the committee in February 2010. Redford included the committee in the statement she was required to file listing all payments to provincial representatives for the year ending March 31, 2010.
In Thursday's interview from New York, she said the situation with the committee "wasn't something that connected to me at all. But it's not right."
On Friday, she told reporters that the fact provincial representatives were paid to sit on a committee that doesn't meet was "a ridiculous situation."
"It isn't the way that Albertans want politicians to be paid," she said. "It's why I asked for an independent panel to look at how everyone in the legislature is being paid."
Redford said she hopes the panel she appointed, headed by former judge John Major, will recommend a "transparent" system of pay "that isn't based on these pieces that sort of are all compiled to create a salary for different members."
"I fully expect we are going to be able to see some recommendations with respect to that but, if we don't, yes, we're going to deal with that," she added.
During last year's Conservative leadership campaign, Redford promised to "eliminate special payments for simply serving on a government committee."
Liberal provincial representative Hugh MacDonald said he checked the public record after he read that Redford didn't know about the committee.
"For her to forget she sat on that committee is amazing," said MacDonald. "I think she is embarrassed she was on the committee."
Asked why Redford said earlier this week she did not know about the committee and its lack of activity, the premier's office said Friday: "When she says she didn't remember it is probably because it never met."
"She would have had other priorities going on. A committee like this was probably the last thing on her mind," said premier's spokesman Jay O'Neill.
In 2010, the year the then-justice minister was on the standing committee on privileges and elections, Redford received $39,047 for sitting on four other committees, including Treasury Board, agenda and priorities, the government legislative review committee and the all-Tory cabinet policy committee on public safety.
O'Neill said she didn't receive any compensation for being on the privileges and elections committee.
Scott Hennig, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said it was surprising the premier was on the committee but didn't realize what was going on.
Both Hennig and MacDonald said the premier should address the future of the committee now, rather than wait for Major's recommendations.
"She can revise those committees at any time," said MacDonald. "There's nothing holding her back."
A spokesperson for the legislature Speakers office confirmed Friday that Major's report will be made public as soon as it is delivered to the speaker.
Major, who began work on his review Jan. 3, has 120 days to file his recommendations. Although he had initially said he hoped to deliver his recommendations on or before April 1, his office says they may not be ready until April 30.
Redford has said her government will accept Major's recommendations.
Calgary Herald
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
By Darcy Henton, Calgary Herald March 10, 2012
Alberta Premier Alison Redford at the McDougall Centre on February 24, 2012 in Calgary. Redford, the Calgary Herald has learned, was a member of a controversial legislative committee that never met.
Photograph by: Dean Bicknell , Calgary Herald
CALGARY - Alberta Premier Alison Redford was a member for several months of a controversial legislature committee that never actually met, the Calgary Herald learned Friday, just a day after the premier said she did not know about the "disappointing" situation.
Redford told the Calgary Herald on Thursday that she was unaware that 21 government and opposition provincial representatives have been paid $1,000 a month - a total of $261,000 annually - to sit on a committee that hasn't met since 2008.
"I did not know," she said.
But according to Hansard, the official record of the Legislative Assembly, she was appointed to the standing committee on privileges and elections, standing orders and printing on Oct. 28, 2009 through a motion in the legislature.
Her office said Friday the former justice minister left the committee in February 2010. Redford included the committee in the statement she was required to file listing all payments to provincial representatives for the year ending March 31, 2010.
In Thursday's interview from New York, she said the situation with the committee "wasn't something that connected to me at all. But it's not right."
On Friday, she told reporters that the fact provincial representatives were paid to sit on a committee that doesn't meet was "a ridiculous situation."
"It isn't the way that Albertans want politicians to be paid," she said. "It's why I asked for an independent panel to look at how everyone in the legislature is being paid."
Redford said she hopes the panel she appointed, headed by former judge John Major, will recommend a "transparent" system of pay "that isn't based on these pieces that sort of are all compiled to create a salary for different members."
"I fully expect we are going to be able to see some recommendations with respect to that but, if we don't, yes, we're going to deal with that," she added.
During last year's Conservative leadership campaign, Redford promised to "eliminate special payments for simply serving on a government committee."
Liberal provincial representative Hugh MacDonald said he checked the public record after he read that Redford didn't know about the committee.
"For her to forget she sat on that committee is amazing," said MacDonald. "I think she is embarrassed she was on the committee."
Asked why Redford said earlier this week she did not know about the committee and its lack of activity, the premier's office said Friday: "When she says she didn't remember it is probably because it never met."
"She would have had other priorities going on. A committee like this was probably the last thing on her mind," said premier's spokesman Jay O'Neill.
In 2010, the year the then-justice minister was on the standing committee on privileges and elections, Redford received $39,047 for sitting on four other committees, including Treasury Board, agenda and priorities, the government legislative review committee and the all-Tory cabinet policy committee on public safety.
O'Neill said she didn't receive any compensation for being on the privileges and elections committee.
Scott Hennig, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said it was surprising the premier was on the committee but didn't realize what was going on.
Both Hennig and MacDonald said the premier should address the future of the committee now, rather than wait for Major's recommendations.
"She can revise those committees at any time," said MacDonald. "There's nothing holding her back."
A spokesperson for the legislature Speakers office confirmed Friday that Major's report will be made public as soon as it is delivered to the speaker.
Major, who began work on his review Jan. 3, has 120 days to file his recommendations. Although he had initially said he hoped to deliver his recommendations on or before April 1, his office says they may not be ready until April 30.
Redford has said her government will accept Major's recommendations.
Calgary Herald
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
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