ALF V1

2005 October Submission Federal Labour Code Part III Review

EDMONTON - A labour group is accusing Alberta of boosting spending on public relations while cutting spending on environmental monitoring.

The Alberta Federation of Labour says since 2003 the provincial government has cut the amount it spends on environmental monitoring, compliance and enforcement by 26 per cent.

During the same time the federation says spending on public relations went up 54 per cent.

AFL President Gil McGowan says the province now leaves most of the monitoring work to industry.

He says recent reports by scientists on water quality downstream of the oilsands shows the industry is not well-equipped to keep tabs on itself.

Alberta Environment officials were not immediately available for comment.

Metro News (Canadian Press), Thurs Sept 24 2010

EDMONTON - The Alberta Federation of Labour says spending on public-sector monitoring of the environment has dropped precipitously in the years that investment in oilsands developments has rocketed.

Their analysis found a 26-per-cent drop in spending on monitoring, compliance and enforcement, and a 54-per-cent increase in spending on public relations since 2003.

Gil McGowan, the federation's president, said they had been hearing from unionized public-sector workers that resources in Alberta Environment had been cut to the bone

Budget documents show Alberta Environment spent $27 million on monitoring, enforcement and compliance programs in 2003, while this year's budget projects spending of $20 million, McGowan said.

"We're not only concerned about the public-sector jobs that have been lost or which were never created as a result of these spending cuts, but we're also concerned about the message that this sends to Albertans and people in markets that buy our products, especially energy products. If the Alberta government was really serious about monitoring the environmental impacts of oilsands development, they would have been spending more, not less, on monitoring."

The issue of proper monitoring has come up repeatedly in the last few years, particularly during the last nine months, as scientists from the University of Alberta released peer-reviewed research that showed oilsands development is contaminating the surrounding watershed. David Schindler, the foremost scientist associated with the research, has called for Environment Canada to increase its involvement in the monitoring of the Athabasca River and the Peace-Athabasca Delta downstream.

Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice said he is responding to these calls.

"From my perspective, we have to have good data, and the only way to make sure we are getting that is to bring in the best scientists we have in this country, get their advice on how we should do the monitoring and then we will go from there," he said Thursday. His department is finalizing the membership of a panel that will look at the monitoring.

Alberta Environment spokeswoman Erin Carrier said it's easy for the AFL to cherry-pick line items from a complex budget to support its agenda.

"It is disingenuous to misrepresent information in this way. In no way has Alberta Environment reduced our commitment to monitoring. And our own numbers show that we spent more than $50 million in 2010 in these areas, so that's up from about $37 million in 2003, according to our numbers."

Carrier said because air, land and water monitoring is performed by staff across Alberta Environment, it isn't restricted to just one division.

"When they say cherry-picking, whenever you look at a budget you cherry-pick the line items that are relevant, right?" McGowan said. "So there has been a particular line item that has been consistent over the period, going back to 2003, which says monitoring, reporting and innovation. That's the main one we've used. But we also threw in the numbers for compliance and enforcement. So we added those two together to come to our total."

McGowan said that while spending on environmental monitoring was going down, the amount spent on public relations was going up dramatically, from $717,000 in 2003 to $1.1 million for 2010.

"What that suggests to us is that the government was more interested in spending money on spin-doctoring than on actually monitoring the impacts of development in the province."

Carrier said the increased budget is largely due to the creation of the ministerial correspondence unit.

Edmonton Journal, Thurs Sept 24 2010
Byline: Hanneke Brooymans

AFL analysis shows Alberta government's real priorities − calls for public investment in environmental monitoring and enforcement

Edmonton - The Alberta government decimated program spending on environmental enforcement, compliance, and monitoring while massively boosting spending on public relations in the Ministry of the Environment (Alberta Environment), a new analysis by the Alberta Federation of Labour showed today.

The analysis found a 26% drop in spending on environmental monitoring, compliance, and enforcement and a 54% increase in spending on public relations since 2003.

The AFL examined actual program spending, contained in annual Budget Estimates documents for Alberta Environment, back to 2003. Alberta spent $27 million on monitoring, enforcement, and compliance programs in 2003. Budget 2010 projects Alberta Environment will spend $20 million this year.

