QP: CORRECTING THE RECORD: PCs miss on MLA pay, consultations, CCS and infrastructure

 EDMONTON, AB (November 8, 2012):  

PC CLAIM: Responding to a question From Wildrose Official Opposition Leader Danielle Smith about how Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk described MLA pay to a radio audience, Thomas Lukaszuk replied, “Mr. Speaker I was under the impression that up until this time we were talking MLA salary, indeed there are no added expenditures to Alberta taxpayers relevant to MLA salaries.” 

FACT: Lukaszuk on the Rutherford Show stated that “MLAs have no expenses and only have an allowance to run their constituency offices.” 

What he failed to mention on the show is that MLAs can claim expenses for: fuel expenses, car washes, housing allowances, daily session allowances, parking allowances and so forth.  

Wildrose Official Opposition Leader Danielle Smith in a move to be transparent with taxpayers has gone a step further than the PC government and has posted all of her personal expenses online. 

PC CLAIM: Responding to a question by NDP Leader Brian Mason on consultations about new legislation impacting electoral finance laws, Justice Minister Jonathan Denis said, “My office and I have met with people from the Wildrose Caucus, the Liberal Caucus, an invitation was also sent to the New Democrat Caucus.” 

FACT: As raised in a point of order by Wildrose Deputy House Leader Shayne Saskiw, the Justice Minister had never consulted with members of the Official Opposition about new legislation affecting electoral finance laws, and only provided a technical briefing.  

PC CLAIM: Responding to a question from PC MLA Jacquie Fenske on the benefits of carbon capture and storage on a new upgrader, Energy Minister Ken Hughes said there are “several benefits obviously to incorporate carbon capture in this.” 

FACT: The most recent Auditor General report indicated that there is no way of identifying whether the $2 billion dollars spent on carbon capture and storage is of benefit to taxpayers in meeting the government’s climate change policies. 

PC CLAIM: Responding to a question from Wildrose Medicine Hat MLA Blake Pedersen asking where a new Detox centre in Medicine Hat is on the PC infrastructure priority list, Health Minister Fred Horne said, “Mr. Speaker all I can say is this government and this caucus has had a priority list for some time and we presented it the weeks leading up to April 23.” 

FACT:  The PC government has never released a detailed public infrastructure priority list where Albertans can see where there infrastructure projects are ranked.              

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