PC  ALBERTA  LEADERSHIP  2006


RESPONSES: Victor Doerksen
| html formt below | pdf format |


Family Life Committee – Leadership Questions – Victor Doerksen Written Reply
Submitted to the Family Life Committee of Alberta on Monday, October 30^th, 2006
Instead of being interviewed, Mr. Doerksen submitted written responses to the Committee's interview questions.


1. Marriage definition:
Preamble:  In order to amend the Federal Constitution, seven provinces representing at least 50% of the population of Canada must support the amendment:
Question: Will you as premier propose a motion to hold a vote within the Legislative Assembly to amend the constitution to redefine marriage as being between a man and a woman?
Doerksen's record on this matter is well documented. In 2000, he sponsored a private members bill, "The Marriage Amendment Act," which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. It also utilized the constitutional override which, in his view, kept that definition from being challenged in Alberta. The Supreme Court reference has since indicated that the definition of marriage is a federal constitutional matter and Doerksen encourages Prime Minister Stephen Harper to follow through with the commitment to have a free vote in the House of Commons on this matter.


2. Protection of freedoms legislation:
Preamble:  A Calgary pharmacist lost her job because she felt it was wrong for her to fill prescriptions for drugs that cause abortion. Nurses have been threatened with loss of their jobs, and indeed some have, because they refused to assist with abortions. Educators face the same predicaments if they refuse to teach sex education courses. A teacher in B.C. was fired because he wrote a letter to the editor regarding same-sex marriage. And the list goes on. Given that, in these cases, courts and/or Human rights Tribunals have repeatedly denied or struck down these fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Canadian Charter;
Question 1: Will you as Premier introduce or support legislation that protects all Albertans when they exercise their Charter section 2 rights and freedoms of speech, conscience, religion and assembly?
Doerksen: The above Supreme Court reference also indicated that freedom of religion provisions are within provincial jurisdiction. Doerksen supports the continued protection of those freedoms for Alberta citizens and by legislation if it becomes necessary.

Question 2: Will a government under your leadership be willing to disband or curtail the power of the Provincial Human Rights commission?
(no response received)


3. Notwithstanding clause:
Preamble:  Premiers Lougheed, Blakeney and Lyon successfully negotiated for the inclusion of the Nothwithstanding Clause in Canada’s constitution in 1981. Said Premier Lougheed: "The reason we took that decision is we believed that when it comes down to it, there must be supremacy of the elected people over the supremacy of nine appointed judges." (Quoted by Licia Corbella, Calgary Sun, Wed. Jan. 11, 2006, “Martin Shocks Drafter of Charter of Rights.”)
Question:  Under what circumstances would a government under your leadership be willing to invoke the Notwithstanding clause?
It is Doerksen's view that the Notwithstanding clause is an important part of Canada's constitution. Its use must be judicious and careful. He notes that it would be hard to say under what specific circumstances it should be invoked.


4. Citizen’s initiative legislation:
Preamble:  In many political jurisdictions, citizens are empowered to initiate legislation through means such as a petition that, if successful, would result in a binding vote on specific issues such as tax increases or gun control.
Question:  Will a government under your leadership sponsor or endorse legislation that allows for citizen-generated initiatives?
Doerksen has voted in favour of private members' bills on this matter in the past. This is a matter of democratic reform that he is in favour of bringing to the PC Party for their review, discussion and direction.


5. Education:
Preamble:  Nations from around the world have come to observe and desire to emulate Alberta’s education system for a number of reasons, including the concept of respecting parental input in the process of developing programs of choice within the system as evidenced in the large variety of school programs such as the public, separate, independent, charter and home-school options available here;
Question: Will a government under your leadership continue to support parents in their educational choices for their children?
A key element of Doerksen's platform is supporting parental roles. This includes supporting their educational choices for their children. 


6. Health funding
Preamble:  In 2005, a national poll showed that 80% of Albertans surveyed do not support taxpayer funding of all abortions. The Canada Health Act does not specify the medical services for which provinces must pay. Albertans paid for over 10,000 abortions in 2004.
Question: Do you support removing all abortion services from Alberta Health Care’s list of insured services?
Doerksen has indicated his personal agreement with this in past surveys. As leader of the Party, it is not his intention to bring this forward as a part of his leadership platform.


7. Gambling:
Preamble:  On July 1, 2000, Video Lottery Terminals were declared illegal and removed in South Carolina after state legislators reviewed multiple studies relating to the costs and complications involved with problem gambling. Other jurisdictions around the world have curtailed various types of gambling activity as a result of serious efforts to determine the social costs related to gambling.
Question:  Will a government under your leadership be willing to undertake a meaningful review of the latest studies related to problem gambling and take appropriate measures to restrict or eliminate harmful gambling activities as other jurisdictions have done?
Doerksen would be in favour of slowing the proliferation of gaming opportunities for our citizens. 


8. Euthanasia:
Preamble:  As a result of laws passed in specific European nations, there has been an increased call for “right-to-die” legislation by some in this country.
Question:  What will a government under your leadership do if the Federal Government adopts “right-to-die” legislation and suggests it has to be implemented nation-wide?
Doerksen: The best response is to develop practical and compassionate approaches to dying such as hospice care so that this does not become a question. 


9. Provincial incentives for families:
Preamble:  Governments in various jurisdictions have implemented policies designed to foster a family-friendly culture that ultimately benefits society and can help to increase the dangerously-low birth rate we are experiencing in this province and nation. Government initiatives have included financial bonuses for having more than one child, increased funding available for child-care or education to be used at the parents' discretion, the elimination of health-care premiums, and the implementation of a more favourable tax status for families.
Question:  Will a government under your leadership implement policies designed to reduce the financial burden for a stay-at-home parent household and to promote a family-friendly culture in this province?
Under Doerksen's policy platform, he has indicated several specific initiatives to support all parents in the care choices they choose. They include a direct payment to parents, helping low income parents provide physical recreational activities for their children and tax incentives for elder care.

| for more information, see Mr. Doerksen's web site |
| return to Family Life Committee's PC LEADERSHIP home page |

--
updated October 30, 2006