FortMcMurrayFoodBankAssociation–CandidateQuestionnaire

DonScott,ProgressiveConservativeParty

ProgressiveConservativeleaderAllisonRedfordhasstatedthatahealthysocietylooksafterthemostvulnerable.

1. Severalprovinceshavesetinmotionambitiouspovertyreductionstrategies.DoesyourpartyhaveaplantoaddresshungerandpovertyinAlberta?

AnewProgressiveConservativegovernmentiscommittedtostrengtheningsupportsforAlbertansintheirtimeofneed.OurPlanforPovertyReductionwillfocusona5‐yearplantoeliminatechildpovertyanda10‐yearplantoreduceoverallpoverty.Thiscommunity‐ledinitiativewillresultinequalityofaccesstotheeconomy,betterhealthfortheimpoverishedinourcommunity,strongerfamilies,safercommunitiesandincreasedcivicparticipation.Therearesignificantbenefitstoreducingpovertybeyondthepositivesocialimpactforthoseimmediatelyaffected.Childrenraisedinpovertyarefarmorelikelytohavelongtermhealthimplicationsandadifficulttimeinschool,whichiswhyearlyinterventionisvital.PuttingthedepartmentofHumanServicesthroughtheResultsBasedBudgetinginitiativewillresultinsavingsthatwillbedirectedtothePlan,whichwillbuildonAlberta’sSocialPolicyFramework,withconsultationsstartinginMayofthisyear."

2. WelfareratesinAlbertaarefarbelowthepovertyline.Whatwillyoudoforpeoplewithdisabilitiesandforpeopleingeneral,livingonsocialassistance?

EffectiveApril1,2012themaximummonthlyfinancialbenefitforAssuredIncomefortheSeverelyHandicapped(AISH)clientswasincreasedby$400permonthto$1,588Theprogramalsoprovidesemploymentincomeexemptionstoclientsandtheirspouses,enablingthemtoretainaportionoftheirearnings.Thethresholdsfortheemploymentincomeexemptionswilldouble,from$400to$800permonthforsingleAISHclientsandfrom$975to$1,950permonthforAISHclientswithcohabitingpartnersordependentchildren.DoublingtheemploymentincomeexemptionsforAISHclientswillalsocomeintoeffectApril1.About17percentofAISHclientsand/ortheircohabitatingpartners(morethan7,500households)reportsomeformofemploymentincome.Budget2012provides$271milliontocoverthecostofincreasingthemaximummonthlybenefitforAISHrecipientsby$400permonthanddoublingtheAISHprogram’semploymentexemptionthresholds.Thetotal2012‐13budgetfortheAISHprogramisnearly$1.1billion.CommunityagenciescontractedbytheAlbertagovernmenttoprovideservicestovulnerableAlbertanswillbenefitfromincreasedfundingoverthenextthreeyearstohelpthemrecruitandretainstaff.Staffincontractedagenciesplayapivotalrolesupportingadultswithdisabilitiesincommunityandhome‐likesettings,andthis

