Alberta
Letter from MLA Jason Stephan in response to United Nurses of Alberta protest
Submitted by Red Deer South MLA Jason Stephan
Today the United Nurses of Alberta (“Union”) held a protest at my MLA constituency office.
Protests should be honest; without disingenuous distortions of facts, or attacks on persons instead of policies where genuine differences of opinion may exist.
In the recent salary arbitration, the Union asked for a 3% increase. The independent arbitrator stated “no change in wage rates is justified … particularly given the prevailing general economic conditions in the Province.”
The arbitrator was right. Out of Government, Alberta businesses and families must limit spending to their incomes; in Government, public sector salaries should respect taxpayers and not impose structural billion-dollar debts and deficits upon our children. That is in the public interest.
In the recent ‘MacKinnon Report’ and supporting documents (collectively, “Report”), there is a comparison of registered nurse compensation to other provinces. Alberta nurse compensation is significantly higher than the Report’s comparator provinces: BC, Ontario and Quebec. The Report is available to all Albertans for viewing at:www.alberta.ca/mackinnon-report-on-finances.aspx
The Report also identifies that Alberta nurses receive taxpayer funded benefits more generous than comparator provinces, and certainly not available in the private sector.
As an example, I received a letter from a nurse describing how some Union members may be choosing to work part time hours in order to leverage automatic double time pay once their part time, not full time, hours were exceeded, or with work falling on “designated days of rest” or “X days”. The concerned taxpayer stated ours is “a system ripe for abuse”.
The Union appears to disagree with our Government taking steps to confront outlier benefits or restrain salaries which exceed provincial counterparts.
Our Government was elected to restore fiscal accountability and sustainability in the face of structural billion-dollar Government deficits. On the strength of the Report, our focus is on reducing the cost of services, as opposed the services themselves.
We would invite all nurses, including our nurses in Central Alberta, to ensure their Union avoids taking unreasonable positions which disrespect taxpayers or undermine a sustainable health care system. That is in the public interest.
Alberta
Official statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Energy Minister Brian Jean on the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline
Alberta
Protecting the right to vote for Canadian citizens: Minister McIver
Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued the following statement in response to Calgary City Council’s vote to extend the right to vote to permanent residents:
“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections. Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.
“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. This right extends to voters in municipal, provincial and federal elections.
“Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. Our provincial election legislation, like the Local Authorities Elections Act, has also been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens.
“Alberta’s government is also ensuring that voting is accessible for more Albertans. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot.
“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”
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