The Weekly Roundup - December 1, 2023

COP28 is underway in the United Arab Emirates, with a strong showing from both the Alberta and Federal governments among the 70,000 anticipated attendees, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and federal cabinet ministers. Environment Minister Steven Guillbeault, who is expected to release a framework for an oil and gas emissions cap while at the conference.

Below, you’ll find a recap of Alberta government legislation introduced and debated, and the top federal and provincial stories of the week.

​​Top Federal Stories of the Week

1. So much for Pharmacare legislation being introduced by the end of the fall session. A key plank of the Liberal and NDP’s confidence-and-supply agreement, both the governing Liberals and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have stated that while the two sides continue to work on negotiating the language of legislation, the work won’t be done before the House of Commons sitting’s scheduled end in two week’s time.

2. After a strong fall session with a united caucus, the past two weeks have seen some unforced errors from the Conservative opposition that will have them wanting to regroup and return the focus to the economy and affordability for Canadians. The first instance is an example of if you’re explaining, you’re losing. The CPC caucus has voted against updating the Ukraine Free Trade Agreement because it supports carbon pricing, despite the legislation being supported by Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. The CPC also drew negative attention this week when Conservative MP Rachel Thomas asked Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to answer questions in English at a parliamentary committee.

Top Alberta Stories of the Week

1. On Thursday, Finance Minister Nate Horner released Alberta's mid-year fiscal update and economic statement, and in a news conference emphasized the province's economic resilience and fiscal responsibility. The surplus for 2023-24 is forecasted at $5.5 billion, a $3.2 billion increase from the budget. The update shows forecasted growth for key economic indicators, as well as an increase in projected spending. Bitumen royalties are projected to come in at a whopping $19.7 billion.

Despite the good financial fortunes, Minister Horner is preaching fiscal discipline, pointing to the budgetary “guardrails” established in legislation as guiding the province’s budget-making decisions. At least half of any projected surplus must go toward debt repayment, while the other half is directed to a newly established “Alberta Fund” for later allocation. This legislated restraint is meant to limit year-over-year increases to the size of government or its operations.

2. The Premier is taking her Sovereignty Act out for a test drive, introducing a motion in the Legislature this week in response to the federal government’s proposed federal clean electricity regulations (CERs). The motion seeks to challenge the proposed CERs in the Alberta courts, and to explore the feasibility of creating a electricity crown corp to build baseload power as a last resort should the private sector find operating under the federal CERs too risky.

3. The UCP government was able to celebrate some wins in the energy file this week, with the Alberta Carbon Capture Incentive Program announced, methane reduction targets met, and Dow Chemical’s $11.5 billion net-zero ethylene cracker project with subsidies from the provincial and federal government approved by the company’s board.

Government Legislation Recap

There’s one week left on the Legislature’s scheduled sitting calendar, and a motion to hold night sittings next week to push through the remaining pieces of legislation. One additional housekeeping bill is on the Order Paper, and could be introduced Monday: 

Bill 9 Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2023: Hon. Mr. Schow

Bill 1:​​ Alberta Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Third Reading passed on division November 7, 2023
Notes: Bill 1 fulfills a campaign promise from Danielle Smith to require approval from Albertans on any increases to personal or corporate income taxes through a referendum. The bill will also stop the present day or any future government from reducing personal income tax bracket thresholds or basic personal, spousal and equivalent-to-spouse credit amounts without a referendum.

Bill 2: Alberta Pension Protection Act
Stage: Second Reading passed November 29, 2023
Notes: The legislation is associated with the UCP government’s current exploration of an Alberta Pension Plan (APP). If passed, it would enshrine in legislation that Albertans must vote in favour of an APP during a public referendum before the government withdraws assets from the Canada Pension Plan, contribution rates under an APP would be the same or lower than current rates, an APP would provide the same or better benefits, and ensure that the entire asset transferred from the CPP to Alberta would be to set up and operate an APP.

Bill 3: Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Third Reading passed November 23, 2023
Notes: Building on legislation that was passed unanimously in 2019, this legislation would strengthen Alberta’s legal case against companies and their consultants that contributed to the creation of the opioid addiction crisis in Alberta,

Bill 4: Tax Statutes Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Third Reading passed November 23, 2023
Notes: Bill 4 extends the government’s fuel tax break to the end of 2023, provides clarity on the collection and remittance of Alberta’s tourism levy, and updates several technical and administrative aspects of Alberta’s tax system. 

Bill 5: Public Sector Employers Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Committee of the Whole passed November 30, 2023
Notes: If passed, the legislation would change the compensation governance structure for non-union employees at entities currently governed by the Reform of Agencies, Boards, and Commissions Compensation Regulation. The change is intended to alleviate the challenges public-sector employers have been facing recruiting and retaining staff because the current regulations do not account for inflation or evolving labour market conditions.

Bill 6: Public Health Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Third Reading passed November 30, 2023
Notes: The amendments to Section 29 of the Public Health Act would provide clarity about who is responsible for decisions on public health orders during a declared state of public health emergency. ensuring that cabinet and cabinet committees would have the discretionary authority to make final decisions.

Bill 7: Engineering and Geoscience Professions Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Committee of the Whole passed November 30, 2023
Notes: Present day legislation restricts the use of the term “engineer” so that only those who are registered professional engineers can use the title. Bill 7 would make amendments to make it allowable for the term “software engineer” to be used broadly to help attract skilled tech sector talent. 

Bill 8: Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2023
Stage: Second Reading passed November 29, 2023
Notes: The omnibus legislation touches on a number of different areas, including suspending investigations by the ethics commissioner during the period leading up to a general election (a recommendation from Alberta’s Ethics Commissioner), move dollar limits and rules for elected officials receiving gifts into regulation rather than legislation, clarify the definition of incapacitated person, make it easier to understand the requirements of Albertans acting as personal representatives in the administration of an estate of a deceased person, establish streamlined trials to replace the summary trial process for civil and family matters in the Court of King’s Bench, temporarily increase the maximum number of terms a justice of the peace can serve, and increase the number of judges in the Court of King’s Bench Act to reflect the current size of the court.