The Communications line for Alberta Environment grew from $717,000 in 2003 to $1.1 million for 2010.

The picture is even worse if one counts spending by the Minister and Deputy Minister on their personal offices. Spending by the Minister, Deputy Minister, and Communications ballooned from a combined total of $1.4 million in 2003 to a projected $2.2 million in 2010, a 57% increase.

The budget for monitoring and enforcement dropped steadily during the 2003-2007 oil-sands boom. As Alberta was approving hundreds of oil-sands-related developments, they quietly chipped away at their own ability to monitor the environmental effects of development.

"As federal environment minister Jim Prentice pointed out last Friday, Alberta has privatized environmental monitoring, leaving most of the work to the industry," says Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"We should not be surprised that the science is now showing that industry is not well-equipped for self-monitoring in the oil sands," continues McGowan.

"Environmental monitoring, compliance, and enforcement belong in the hands of public employees working for Alberta Environment. Public funding for monitoring, inspections, and enforcement is the only way to instill public and international confidence in Alberta's oil sands.

"Yet another expensive PR campaign is not the way to ensure the long-term development of the resource for all Albertans," concludes McGowan.

Graphs and sources for the AFL's Environment Budgets Analysis are contained in the attached backgrounder.

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Media Contact:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour @ 780-218-9888 (cell)

Backgrounder

Graphs:

1. Alberta Environment Spending, Office of the Minister, Deputy Minister and Communications, 2003-2010
2. Alberta Environment Spending on Monitoring, Compliance & Enforcement, 2003-2010
3. Alberta Environment Spending on Communications, 2003-2010

 

2010 July Submission to Minister's Advisory Committee on Health Final Report: Alberta Health Act

Alberta gained more full-time jobs in August, but its unemployment rate nudged up 0.2 percentage points in August to 6.5 per cent, seasonally adjusted figures from Statistics Canada showed Friday.

Full-time employment increased by 10,900 in the province, but part-time jobs fell by 15,600 from July for a net loss of 4,700 -- Alberta's first since March.

The labour force, or those available for work, rose by 1,300 people over July.

Most of August's lost jobs came in manufacturing, health care and social assistance and finance, real estate and leasing.

Compared with the same time last year, when the unemployment rate was 7.3 per cent, Alberta has gained 29,000 jobs and the labour force has grown by 13,500 people.

The Alberta Federation of Labour seized on unemployment rates falling in British Columbia and Saskatchewan while staying flat in Manitoba.

"It is clear the government's hands-off approach is not working," federation president Gil McGowan said.

Counting discouraged workers and involuntary part-timers, Alberta's real unemployment rate is 9.2 per cent, the federation said.

"Employment growth in Alberta has continued to lag behind that of the country as a whole in 2010," ATB Financial economist Dan Sumner said.

"Since the beginning of the year, total employment in Alberta is up by only 8,600. This compares with a much more impressive gain of 334,900 jobs nationally."

But a survey released this week suggests that Alberta's job creation could soon pick up, he said. The results from staffing firm Manpower showed employers here and in Calgary and Red Deer are near the top for expected hiring intentions in the fourth quarter, after spending much of the year in the bottom half.

In Edmonton, 20 per cent of employers surveyed plan to hire for the upcoming quarter. None anticipate staffing cuts.

The local jobless rate held steady at seven per cent, compared with 6.9 per cent in July. Calgary's rate in August was 6.7 per cent.

Nationally, a better-than-expected 35,800 jobs were created in August after a decline the previous month that economists have attributed to a decline of 65,000 education jobs just as the school year ended. Most economists had expected about 30,000 new jobs in August.

However, the unemployment rate edged up 0.1 points to 8.1 per cent as more people entered the labour force, the federal agency said.

Full-time jobs were up 79,900, with Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador making the biggest gains, the agency said. Part-time employment fell by 44,100.

There were job gains in professional, scientific and technical services, and natural resources.

Losses came in manufacturing; business, building and other support services; and information, culture and recreation, Statistics Canada said.