newfundingwillhelpcontractedagenciesattractandretainqualifiedstaffsothatourmostvulnerableAlbertansgettheexcellentsupporttheydeserve.Wewillalsobuildasinglepointofentrytoallseniorshousingandhealthservicesandprograms.Aportal,builtintotheministry’swebsite,wouldincludeinformationsuchaswaittimestogetintoasupportiveliving,continuingorlong‐termcarefacility,aswellasinformationonaccommodationcostsandservices.Thecommitmentsthathavebeenmade,whicharepartofPremier’sRedford’sbusinessplangoingforwardinclude:Apropertytaxdeferralprogramtoassistseniorswiththerisingcostsofhomeownership;TheAgingPopulationPolicyFrameworktohelpgovernmentandcommunityorganizationsmakesounddecisiononprogramsandservicesforseniors.Afully‐refundableSeniorsActivityTaxCreditofupto$500peryear,supportingseniorswantingtopursuemoreactivelifestyles,andabetterqualityoflifethroughparticipatinginthecommunity,orengaginginawiderangeofsocial,artistic,craftsandphysicalactivities.SinceAlisonRedfordwaselectedpremier,thegovernmenthasprovidedsubstantialsupportforAlbertanfamilies.InBudget2012,morethan9,000AlbertafamilieshaveneworincreasedfundingtooffsetchildcareunderthechangestotheProvincialChildCareSubsidyprogram.Thatistheapproachare‐electedPCgovernmentwillcontinuetodelivertoAlbertans.Becauseofthevitalimportanceofactingdecisivelytoprotectvulnerablechildrenandfamilies,anewPCgovernmentwillensurethattheMinistryofHumanServicesworkswiththenewlycreatedChildandYouthAdvocateOfficeoftheLegislature.TheProgressiveConservativepartywillalsocontinuetodeveloppreventionandearlyinterventionservices,includingearlychildhooddevelopment,parentingprograms,andprogramsgearedtowardpreventingdomesticviolence.Aspartofthe$53millionincreasetoChildInterventionServicesfundinginthisyear’sbudget,30newchildinterventionpositionswerecreatedtostrengthensupportforfrontlinecaseworkers.Thismovewillhelpassurebetteroutcomesforat‐riskchildren,youthandfamilies.

3. Whatisyourparty’splatformonfoodsecurityinAlberta?

Albertashouldbealeaderinadvancesinagriculture,andweneedtoexplorenewavenuestoadvanceagriculturalandbio‐technologies,andsustainablyraiseproductioncapacity.Weneedpoliciesthatwillsupportandencouragefarmerstocontinuetoleadthewayinproductiveandhightechagriculturalpractices.Weneedpredictablefundingfortechnologicaladvanceswithafocusonresearchandinnovation.Albertashouldbealeaderintheareasofanimalandhumanhealthandwelfare,foodsafetyanditstraceability,wateruseandgeneticimprovementto

cattle,grainsandcrops.Wemustexplorenewavenuestoadvanceagriculturaltechnologyandsustainablyraiseproduction.

4. Whatisyourparty’splatformonaffordablehousinginourregionandinAlberta?TheProvincialGovernmentofAlbertareleased“APlanforAlberta:EndingHomelessnessin10years”inMarch2009,anditsupportstheHousingFirstmodelastheapproachthatcommunitiesinAlbertawillusetoaddresstheissueofhomelessness.WithintheProvincialPlan,therearedefinitegoals,timelinesandfinancialrequirementsfortheProvinceofAlberta.Thekeyelementsarecenteredonfivepriorityareasforaction:betterinformation,aggressiveassistance,coordinatedsystems,morehousingoptions,andeffective.Inaddition,theAlbertaSecretariatconstructed‘basiccriteria’thatshouldbeconsideredandincludedincommunitymulti‐yearplanstoensurealignmentwiththeprovincialplan.PremierAllisonRedfordhasstatedthat"Weareproudofouraccomplishmentswiththe10‐yearPlantoEndHomelessness,andAlbertaisnowrecognizedasaleaderinCanadainitsapproachtoaddressingthisissue.WeplanonbuildingonthissuccesswithourPlanforPovertyReduction.”TheRegionalMunicipalityofWoodBuffalo(RMWB)PlantoEndHomelessnessalignswiththeProvincialPlaninitsemphasisonhousingfirstandthebeliefthathousingisabasichumanright.Informationaboutthemunicipalplantoendhomelessnesscanbefoundat:http://www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca/living_2227/Social‐Support‐Services/Asset1316.aspxTheRegionalMunicipality’sapproachtohousinghasevolvedandtheWoodBuffaloHousingandDevelopmentCorporationwasestablishedtobringaffordablehousingsolutionstoallWoodBuffaloresidentsinneed,fromsingleincomefamiliestoseniors;servicesectoremployeestothehomeless.Throughaffordablehousingdevelopmentsandtheadministrationofprovincialhousingsubsidyprograms,theyprovidepeopletheopportunitytoestablishinthecommunity.InformationaboutWoodBuffaloHousingcanbefoundatthefollowingsite:http://www.wbhadc.ca/Additionally,helpinglow‐incomeseniors,individualsandfamiliestomeettheirbasichousingneedsisapriorityfortheAlbertagovernmentandincludesthefollowingcurrentapproaches:

