Spring legislature session wraps up after partisan squabbles
Passage of climate change bill called a high point, partisan fighting seen as the low
The treatment of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne during her visit to the Alberta legislature has been singled out as the low point of a contentious and highly partisan spring session of the legislative assembly.
In a news conference after the session wrapped up Tuesday, government house leader Brian Mason couldn't resist taking some digs at the Wildrose for their behaviour towards Wynne, who was heckled when she sat in the Speaker's gallery May 26.
"The opposition has apologized and I take them at their word," Mason said. "But I think their behaviour this session speaks to what can happen when parties like the Wildrose are more focused on infighting than on the people we're all here to serve."
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Tensions within the Wildrose became visible this session, putting Brian Jean's leadership into question. Derek Fildebrandt, the maverick MLA for Strathmore-Brooks, came out the winner of a showdown that saw him suspended from caucus for three days.
Then the party was forced to apologize after nine Wildrose MLAs put their names to a blog post that linked the government's carbon tax to the genocide of millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s.
On Tuesday, Jean said the party has made changes to ensure such "bumps" don't happen again.
"We're very united as a team and we're very focused on moving forward, and truly, we've got four years to go. This is a marathon, it is not a sprint. And I think based upon the little bumps, and I consider them little bumps, I think we've done very well."
But Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark said infighting hurt the effectiveness of the Wildrose caucus.
"The Wildrose seems to be in the same situation the PCs were in their last years," he said. "They're fighting internally. So they're not focused on the job they have to do, which is to propose ideas on how to make the province a better place."
Carbon tax a highlight for Notley
The session, which started March 8, saw the government pass 23 bills, including legislation lowering interest on payday loans, standardizing pay at agencies, boards and commissions, and regulating transportation carriers such as Uber.
MLAs from all parties joined forces to pass a bill from PC MLA MIke Ellis that restricts the sale of presses used to make fentanyl pills.
MLAs also debated and passed the Alberta budget, which forecast a deficit of $10.4 billion by the end of the fiscal year. The Wildrose hammered the government for borrowing billions over the next few years, pushing the debt to $57.6 billion by 2019. They fought back against a bill that eliminated the government's self-imposed debt ceiling.
The Wildrose said "I told you so," when Standard and Poor's downgraded Alberta's credit rating.
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The controversial Bill 20, which implemented the carbon tax, was passed Tuesday after MLAs debated into the early hours. Notley called the legislation a highlight of the session.
"Climate change denial was, and remains, a dead end for Alberta," Notley said.
"I am very proud of our climate change leadership plan. It is the single most important step any government in Canada has taken to address climate change thus far. And for Albertans, it will make a big difference in their lives."
The final month of the session was overshadowed by the fire in Fort McMurray. Question period was cancelled the day after the fire forced thousands to flee their homes.
Partisan attacks cooled for about a week.
Jean, the MLA for Fort McMurray-Conklin, lost his home in the fire and spent as much time as he could visiting constituents in evacuation camps and welcoming them back when people started returning last week.
He was by Notley's side in late May when the premier announced the dates residents could returny. He broke down in tears as he spoke about the emotional toll faced by his constituents.
At Tuesday's news conference, Jean again thanked the premier and the government for keeping him informed.