Laurie in Question Period
Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Cancer Prevention Legacy Act was established in 2006. Although the government had bounced around a $1 billion figure at the time, it has failed to contribute any additional money to it beyond the initial $500 million investment. My questions are to the Minister of Finance and Enterprise. Why isn’t the government funding this cancer legacy fund as it discussed?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, that’s a very good question, and I asked about that just recently because I was reviewing the figure and noticing that there’s about $493 million left in that fund. I will be looking at this, but my understanding is that the way it was finally established by regulation enabled a declining balance subject to the use of that fund for projects related to cancer prevention and cancer research over a period of some extended years. It was really designed to be a fund that didn’t sustain itself, but frankly I think that in the examination of all of our funds we should look at the usefulness in the future.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much. I’ll follow up directly on that because, in fact, every year money is being withdrawn from the fund, and the value of the account is getting lower and lower. What plan does the minister have to correct the loss from this drawdown? Are we just going to let it be whittled away to nothing?
Ms Evans: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, it’s not nothing. It’s gone from $500 million to $493 million. I think that subject to the minister of health and the restructure of the health delivery system – as you know, there’s been considerable change there – there maybe some different ways that this cancer fund in the future can either enable that board in its delivery or it can be parceled out in different ways for prevention funding. But I think it has to be clear, first of all, who is going to use the fund and for what, and then we will come back with according amendments.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. To the same minister. Since the funds were directed to the Cancer Board, which is now disbanded and rolled under the health superboard, and the Minister of Health has now told us that there will be some unknown legislation coming that will deal with rolling it inside the health superboard, how does the finance minister assure Albertans that this legacy fund is in fact flowing through to its legislated beneficiaries? It’s in legal limbo right now.
Ms Evans: Well, Mr. Speaker, we’ve got a number of those funds that are endowments or funds to fund specific things, everything from the heritage trust fund on forward. In the examination of an investment and savings strategy I’m looking very clearly at how those funds are being used, by whom, and what kind of benefit is being accrued by Albertans. In that context, this one is truly being scrutinized very thoroughly, and we will come back with that plan in due course.
Other Sections
Youth Voice
@ The Leg
Photo Blog