Although 396,300 jobs have been created since August 2009, the agency said, gains in July and August averaged 13,000 -- a big drop from average monthly increases of 51,000 during the first six months of this year.

Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Capital Markets, said the "underlying story" in the latest numbers "is on the soft side of expectations and consistent with a broader loss of momentum in the Canadian economy."

Canada's economic recovery has been slowing after an initially strong rebound from the recession. Gross domestic product expanded by an annualized two per cent in the second quarter of this year; the Bank of Canada had forecast a three-per-cent increase.

Edmonton Journal, Sat September 11, 2010
By Bill Mah

The latest unemployment numbers were released Friday.

Statistics Canada reports Alberta's jobless rate rose from 6.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent, well below the national average of 8.1 per cent..

However, the Alberta Federation of Labour says the real unemployment rate in our province is closer to 10 per cent.

The president of the Alberta Federation of Labour says jobless stats don't tell the whole story.

Gil McGowan tells 660News the numbers released by stats can exclude a large group of people. He says real unemployment rate includes those who have dropped out of the labour force, and those who have involuntarily taken part-time work when they want full-time work.

McGowan says the Stelmach government dropped the ball when it came to recession stimulus spending, and that's why Alberta's recovery from the economic downturn continues to sputter.

iNews 660, Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:53:19 AM
Kevin Usselman

After a mid-summer improvement, Alberta's jobless rate increased during August. At 6.5 per cent - up from 6.3 per cent in July - it remains lower than the nation's 8.1 per cent average.

But while nearly 11,000 people found full-time work in Alberta, employment officials reported Friday, 15,600 part-time jobs were lost. With students heading back to high schools and post-secondary institutions across the province, a shortage of part-time work opportunities this fall could worsen student finances for young people who weren't able to earn much over the summer. Elsewhere across Western Canada, however, the employment picture continued to brighten.

Saskatchewan remained the leader, improving to 4.8 per cent in August.
And Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, urged Alberta's government to do more to stimulate this province's economy.
"Alberta's economy is nowhere near as robust as the rest of the western provinces," he said Friday. "It is clear the government's hands-off approach is not working."

In its monthly report, Statistics Canada pegged Manitoba's jobless rate at 5.6 per cent, unchanged from a month earlier, while British Columbia remained highest at 7.3 per cent.

By contrast, StatsCan put southern Alberta's rate at 6.5 per cent while Calgary's was higher at seven per cent. A month earlier, the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat area's rate was reported at 6.9 per cent - the same as August 2009.

Greater swings were recorded elsewhere in Alberta, including a spike in the Fort McMurray region (from 4.9 per cent in July to 5.8 per cent a month later) and a drop in Red Deer region (down to 4.8 per cent from 5.6 per cent in July).

Nationally, StatsCan said the economy created 35,800 net new jobs during August, but that gain was overshadowed by the fact even more Canadians were actively looking for work.

With an estimated 1.5 million job-ready Canadians out of work, there were more calls for for Ottawa to extend the program that expanded Employment Insurance benefits by five weeks. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has called the rollback a "mistake," and the federal Liberals have also asked the Harper government to consider new stimulus.
The Canadian Labour Congress said Friday that once "discouraged workers" are factored in, the underlying unemployment rate is 11.6 per cent.

"The federal government is walking away from workers and their families at a time when unemployment remains high and the economic recovery is fragile," CLC president Ken Georgetti said.

In Alberta, McGowan said, the "real unemployment rate" is 9.2 per cent - up from 8.6 per cent in June. That figure reflects the number of people who need full-time work but can only find part-time hours, as well as those who repeatedly apply for jobs without success.

McGowan said Canada's "official" rate is based on "a much narrower calculation," covering people who are receiving employment insurance or who are engaged in job-search programs.

"What economists often refer to as the ‘real' unemployment rate captures those who have dropped out of the labour force entirely, those who are working part-time due to unavailability of hours or full-time options, and those waiting to go back to a job after a layoff," he said.

While the province's private sector has been slow to create full-time jobs, McGowan added, the provincial government has frozen hiring and laid off at least 300 public employees recently.

