Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani outlined the legislative lineup and its benefits in her speech from the throne on Feb. 22 to open the third session of Alberta’s 30th legislature. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Alberta’s 30th legislature

Jobs and health care focus of Alberta throne speech

Feb 22, 2022 | 4:03 PM

Provincial government officials say Albertans will benefit from legislation this spring to help create jobs, improve health care, keep streets safe and support the most vulnerable.

Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani outlined the legislative lineup and its benefits in her speech from the throne on Feb. 22 to open the third session of Alberta’s 30th legislature.

Bill 1, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Recognition Act, celebrates the 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign. The proposed bill would recognize this historic milestone by recognizing Albertans who have helped change this province for the better through volunteerism, public service and community leadership.

If passed, government officials say this legislation would:

• Establish awards and scholarships to recognize young Albertans who are leaders in their communities and in the arts.
• Establish a one-time Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal to recognize 7,000 Albertans who have made significant contributions to society.

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

4h ago

eyes up

Air Spray training around Red Deer Regional Airport

5h ago

Prevention, Access, Recovery, and Coordination

Safe Harbour officially hands over shelter keys, establishes accessible navigation hub

23h ago

Highlights of the throne speech include:

• Creating jobs by moving forward with Alberta’s Recovery Plan – a plan to create jobs, diversify the economy and create opportunities for every Albertan.
• Addressing cost-of-living pressures through a gas rebate program.
• Building health-care capacity so hospitals are better prepared for potential future waves of COVID-19.
• Accelerating the Alberta Surgical Initiative to reduce surgical wait times caused by COVID-19.
• Strengthening protection for Alberta students by ending the conflict of interest that allows the Alberta Teachers’ Association to investigate its own members.
• Expanding school choice by creating more charter schools and improving support for existing charters.
• Increasing prenatal financial aid to mothers receiving AISH and Income Support.
• Implementing recommendations to improve palliative care.
• New legislation to modernize the electricity market.
• Legislation to better protect the public from individuals on bail, probation and parole.
• Legislation to reform and modernize the financial services sector by allowing reinsurance.
• Red tape reduction legislation to advance the goal of eliminating one-third of the provincial government’s regulatory burden.
• Other legislation this session will take action on recommendations from the Police Act Review and the Human Trafficking Task Force.
• Recognizing Alberta’s unique heritage, in part by naming the Terrace Building after Chief Poundmaker and erecting a memorial to the victims of residential schools on the legislature grounds.

“This session begins at a critical time for Alberta. We are carefully lifting COVID-19 health restrictions and we’re seeing a strong economic turnaround that is bringing jobs and investment to our province. The government’s spring legislative agenda will seize this opportunity and firmly establish Alberta as the best place in the world to work, live, start a business and raise a family,” said Premier Jason Kenney.

According to Kenney, the upcoming sitting of the legislature will focus on health care and a plan to double the number of surgeries done in private facilities.

Kenney says the aim is to boost the number of private operations to 30 per cent from 15 per cent over two years, but notes they would all be paid for by the public health-care system.

He says the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated existing inefficiencies and drawbacks in the health system, including Alberta having the fewest number of intensive care beds per capita of all the provinces.

Lakhani says the province will be introducing a natural gas consumer rebate program to help Albertans cope with rising utility costs.

The government will also bring in the 2022 budget on Thursday, and it’s expected to bring better news than past years, given soaring oil and gas revenues.

(With files from The Canadian Press)