Today’s throne speech clearly outlined what local MLA Don Scott will be handling as an associate cabinet minister.
It said Scott will handle the revamping of the province’s freedom of information laws, as well as whistleblower protection.
Scott says he’s excited.
“The section that dealt with our ministry was opened up with the following paragraph,” he read. “It said: ‘Your government will promote trustworthy leadership that genuinely takes Albertans’ concerns to heart, and establish openness and transparency as guiding principles.’ That’s a really important statement.”
He also says the throne speech’s announcement of the creation of an office in Ottawa for the province is a major development for the oil sands.
“That is a very major development for our region,” he said. “We affect all of Canada. What happens in our region literally translates across Canada, so we need to be at as many government tables as possible, and we need to make sure that we’re having a meaningful impact.”
He also says one area near the end of the speech stood out to him.
“It said ‘most importantly, the government will get out of Albertans’ way so they can unleash their creative potential, and build a prosperous province’,” he recalled. “Fort McMurray and our entire region is just such a place of opportunity, that that really struck me.”
The speech also referred back to promises of a new environmental monitoring system for the oil sands, as well as AOSTRA 2 which will fund technological research in the area.
Published May 24, 2012
