Wildrose Alliance Party Leader Danielle SmithTodd Korol/The Globe and Mail
After 31 days, the Alberta Legislature wrapped up its spring session Wednesday, leaving opposition parties crying foul and accusing the government of cutting short debate.
The spring session is traditionally the longest sitting of the legislature in Alberta, a chance for the province's 15 opposition MLAs to grill the long-ruling Progressive Conservative majority government, which has 68 MLAs, on spending and programming.
The opposition had been doing just that, slamming the government for flip-flops on issues such as oil and gas royalties and foster care funding.
And though the session was scheduled to run until June 3, the government ended it Wednesday, saying its members will spend the next six months in their ridings.
"They're running scared," said Danielle Smith, leader of the upstart Wildrose Alliance, viewed as a major threat to the PC voter base. "The government doesn't want to be held to account in the daily Question Period."
Short sessions are nothing new in Alberta, where the PCs have ruled for 39 years. Over the past decade, the Alberta Legislature has sat an average of 52.6 days annually, according to numbers compiled by Keith Brownsey, a political scientist at Calgary's Mount Royal University.
Ontario, meanwhile, sits an average of 88 days, and only the territories and Maritime provinces average a lower total than Alberta.
"It really diminishes democracy," Prof. Brownsey said. "It's part of the reason we have such low voter turnout, we have a diminished press gallery, no one pays attention to politics - the government can go out and do what it wants without scrutiny."
The provincial Liberals, who form the Official Opposition, and the New Democrats also objected to the short session.
"This was not an efficient use of time. We did not focus on serious issues that Albertans are concerned with," Liberal Leader David Swann said.
"The short session is simply the government treading water, and they're being swept towards the crest of a waterfall," NDP Leader Brian Mason said. "We think it's clear the government is out of ideas."
Dr. Swann also told reporters Wednesday that he approached Mr. Mason about not running competing candidates in the next election, only to have the idea shot down.
Such a move would presumably aim to avoid splitting votes in right-leaning Alberta.
"We've talked about it, and the New Democrats are not interested," Dr. Swann said.
Mr. Mason said that's because while NDP votes may become Liberal votes, Liberal votes don't necessarily switch to the NDP.
"What I told David is we're planning to run a complete slate in the next election," Mr. Mason said.
On Tuesday evening, the government swiftly wrapped things up and passed third reading of seven bills, including Election Act revisions and a bill banning body armour. More significant projects, such as health-care and education bills, will be put off until the government's return on Oct. 25.
"We'll have a strong fall session," said Dave Hancock, the Government House Leader and Minister of Education.
Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec are all scheduled to sit between 40 and 51 days this spring, well ahead of Alberta.
The government also introduced only 16 spring bills, down from 52 in the spring of 2009, making for what Mr. Mason called a "very skimpy" 2010 agenda.
"I think democracy is in a pretty sad state in Alberta," Ms. Smith added.
Premier Ed Stelmach told reporters only a day earlier he wasn't sure when the session would end and that the decision was up to the province's few opposition members - a statement Prof. Brownsey called "absolutely absurd" as a majority government can end a session at its discretion.
"This is all to calm things down. It gives Stelmach and his ministers a real opportunity to get out there and sell their government," Prof. Brownsey said. "I think [the government's]primary concern is their right flank, with the Wildrose Alliance. That seems to be their focus."
While Mr. Hancock called the government's summer plan to group together ministers and tour them across the province "very important," Mr. Mason said the time would be better spent in the legislature.
"No. I mean, they're halfway through the term," he retorted. "This is the time they should be delivering on their agenda and their promises."