812 Alberta Hansard April 26,2011 keep people, lobby groups, and community agencies in line. It's no wonder that the Alberta Medical Assocation, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, and many other Albertans have ‘endorsed a public inquiry. Why does the Premier continue o insist, that there's nothing wrong when even former Tories are saying ‘tha your government uses intimidation? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, thats exactly i. The member istalk- ing about a former Tory, someone that has decided o join a party to the far right. He is fee to make any kind of comments inthe provinee of Alberta without intimidation Dr. Swann: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, if the Premier has nothing to hie and is 0 sre things have changed, why won't be commit ‘oa public inquiry, where senior bureaucrats and ministers can be subpoenaed 1 give evidence under oath? What are you afd of, Mr. Premier? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, once again, the Health Quality Council has begun its review. They're proceeding very quicky, and all hose physicians that may want to bring forward any issues ‘or maybe talk about improvemens to the system that may ime ‘rove patient care or acess to emergency cancer treatment ~ the Dr. Swann: How can the Premier ignore the basic fict that the Health Quality Council review i in a conflict of interest when it ‘members are appointed bythe very minister ultimately responsible forthe alleged acs of intimidation? There's a disconnect here, Mr. Premier. Mr. Stelmach: guess the hon. member doesn’t understand the ‘vo different authorities. IF we were o do the same with te public ingury, the minster would be setting the terms of reference and also appointing the members to the pubic inquiry, This isa sepa- ‘ate authority. The membership is well knowm, pus it has some of | ‘the best egal minds giving em advice. ‘The Speaker: Third Official Opposition main question. The hon ‘Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark. “Health Services Decision-making Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Me. Speaker. Here in Alberta 2 per Son's word counts fr something. When you make a promise, you kee i The Meme rized on his FC ered ding the lection to build 800" long-term care beds for our prom that ning moves Ue Ci Cee Alp al he Health Quality Council does a review of medevac services, and be ‘promised that the third way in privatization of healthcare was DOA. To the Premier: which one of these promises have you kept? (Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, all of them. In fact, 1 thought we ‘would have built about $00 continuing care beds. We're now past 1,100, and we probably will be at about 1,300 when this frst phase of construction is finished, ‘With respect othe airport I said thatthe medevac services wil not cease until such time as we hear from the Health Quality Council Tht report is imminent; that's coming forward. (OF course, the third. We've metal that was said in that ete, and that hon! member knows that ‘The Speaker: The hon. member. Dr. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Premier: given that your successors ave circling the province and your ministers refise to keep the promises you made while you were in office, how ean Albertans be sure that any of your promises wil be kept, including the minister's five-year action plan, now that your term as leader is up? Mr. Stelmach: Wel, a less he's showing confidence that under ‘my wate it wil be delivered, I suppose. Inall honesty the member brings forward important issues with respect to health. That's why T'd like to see the fist report fom the Health Quality Couneil made public. I'l be made publi wih- in three months and then the second report in six months and the concluding report in nine months. We fast-forwarded the report to be delivered, and we'll be able to earry on once al the evidence The Speaker: The hon, member. De. Sherman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister of Health and Wellness. Given that a8 an MLA you had input nto te Mazan- kowski report, Bll 11, and phase 1 and phase 2 of the Alberta Health Act, but you denied authoring i, who is directing the gov- ‘emment’s plan to Americanize our cherished public health system? Is it the “members for Calgary-West, Edmonton-Whitemud, Edmonton-Rutherfrd, Sherwood Park? Mr. Zwoadesky: Mr. Speaker, 1 don't know anything about “Americanizing the health system, He was there. Perhaps he could elucidate others on that ‘What 1 can tell you is that we have the first-ever Canadian commitment by a province o five year of stable funding, unprec- feented anywhere, and we have a Premier withthe courage 10 have delivered it, and we have the courage to make sure it hap- pens. ‘The Speaker: The hon, Member fr Calgary-Gleamore Patient Advocacy by Health Professionals Continued) Mr. Hinman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 1 know that am safe to sy that all hon. members ofthis House desire to do the right thing and thatthe Premiers atthe top of thelist. The right thing iso be ‘open and accountable. It is only a matter of ime until the Premier does the right thing and calls a public inquiry. We know thatthe top advisors to the Premier are telling him thatthe Health Quality Council can do the job, bu itis his legacy and not theirs tht i stake. So does the Premier want to be remembered asthe king of foversup or asthe Premier who cleaned up witha fll publi in- airy? Mr. Stelmach: Mr. Speaker, as I said before, the Health Quality ‘Council has begun its hearings. They'll sk for input. Once again, the Health Quality Couneil has pot together, I believe, a legal advisory commitee with some of the best legal minds and a e- smendous reputation that will give the Health Quality Council advice during this period, and that is, of couse, former Chief ls- tice Al Wachovwich and former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada ‘Anne McLellan, Mr. Hinman: Don’t let them pin you as the king of coverup. Given that both parties must agree to vaive a nondisclosure sgreement, will the Premier do the right thing and direct Health Services 16 take the first step and declare thal Uey would like to