PC  ALBERTA LEADERSHIP  2006


RESPONSES: Gary McPherson
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Family Life Committee – Leadership Questions – Gary McPherson Interview
Interviewed by the Family Life Committee of Alberta on Tuesday, October 3^rd, 2006


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?
No, McPherson would not re-open the marriage debate because the Supreme court has dealt with the matter and he sees no point in re-opening the matter provincially.


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?
McPherson: Yes. People should not be forced to go against their beliefs.
Question 2: Will a government under your leadership be willing to disband or curtail the power of the Provincial Human Rights commission?
McPherson: No. The HRC has done much good for the disabled, for example.


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?
McPherson: Circumstances would have to be very dire. A natural resources issue, for example could require invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.


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?
Yes, McPherson would support this, because not enough is done to involve citizens. Technology would make this easy to accomplish.


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?
McPherson: Yes. However, the Public curriculum needs to be revised considerably in order to accommodate different learning styles.


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?
No, because some abortions may be medically necessary (i.e. when the mother's life may be at stake). McPherson is concerned however, about repeat abortions. Disabilities should not be a reason to have an abortion.


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?
McPherson: Yes. Get rid of VLTs because of their addictive qualities.


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?
McPherson would not want government involvement via legislation but would allow for personal choice.


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?
Yes. McPherson would support finding innovative and creative ways to help families (e.g. income splitting).

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updated October 22, 2006