GOV'T TABLING BILLS BY THE DOZEN

Twelve Pieces Of New Legislation Cover Such Issues As Young Addicts,
Lobbyists

The mother of a former teen drug addict is applauding a bill introduced in
the legislature Wednesday that will enable the government to confine young
addicts for treatment up to three times longer than current legislation.

Audrey Holliday said the bill, which amends two-year old legislation aimed
at protecting children abusing drugs, is a good start.

The bill, one of 12 introduced on the second day of the spring sitting of
the Alberta legislature, boosts the current five-day period of confinement
to 10 days with a provision for a judge to extend it to 15 days, if deemed
necessary.

Holliday, who co-founded a group called Parents Empowering Parents, said
young people are often still craving drugs and physically ill when they
are released from rehabilitation after five days and often fall back to
their addiction.

That means some parents have had to have their children apprehended and
put through the process repeatedly -- some up to six times -- before they
beat the addiction, she said.

"When they are released after five days, they are just in a state of detox
where they are really craving," she said. "They're angry, they're really
fragile and their chances of relapse in fairly high."

She said the amendment, if passed this spring, will reduce the costs of
the system and the emotional costs on children and their families.

"The kids who have recovered from this program know they needed more
time," she said.

Calgary MLA Heather Forsyth, who introduced Bill 6 -- the Protection of
Children Abusing Drugs Amendment Act -- said parents, treatment staff and
police have suggested a longer period of confinement was necessary.

"We need the extra time," she said.

She said the amendment also calls for an increased involvement of parents,
who have to attend a mandatory information meeting about the process
before determining if there are other alternatives.

Forsyth said she has personal experience with the issue.

"When you are a parent dealing with a child that's drug or alcohol
addicted ... you just don't know where to turn," she said. "This is a good
news story."

Since the program began in July 2006, it has treated 1,530 young people,
she said.

Liberal Leader David Swann said his party will likely support the bill
provided there are adequate checks and balances to protect the rights of
children.

The province is also amending its two-year old Lobbyist Act, despite the
fact the flagship bill of Premier Ed Stelmach when he first took office
has yet to be implemented.

The bill was part of the premier's campaign vow to govern openly and
transparently, but the lobbyist registry has yet to begin operation.

The amendments will "fine tune" the bill that requires paid lobbyists to
register in an online registry that will be operated by the Alberta Ethics
Commissioner, said Justice spokesman David Dear. He said it has taken
longer than expected to begin the registry.

"There had to be a lot of work done around it," he said. "The fact is it's
complex. It's coming, but our point has always been to have an effective
registry in effect rather than a rushed one. We're taking the time to get
it right."

Tom Olsen, a spokesman for the premier's office, said Stelmach is glad the
registry is moving closer to beginning operation.

"He's very proud of proceeding with the lobbyist registry, which is the
first of its kind in Alberta," he said.

Swann said the Liberals will seek an amendment to close "a loophole" in
the act that allows lobbyists to avoid registering if they have been
invited by a cabinet minister.

"It's a huge loophole that makes the bill extremely questionable in terms
of effectiveness," he said. "We will try to raise it, absolutely -- not
that any of our amendments go anywhere."

Dear said the provision is needed because some people with valuable
knowledge or insight would be reluctant to provide advice to government if
they were required to register as lobbyists.

Other bills introduced Wednesday will enable landowners to enter into
dispute resolution processes with energy companies, allow for tougher and
more creative penalties for people who violate fisheries laws, update laws
governing marketing of agricultural products and expand the powers of the
chief medical officer of health.