At Alberta Employment and Immigration, officials pegged the total workforce at 2,003,900 men and women, down from 2,008,600 in July. Losses were reported in the manufacturing, information, culture, recreation and public administration sectors.

But provincial officials noted job gains in oil and gas, mining, construction and trade sectors.

Lethbridge Herald, Fri Sept 10 2010
Byline: Dave Mabell

Edmonton - As Alberta's official unemployment rate edges up to 6.5%, the Alberta Federation of Labour released figures showing Alberta's "real" unemployment rate - including discouraged workers and involuntary part-timers - is much higher at 9.2%.

Alberta's "real" unemployment rate has grown substantially from just two months ago. In June, the real unemployment rate was 8.6%.

Canada's "official" unemployment rate is based on a much narrower calculation of people receiving Employment Insurance benefits and those engaged in any sort of job search. What economists often refer to as the "real" unemployment rate captures those who have dropped out of the labour force entirely, those who are working part-time due to unavailability of hours or full-time options, and those waiting to go back to a job after a lay-off.

The "real" unemployment rate is Statistics Canada's so-called R8 unemployment rate - available from Statistics Canada only for a fee.

Today's release of Alberta's official unemployment rate - 6.5 per cent in August 2010 - shows our province edging up 0.2 percentage point over July. Alberta is the only western province where unemployment went up - rates went down in B.C. and Saskatchewan and remained the same in Manitoba.

"Alberta's economy is nowhere near as robust as the rest of the western provinces," says Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour. "It is clear the government's hands-off approach is not working," continues McGowan, noting government has laid off at least 300 public employees and frozen hiring. At the same time, Alberta's private sector has failed to create full-time jobs, resulting in the slowest job growth in Canada, highest commercial bankruptcies, and the highest social assistance caseloads since 1997.

The Alberta Federation of Labour represents over 140,000 workers across the province.

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Media Contact:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour @ 780-218-9888 (cell)

Say 'No' to private health care!

• At 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 10, those who value public health care can join a rally organized by Friends of Medicare at the facility operated by the Health Resource Centre (HRC) at #1, 1402 8th Ave. N.W., Calgary. In case you missed it in the news, HRC is the private health care provider that has filed for bankruptcy and required a bailout of millions of dollars from taxpayers. For more information on the rally ... and for the FOM blog, click here ...

Reforming broken revenue system vital to Alberta's future

• The global economic news is gloomy and it's clear that Alberta's recovery from the recession is still on shaky ground. The problems have been compounded by a broken revenue system that is dependent on volatile resource revenues. It's time for a grown-up conversation on how to fix our revenue system. For more information ...

McKesson Canada strike in Edmonton is over

• After 66 days on the picket line, members of UFCW 401 at McKesson Canada in Edmonton are going back to work, after voting to accept a memorandum recommended by the union that included significant pay raises and improvements in vision and dental care. For more information ...

Canada Malting workers on strike in Calgary

• Members of UFCW 1118 who work at Canada Malting began a strike on August 24, after voting 80% to reject the company's final offer. Please join them on the picket line. For more information ...

Urgent Action

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Labour movement urged to help Pakistan flood victims

• The Canadian Labour Congress, in co-operation with the Canadian Red Cross, is working to provide an easy way for union members to make a donation to help flood victims in Pakistan and instantly receive a tax receipt. The federal government will match individual donations until Sept. 12. From now until Sept. 30, 2010, you can make a secure donation by clicking here ...

Events

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• September 5, 2010 - Calgary Pride Parade, 8th Avenue and 8th Street SW, Calgary

• September 6, 2010 - EDLC Annual Labour Day Barbeque, Giovanni Caboto Park, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• September 6, 2010 - CDLC Annual Labour Day Barbeque, Calgary Olympic Plaza, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

• September 10/11, 2010 - CDLC Municipal Election Training Workshop. For more details ...

Did you know ...

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The following provisions and protections are in existing health acts the Alberta government wants to replace with the Alberta Health Act:

• the prohibition on the operation of private hospitals;
• the limits to and conditions on the provision of private surgical services;
• Doctors opting in or out (not practising in both the public and private systems);
• prohibited fees; and
• the prohibition of queue jumping.