Thread by @MBellefontaine

Right now at the legislature -- the estimates for executive council, the ministry headed by Premier Jason Kenney.

NDP Leader @RachelNotley is there.
So is @jkenney #ableg

@RachelNotley @jkenney Here is the video link.

assemblyonline.assembly.ab.ca/Harmony/en/Pow…

#ableg

@RachelNotley @jkenney Kenney starts off with a ten-minute address talking about the ministry's estimates in the budget.

He says the new ESG office will transfer $2M and 11 FTE staff from Energy to Executive council. #ableg

Notley begins by asking about why contracts for political staff making more than $100 K have not been updated on the public page. Kenney commits to that.

#ableg

She runs through the number of contracts for staffers not on the page, including Ben Harper.

She is hoping they get posted online.

Kenney says he will take a look at that. What criteria are. #ableg

Notley moves on to severance entitements in contracts.

Kenney confirms that his former chief of staff, Jamie Huckabay received severance. #ableg

Notley runs through what Kenney said about Huckabay's travel to UK over Christmas. That Huckabay told him he was going on the "way to the airport." #AbLeg

Notley says Huckabay's assistant was arranging for overseas phone travel on Dec. 16th.

Huckabay also received an email on Nov. 24 about ministers' plans. #ableg

Kenney says Huckabay came into his office a "few days before Christmas" and said he was going to London, England.

kenney said he should have told Huckabay not to go.

About Allard, he learned about her trip to Hawaii on Dec. 29
#ableg

Notley says it's new that Huckabay knew about ministers' vacation plans...she says it is strange that he should qualify for severance, if he withheld this information from Kenney. #ableg

Kenney says they got advice that Huckabay should receive severance.

Part of employment contracts, he says. #ableg

UCP MLA Miranda Rosin raises point of order. Says repetition and doesn't see a line item in the budget.

remember ...the clock keeps running on the opposition question time when these points of order are raised. #ableg

Notley is told to move on by UCP MLA Nate Neudorf, who chairs the committee.

She wants the premier to clarify his statement. #ableg

She says Huckabay should not have qualified for severance under contract terms.

Kenney said he was given advice to provide severance and that's what he did. #ableg

Notley moves on to Kenney's COVID isolation in November (because he was exposed to a postiive case).

from 12th to 24th of Nov, she wonders why the cabinet committee didn't meet (they FOIPed Kenney's schedule). This is when cases went up. #AbLeg

Kenney says the EMCC committee (emergency covid committee) no longer meets...responsibility shifted to another cabine committee. #ableg

Notley wonders what "executive time" means in his schedule. There was a lot of it.

POINT OF ORDER called again by Miranda Rosin, wonders how this relates to the budget. #ableg

Neudorf says this is not a point of order.

Kenney says he is told he chaired a bunch of cabinet meetings in that period.
he is told executive time means he was spending a lot of time on the phone, online meetings. He was isolating at his Calgary home. #ableg

Notley moves on to the COVID outbreaks at Cargill, documents says former director of comms and issues management staff, asking what should be said in Hinshaw's briefings. #ableg

Notley says she is troubled issues manager director seemed to be "issue managing for Cargill."

Talking about age of deceased, and life outside of the plant. #ableg

Kenney says not sure about the question.

Claims little knowledge about staff conversations.

He says Hinshaw talked about potential for transmission outside of Cargill plant. #ableg

Notley was warned again to keep it to the estimates.

So she leaves that issue there.

#ableg

Notley asks where we can see the money for the referendum on equaliazation.

Another ministry, Kenney says, We'll get back to you on that. #ableg

Kenney says govt hasn't yet decided on a referendum on a move away from CPP. Experts still evaluating.

Final decisions later this spring. #ableg

Notley asks about the "mini Alberta embassies" to be set up in Ottawa and Montreal.

Kenney says, yes they wanted to have offices for advocacy. But COVID got in the way. #ableg

Notley now asks about former CPC MP James Rajotte who was asked to be Alberta's rep in Washington.

She says Rajotte's contract not posted nor is it on the sunshine list. #ableg

Kenney says Rajotte's position has existed in Washington for 25 years. Not just to deal with KXL.

He summons his DM Ray Gilmour to answer. #ableg

Gilmour says Rajotte's contract will be on the sunshine list.

Ok...Notley wonders why is contract wasn't posted in May or Dec. when sunshine list if updated. #ableg

Kenney says Gilmour will find out why Rajotte's contract isn't there.

Rajotte has travelled back and forth between Alberta and Washington. #ableg

Gilmour follows up on the rules. Rajotte's contract should appear on the sunshine list posting in June. (he started last May). #ableg

Notley moves on to job creation numbers. #ableg

She asks about federal money for job creation which expires at the end of March and the province hasn't spent.

She wants to know why it is in the 2021 budget.

Kenney says they have asked Ottawa to roll it over into the next fiscal year. expects it will be granted. #ableg

Notley says it is "sketchy" that the money was put into the 21-22 budget when the govt still doesn't know if Ottawa will approve the request. #ableg

UCP MLAs get to ask questions for 20 minutes. These are typically not very hard-hitting. #ableg

Notley back now.
Asking about job numbers touted in news releases. #ableg

Notley wondering how the govt will spend the $500 Million contingency fund set out in the budget. #ableg