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Week ending 5 Feb 2010 Vol 24, No 22

Feature Article: The speech from the throne confirms the government's focus on the economy and the budget; it also presages an unusually short spring sitting of the legislature and indicates that the government intends to heat up arguments with Ottawa over money. (Speech from the throne, PDF, 512 KB, Government plans for legislation this spring).

Also in this week's edition:

1. Opposition complaints about rules governing question period and other legislature procedures are usually small potatoes. If their complaints this week grab public attention, the government has a large problem on its hands. (New Democrats criticize new rules for question period, Graph showing Alberta's unique allocation of time for government members in question period, PDF, 123 KB, Wildrose Alliance criticizes new rules for question period)
   
   
2. What a poll told cabinet about Albertans' attitudes as the government's spring agenda was being set. (Government poll of Alberta attitudes on public issues, PDF, 388 KB)
   
   
3. An unexpected voice presses for more government support for charter schools. (Canada West Foundation study on charter schools in Alberta, PDF, 2.5 MB)
   
   
4. The chief electoral officer hears complaints about voter registration during an annual committee review of the five independent legislature officers.
   
   
5. This week's cabinet orders establish new financing rules for local authority elections, and highlight an internal argument over the new Alberta capital bonds.
   
   
6. The Wildrose Alliance gains another convert from the PCs; this one was widely ignored in the media but was more important than some others that got bigger play.
   
   
7. Teachers score a knockout win in their salary arbitration case - how will the government respond? (Arbitrator's decision in teacher pay dispute, PDF, 222 KB)