Alberta NDP News

Conservatives must be held accountable for damaging health system

2012-02-22T21:08:28+00:00

News release

For Immediate Release

Alberta's NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason says only a change of government can undo the damage to Alberta’s health system by the Conservatives."The Conservatives have had enough chances to improve our health system. Instead, they've ignored long-term care, created chaos with corporate-style management of health, and let down emergency patients in their time of need. Time is up for this Conservative government," Mason says.

Today's Health Quality Council report identifies severe issues with emergency wait times and doctor intimidation. But it does not delve into the role of Conservative politicians in the problems.

"We can and should make changes to the system to improve services. The NDP would work immediately to end the shortage of long term care beds that backs up our ERs, for example. But this Conservative government cannot be allowed to escape consequences for the mess they've made," Mason says.

"We need a clear commitment for a real public inquiry to identify the responsibilities for intimidation that are mentioned in this report, where political interference and the College of Physicians and Surgeons are clearly named."

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Seniors living under tarps are victims of Conservative government

2012-02-21T20:58:45+00:00

News release

For Immediate Release

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason is calling for immediate help for seniors whom Conservatives have left to live under a leaky roof and with poor handicap access.

“No Albertan I know would let seniors live under leaky roofs, with doors that won’t open for wheelchairs and an elevator that often breaks down. Dignity for seniors doesn’t matter to this Conservative government,” says Mason.

There’s been no action on the problems on Ward 7 A/B of the General Hospital for at least two years, ever since residents were told they’d be moved to a new facility, Villa Caritas, two years ago, according to family of one patient. But seniors were left stranded when the Conservatives moved mental health patients to the new building in order to close beds elsewhere. Roof leaks at the General were covered in a Jan. 27, 2011 news article, with Covenant health saying damage would be repaired in days. The tarps are still up.

“Conservatives have stranded thousands of seniors by refusing to end the shortage of publicly funded long-term-care beds. Premier Redford’s solution is to lift the daily living cost cap on private care beds, which don’t offer proper care or charge an arm and a leg for the ‘privilege’ of care,” Mason says. “The Conservative government doesn’t share the caring attitude of Albertans. With all our prosperity, Alberta can do better.”

Mason is calling for the government to immediately fix the problems at the General, or find the patients a new home. The government should then make public a clear plan to open more public, medical long-term-care spaces.

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Mason calls on ratepayers to send in their power bills

2012-02-13T18:39:46+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason is calling on Albertans to send in their power bills to the NDP Opposition.

“January’s power bill is a real eye popper for most homeowners,” Mason says. “My family’s bill was double what it was a year ago. I want to table as many power bills as I can to prove to this government that deregulation is hurting Alberta families.”

Mason will table the bills in the legislature. Albertans can fax them to 780-415-0701, e-mail digital copies to nd@assembly.ab.ca, or visit www.facebook.com/abpowerprices.

January’s fixed rate reached 15 cents per kilowatt hour, double what it was a year before and the highest price ever paid in Alberta. Bills for January came out last week. February power prices remain 37 per cent above a year ago.

“We won’t stop until Albertans enjoy affordable, stable power prices. We’d cap power costs at an affordable rate and make power companies justify any rate increases in front of a public utility board,” Mason says.

An NDP Opposition petition launched in January has gathered almost 1,500 signatures.

Conservatives save the suffering for after the election

2012-02-10T13:52:28+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason says the Conservatives are playing budget roulette, with the losses racking up after the next election.

“They’re hiding a big deficit by predicting boom-like economic growth and draining the sustainability fund. They’ll kick dust into Albertans’ eyes until after the coming election, when they’ll either have to raise taxes or painfully slash programs,” Mason says. “Albertans shouldn’t take this budget to the bank.”

There are $360 million in mystery cuts the Conservatives say they’ll make in the next year, but won’t say what they’ll cut.

The Conservatives have also lurched toward privatizing seniors care by cutting funding to cap-bound seniors homes by two-thirds, while increasing grants available to private facilities.

“With that sizable cut, the Conservatives are certain to raise the cap on what seniors pay every day to live in care. We know that privatization costs more money and delivers poor care. It’s the wrong priority,” Mason says.

Post-secondary students will also suffer under this budget, with $100 million in cuts to post-secondary education funding.

“Students can expect an increase in fees thanks to this Conservative budget. This is a time we should be supporting post-secondary students, not cutting funding,” Mason says.

Mason stands up for everyday priorities during spring session

2012-02-06T20:12:39+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason is calling the government to account for Albertans top priorities through the coming budget and throne speech.

“I’ll be pushing for a fair deal for Albertans – stronger public services and a stronger economy. I’m challenging this Conservative government to make life in Alberta more affordable and more prosperous, despite their terrible track record,” Mason says.

Mason says he’s looking for the following priorities in the budget and throne speech:

Protection for power consumers through freezing, then controlling changes in the price of electricity
A commitment to fill the long-standing need for publicly operated, properly staffed and equipped long-term care beds
Concrete proposals and hard targets to increase the percentage of bitumen upgraded in Alberta
Halt school closures by accepting recommendations from a recent Edmonton Public School Board report on school closures
Action on Premier Redford’s promise to raise AISH payments

“All these things can be done if a government is willing to stand up for everyday Alberta priorities,” Mason says.

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Conservatives must stop penalizing urban schools

2012-01-30T22:24:39+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition education critic Rachel Notley says New Democrats are committing to giving urban schools the funding they need to stay open, and is challenging Premier Redford to do the same.

A Edmonton Public School Board committee report outlines how the Conservative government is unfairly underfunding urban schools and identifies several ways to help prevent further school closures.