1.TheCommunityHousingProgramprovidessubsidizedrentalhousingforlower‐incomefamilies,seniorcitizens,wheelchairusersorotherindividualswhocannotaffordprivatesectoraccommodation.2.TheRentSupportProgramprovidesassistancetohouseholdsinneedtoobtainandmaintainaffordableandsuitablerentalaccommodation.3.TheSeniorsSelf‐ContainedHousingProgramprovidesaffordableapartmentaccommodationforlower‐incomeseniorswhocannotaffordprivatesectoraccommodation.Functionallyindependentseniors,withorwithoutthehelpofexistingcommunity‐basedorganizations,areeligibletoapply.

5. Ifelected,whatwillyourpartydo(or,whatisyourpartydoing)toenablewelfare

recipientstoentertheworkforcesuccessfully?

Currently,AlbertaWorksisadministeredbyAlbertaEmploymentandImmigration(E&I)andhelpsunemployedpeoplefindandkeepjobs,helpsemployersmeettheirneedforskilledworkersandhelpsAlbertanswithlowincomecovertheirbasiccostsofliving.Moreinformationcanbefoundatthissite:http://www.employment.alberta.ca/FCH/3171.htmlAlbertaWorksachievesthesegoalsthroughitsfourprogramareas:EmploymentandTrainingServices,IncomeSupport,HealthBenefitsandChildSupportServices.PeopleinthreegeneralsituationsmayqualifyforIncomeSupport:

Peoplewhohavedifficultyworkingbecauseofachronicmentalorphysicalhealthproblemorbecauseofmultiplebarrierstoemployment(BarrierstoFullEmployment)Peoplewhoarelookingforwork,workingorunabletoworkintheshort‐term(ExpectedtoWork)Peoplewhoneedupgradingortrainingsotheycangetajob(Learners)

PeopleareencouragedandsupportedtoworkwhilereceivingIncomeSupport.Employmentcanincreasetheirtotalincomeandprovidevaluableworkexperience.Whenpeoplereceiveongoingfinancialassistance,theykeepalloftheirwages,andonlyaportionoftheiremploymentearningsaretakenintoaccountwhentheirbenefitsarecalculated.Thisiscalledanearningsexemption.

6. Ithasbeencommentedthatsomepartiesmaybeplanningtoprivatizesocialassistanceandchildwelfare?isthissomethingyourpartyplanstodo?

IunderstandthattheMinisterofHumanServicesindicatedinOctober,2011thattheprovincialgovernmenthadnoplansatthattimetoprivatizeorshifttheprovince'smanysocialprogramsandservicestomunicipalities.

7. Ifelectedhowdoyouandyourpartyproposetoassistnonprofitsandcharitiestospendlesstimeraisingfundsandmoretimedoingtheworktheirorganizationswerecreatedtodo?

IhavebeeninvolvedwithnonprofitsasIwasaboardmemberandpastpresidentoftheUnitedWay.Ihaveseenboththeadministrativeburdenandthefinancialchallengestheyface.Ibelieveineliminatingduplicative,redundantandineffectiverulessothatournonprofitscanfocusonthecriticalworkthattheydo.PremierRedfordbelievesintheimportanceofAlberta’svibrantnon‐profit/voluntarysectorandactivelysupportsitsworkthroughtargetedprogramsandcapacitybuildinginitiatives.Financialsupportforcommunityorganizations,non‐profitorganizationsandpublicusefacilitieshasbeendeliveredthroughadiverserangeofprogramsandgrants,includingtheCommunitySpiritProgram,theCommunityInitiativesProgramandtheCommunityFacilityEnhancementProgram.