November 2nd
Keith Gerein - Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - Provincial opposition parties say the Redford government is neglecting its promise of improved transparency by refusing to provide a list of people invited to a series of budget consultations this week with cabinet ministers.

While the government insists anonymity helps to ensure a free flowing and unrestrained discussion, opposition leaders say secrecy indicates the consultations are little more than a public relations exercise designed to solicit opinion the Conservatives already hold.

“We want know who is influencing government decisions, so it’s disingenuous for Premier Redford to, on one hand, say she is for open and transparent government, and then oversee a process that is a complete farce,” Wildrose party finance critic Rob Anderson said.

“They don’t want Albertans to know who they are talking with. It’s another closed-door, backroom decision-making process.”

Finance Minister Ron Liepert and Treasury Board president Doug Horner started a three-day tour of the province Tuesday to hear views on spending priorities for the 2012-13 budget. At each of the seven stops — Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Lac La Biche, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Calgary — they are holding closed-door discussions with a group of 30 to 50 people selected by a cabinet minister from the region.

Horner defended the process, saying the invitees represent a broad section of people rather than just Conservatives party supporters, donors or lobbyists.

He said representatives from the building trades were at the Edmonton session Tuesday, although all invitees are asked to represent themselves instead of their various organizations.

“We’re not stopping anyone coming out of the room from talking to the press,” Horner said. “We’re not trying to hide the fact that were there. It’s not up to us to identify these people when we haven’t asked their permission to do so. What we have asked them to do is to give us good information in a focus group setting.”

Horner said people not invited to the sessions can make a written submission to the government, or fill out an online survey (www.alberta.ca) that asks how best to apportion the province’s money among priorities such as health care, education and transportation.

He said the session participants are essentially being asked the same questions as those filling out the survey. The intention is then to compare the data received from both sources.

“What were hearing so far (in the discussions), and I’m throwing out a hunch here, is probably going to be very close to what we’re going to see on the online survey,” Horner said.

Anderson said he has no doubt the results will mirror the budget priorities outlined by Redford in her state of Alberta speech to the legislature last week.

“It’s not a consultation, it’s a PC pool party. They are inviting their buddies to come sit down with them behind closed doors and saying that is somehow consultative,” he said. “They will talk with these groups they have put together and magically they will affirm everything Alison Redford said she would do.”

Liberal MLA Hugh MacDonald said Redford essentially pre-empted the consultations last week, since her speech illuminated the government’s intended direction. He said the province’s finances are doing well enough that he expects the government to increase spending just before the next election, which Redford has indicated will come in the spring.

“They are pretending to be open, but really they already know what they are going do.”

Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor said it’s not believable for the province to suggest the written and online submissions will be given equal weight to the opinions given in the discussions with the ministers.

“The vast majority of Albertans are being asked to weigh in online or write down their thoughts, but that is not a consultation,” he said. “So it’s disconcerting to see the premier, I believe was elected as a woman of her word, unable to put through the agenda that she professed to support when she was running for leadership of the party.”

If the province wants to conduct legitimate consultation, all Albertans should have the same opportunity through an all-party committee that holds public hearings, NDP Leader Brian Mason said.

Horner said the province doesn’t have much time before the budget has to be prepared, so the consultations must be done quickly. He said results from talks and survey will not be published, but reflected in the budget.