Alberta.

• Author: Rempel, Jody
• Position: Legislative Reports

Third Session of the 29th Legislature

The Legislative Assembly was scheduled to resume for its fall sitting on October 30, 2017, and adjourn on December 7, 2017. One of the items for the Assembly to consider is Bill 203, Alberta Standard Time Act, which proposes to remove the daylight savings time change in Alberta so that the province would be six hours behind coordinated universal time all year round. On October 2,2017, the Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future released its report on the Bill, which had been referred to the Committee for consideration on April 3, 2017, prior to the Bill receiving Second Reading. As part of the consultation process the Committee received over 13,500 written submissions from stakeholders and members of the public, and eight stakeholders made oral presentations to the Committee. In addition, the Committee appointed a five-member subcommittee to conduct public hearings on the Bill in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Grande Prairie. After completing its review the Committee recommended that Bill 203 not proceed. The Committee further recommended that the Government of Alberta engage with other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States to discuss a coordinated approach to eliminating the practice of observing daylight saving time. The Assembly will consider a motion to concur in the report this fall.

Caucus Composition

In July 2017, the Wildrose Party (WR) and the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta (PC) each held a vote regarding a proposal to merge the two parties into a new United Conservative Party (UCP). Party members supported the proposal, with approximately 95 per cent of the voters in each organization voting in favour of the merger, and the new UCP was registered with Elections Alberta. Most Members who were previously affiliated with the WR or PC parties joined the new UCP caucus. However, Richard Starke, MLA (Vermilion-Lloydminster), decided to maintain his designation as a Progressive Conservative Member, and Rick Fraser, MLA (Calgary-South East), who initially opted to be affiliated with the UCP, has since decided to sit as an Independent. Nathan Cooper, MLA (Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills), is serving as interim leader of the UCP until the leadership contest due to be held on October 28, 2017, determines the new leader of the party. Brian Jean, MLA (Fort McMurray-Conklin) resigned as leader of the WR and announced his candidacy for leader of the UCP.

On August 15, 2017...