EDMONTON, AB (July 5, 2016): Today’s Auditor General’s report raises serious concerns about a broken workplace safety system that has been neglected for years as well as a tough reality for taxpayers surrounding the Kananaskis golf course, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
The report says that “the department [Alberta Labour] does not regularly evaluate and report whether the programs it uses to improve worksite health and safety achieve set goals and objectives,” and that it has abandoned repeated attempts to complete a Work Safe Alberta strategy – a strategy that was first approved in 2006.
“The safety of Alberta workers is paramount, whether they’re working in a shopping mall or on a construction site,” Wildrose Shadow Jobs Minister Grant Hunter said. “It’s frankly shocking that a workplace safety strategy hasn’t been completed in almost a decade. After the Bill 6 debacle, it’s even more surprising to see this government fail to move on this important issue.”
The report also clarified details around how the former government awarded contracts to rebuild the Kananskis golf course
“Wildrose has long said that government shouldn’t be in the golf course business,” Wildrose Shadow Environment Minister Todd Loewen said. “While we’re glad the Auditor General has provided transparency around this situation, we believe the previous government should have never made taxpayers liable for millions of dollars of unexpected, private costs.”