Laurie in Question Period
Report on Financial and Investment Policies
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just this week we received a response to our FOIP request for the Jack Mintz report. Not surprisingly, it didn’t include anything that couldn’t have been read off the department website. Section 29 of the FOIP Act was used to exclude information because the information is public or will be public “within 60 days after the applicant’s request.” Well, we sent in our request on the first of October. So my question is to the minister of finance. Will the minister be complying with section 29 and releasing the report before November 30?
Ms Evans: I will comply with the letter of the FOIP Act, yes.
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much. To the same minister: why did this government choose to allocate $200,000 toward commissioning this report and then hide it for almost a year?
Ms Evans: Mr. Speaker, if we review Hansard on this subject for the last several months, I think I’ve been consistent in my response that we wanted to have not only time to review the contents of the report but, with the brand new electorate, at least half of our members being new, not part of this caucus when the report was first commissioned, an opportunity to ascertain what their views are and an opportunity to listen to the views of Albertans. We will be coming forward with an investment savings policy, as our Premier asked in my mandate letter, and this is a part of it.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Blakeman: Thank you. To the same minister. Well, is this report asking the government to go further in its savings plan than the government was willing to go? Is that accounting for the time delay?
Ms Evans: You know, I’m tempted to say, Mr. Speaker, that the hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre teases me. She knows that she wants to get information before I’m prepared to release it. I will release that response in due course.
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