“The challenge of building community in urban neighbourhoods is complex. But the Conservative government’s refusal to act makes the cost of fixing the problem grow the longer they ignore it. Meanwhile, Alberta’s urban families pay the price,” Notley says.

The report makes clear the Conservatives pupil/space funding formula doesn’t account for the more spacious design and higher maintenance costs of older schools versus new schools. Because older schools cost more per student to operate, yet are funded the same as new schools, the table is slanted against them.

“Older schools have wider hallways. That’s not a bad thing, yet it means older schools get less funding than new schools that have less space inside because the Conservative government measures space per student,” says Notley. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Alberta’s New Democrats want to make mature neighbourhoods family friendly by keeping schools open.

Download PDF report here.

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Conservative power deregulation is Alberta’s disadvantage

2012-01-23T14:12:58+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason says the Conservatives’ power deregulation is the Alberta disadvantage for businesses and families.

“When Alberta businesses are sending workers home because they can’t afford power, it’s a sign deregulation is the Alberta disadvantage for industry,” Mason says. “Businesses want the affordable, stable power prices offered by the New Democrat plan for regulation.”

Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope shut down production for two days and send hourly wage employees home because of high power prices recently, general manager Darren Peck tells Mason. “We are completely at the mercy of power companies,” Peck says.

“With deregulation, Alberta’s Conservatives are putting power company profits ahead of jobs and business, not to mention homeowners,” Mason says. “Alberta needs an electricity system that’s focused on affordable, stable prices, not big profits for power companies. Our plan for a regulated energy market is the way to get there.”

Mason says an Alberta New Democrat government would freeze prices at an affordable rate, then make power companies publicly justify rate increases.

The Alberta New Democrat petition for electricity regulation found at ndpopposition.ab.ca/powerprices has gathered more than 600 signatures in one week.

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Mason reacts to Keystone XL decision

2012-01-19T16:54:30+00:00

“Alberta can take this time to reconsider the Conservative policy of exporting raw bitumen, which takes long-term jobs, investment and taxes out of our province.

“This is also a time to develop a national energy strategy focused on energy security and economic prosperity for Canada through increased bitumen processing and building capacity in renewable energy.”

Mason: power companies earning unreasonable profits

2012-01-19T16:37:59+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition leader Brian Mason says a review of power company profits and CEO salaries shows that deregulation is needlessly costing consumers money on their power bills.

“Even though power companies are making more than their share, Albertans are paying the highest fixed price ever for electricity. It’s time to regulate,” Mason says.

Profits of power generators in Alberta rose as much as 25 per cent between the third quarter of 2010 and the same time in 2011. Enbridge made almost two thirds of a billion dollars in just three quarters of 2011. Meanwhile, Enbridge CEO Patrick Daniel earned more than $8 million in compensation in the same year.

“Families shouldn’t be forced to become experts in markets and pricing to avoid being gouged. Power companies are taking Alberta power consumers for a rollercoaster ride monthly. Albertans want off this ride,” Mason says.

An NDP government would freeze power prices at a fair, affordable level and then require power companies to justify rate increases before a utility board.

“Regulation is the only way Albertans are going to get the fair, stable and affordable power prices they need to protect family budgets and keep businesses competitive,” says Mason.

Executive	Company	Total Annual Compensation, 2011
Don Lowry	Epcor	$2, 751, 355
Patrick Daniel	Enbridge	$8, 055, 856
Steve Snyder[2]	Transalta	$3,678,226
Gary Holden	Enmax	$2, 700, 000
Charles Ruigrok (Holden’s replacement)	Enmax	$1, 200, 000
Brian Tellef Vaasjo	Capital Power	$2,473,240
Chris Westin	Direct Energy	$1,380,000

This is what these companies earned from one year to the next:

Company	Net income by end of third quarter 2010	Net earnings by end of third quarter 2011	% Increase
Enbridge	$637, 000, 000	656, 000, 000	+3%
Transalta[3]	$50, 000, 000	40, 000,000	+20%
Epcor	$99, 000, 000	91, 000, 000	-8.7%
Enmax	$135, 000, 000	141, 800, 000	+5%
Capital Power[4]	$199, 000, 000	264, 000, 000	+24.6%

[1] Alberta Human Services

[2] Retired December 31, 2011.

[3] Comparable earnings

[4] *Funds from operations excluding non-controlling interests in CPILP

Notley: latest fracking incident exposes risk of Conservative ignorance

2012-01-17T21:17:45+00:00

Alberta’s NDP Opposition environment critic Rachel Notley is calling on the provincial government to change course and start a full study of fracking safety following a well blow out in Alberta.

“Premier Redford and her Conservative government must immediately commit to an independent, transparent scientific review of the practice,” Notley says. “The expert group made responsible for the review should be made to include recommendations on the need for a full or partial moratorium in the course of their study of their study.”

On Thursday, January 12, ERCB was alerted that oil was spewing as high as 15 metres into the air and began to take action to shut down and clean up the site. ERCB says hydraulic fracturing may have caused the blowout. This raises serious concerns as hydraulic fracturing is a practice that is predicted to exponentially increase in the coming years.

“Only an independent investigation will break the secrecy surrounding the hydraulic fracturing practice and its proliferation. Government documents leaked last August show the Conservatives are working directly with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers to sell Albertans on the ‘commercial potential’ of hydraulic fracturing even as other jurisdictions are more responsibly taking the time to study its safety. It’s time for the Government of Alberta to remember who it represents-Albertans-not the oil and gas industry,” says Notley.

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