Alberta Politics Thread

[CaptainCrunch]

Either the speaker is a psychic or lying

He said a government MLA moved an amendment to the motion, and with the copy of the amendment that was handed out to MLAs, he received a copy of the speaker’s ruling, which the speaker later read “pretty close to verbatim.”
“People can draw their own conclusions, but I am upholding the dignity of the house because I think the rulings in the house have to be made based on the arguments made in the house — not pre-determined and typed up ahead of time,” McIver said.


In the house, Wanner denied he had referenced the written decision before ruling on the argument.


“You’re saying the speaker received a ruling from staff prior to my making the decision,” he told McIver. “You can accept, or not accept, my word. I can only give you my word as an honourable member, I received this now from a page.”

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Throwing this in here because we have and will have to pay for stuff like this somehow:

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-he...days-1.2864428

A CTV News Investigation looked into the sick days taken by Alberta Health Services managers and found that hundreds of people were taking months of sick leave at the expense of provincial taxpayers.

Documents acquired through access to information requests show hundreds of managers taking time off and collecting full pay over the last two years.

AHS managers are allowed to take 16 weeks of sick time and in many cases they did exactly that, before returning to work.

AHS says four months of fully paid sick time isn't excessive and that it's common across Canada in this sector.

AHS acknowledged that sick time is costing it millions and that it created an attendance awareness program for staff, which has led to a one percent drop in sick time.

That to me is utterly disgusting. I think that needs to be completely investigated and if a person doesn't have a serious illness that causes that kind of absence they should have to pay back that excessive time. Its not like it was one or two managers, its hundreds to me they're gaming the system.

People keep saying, where are the cuts, this is a prime illustration, especially if their absence isn't causing a major drop in productivity.

People wonder why people in the private sector look at people in the public sector with a lot of suspicion.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Throwing this in here because we have and will have to pay for stuff like this somehow:

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-he...days-1.2864428

A CTV News Investigation looked into the sick days taken by Alberta Health Services managers and found that hundreds of people were taking months of sick leave at the expense of provincial taxpayers.

Documents acquired through access to information requests show hundreds of managers taking time off and collecting full pay over the last two years.

AHS managers are allowed to take 16 weeks of sick time and in many cases they did exactly that, before returning to work.

AHS says four months of fully paid sick time isn't excessive and that it's common across Canada in this sector.

AHS acknowledged that sick time is costing it millions and that it created an attendance awareness program for staff, which has led to a one percent drop in sick time.

So some of these managers can pretty much get more time off per year than they work. 16 weeks of sick time, 4 weeks of vacation time (I'm assuming they get 4 but they may get more), probably 12 days statutory holidays and a few extra days during Christmas/New Years. They can easily get 23 weeks a year off.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its utterly disgusting and it feels like these people are taking advantage and wasting tax payer dollars.

I feel guilty if I take two days off in a row six, and these people are burning 3 weeks.

[nik-]

haha 16 weeks. If someone posted that here they'd be accused of hyperbole. It's so far beyond absurd.

How is it even possible?

[Jacks]

It's all lies, there are no efficiencies to be found. We need more revenue.

[CaptainCrunch]

Because we allow it and the governments PC. NDP and federal governments allow it to happen.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by shermanator

So Ric McIver was just kicked out of the legislature this afternoon.



http://calgaryherald.com/news/politi...enging-speaker

Ric McIver is an idiot. And I don't mean that in a partisan way - he's simply a remarkably dumb human being with poor judgement.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ric McIver is an idiot. And I don't mean that in a partisan way - he's simply a remarkably dumb human being with poor judgement.

I'm guessing he is well above average amongst the current lot in the Leg.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by nik-

haha 16 weeks. If someone posted that here they'd be accused of hyperbole. It's so far beyond absurd.

How is it even possible?

Is 16 weeks accurate? It honestly can't be right. If you need 16 weeks of sick time, you're dying. Holy ####. Go to a doctor.

There's no way that's right, is it?

[btimbit]

16 weeks? There's no way, right? That can't be right, that's absurd.

Wow. Just.... wow.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Throwing this in here because we have and will have to pay for stuff like this somehow:

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-he...days-1.2864428

A CTV News Investigation looked into the sick days taken by Alberta Health Services managers and found that hundreds of people were taking months of sick leave at the expense of provincial taxpayers.

Documents acquired through access to information requests show hundreds of managers taking time off and collecting full pay over the last two years.

AHS managers are allowed to take 16 weeks of sick time and in many cases they did exactly that, before returning to work.

AHS says four months of fully paid sick time isn't excessive and that it's common across Canada in this sector.

AHS acknowledged that sick time is costing it millions and that it created an attendance awareness program for staff, which has led to a one percent drop in sick time.

Just to be clear, this article says that hundreds of managers took some sick leave, not the full 16 weeks, over the last two years. So it is not really helpful in terms measuring the amount of abuse that may be occurring.

Also, presumably, especially with a formal attendance management program in place, any absence due to illness that extends beyond a few days or any absence after the nth short-term absence from work, must be supported by information from the employee's physician.

Lastly, many employers (including private sector employers) offer their employees short and long term disability insurance plans (the costs of which are borne by the employer) that can pay employees a large proportion of their lost earnings all the way to retirement (if the disability is supported by medical evidence).

Ultimately, although I'm sure that there is sick leave abuse, this article doesn't actually provide any evidence of it. Further, in my experience, the largest culprits in sick leave abuse are family physicians who all too frequently see themselves as advocates for their patients and will recommend time off from work at their patients' request.

[OMG!WTF!]

It makes me think that a great deal of AHS jobs are unnecessary. People with important or vital jobs will be there by choice. It's harder to prepare for someone else to cover you than for you to be there. If there is not much work for you to do, why show up? I'm thinking you cut a few jobs and sick leave takes care of itself. Cull the herd.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Just to be clear, this article says that hundreds of managers took some sick leave, not the full 16 weeks, over the last two years. So it is not really helpful in terms measuring the amount of abuse that may be occurring.

Also, presumably, especially with a formal attendance management program in place, any absence due to illness that extends beyond a few days or any absence after the nth short-term absence from work, must be supported by information from the employee's physician.

Lastly, many employers (including private sector employers) offer their employees short and long term disability insurance plans (the costs of which are borne by the employer) that can pay employees a large proportion of their lost earnings all the way to retirement (if the disability is supported by medical evidence).

Ultimately, although I'm sure that there is sick leave abuse, this article doesn't actually provide any evidence of it. Further, in my experience, the largest culprits in sick leave abuse are family physicians who all too frequently see themselves as advocates for their patients and will recommend time off from work at their patients' request.

But you do have to ask the question, We spend more per person in terms of Health Services in the country and its not close, We have some of the worst wait times in the country and worse response times. I read an article that stated that this is a bad province to get cancer in, or bust a hip.

And we're seeing signs of abuse of the sick system.

I've advocated that the health Services System needs a full and deep audit, we're over manned in the wrong spot and wasting money on administration while the front line rots. We're short of critical equipment like MRI's and other essential tools because the government doesn't see itself and its department as delivery systems, they see them as job shacks and the Union loves that, and makes it impossible to reform it.

Its not doctors and nurses and front line workers that need to be cut down, obviously the unaffordable pensions and salary structures need to be reviewed. But its the administrative and management and even logistical side that needs to be reformed and made more streamline.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Either the speaker is a psychic or lying

He is lying and making a mockery of our legislature. Pretty pathetic behavior for a speaker who is supposed to be a non-partisan member of the house. Not surprising given the actions of the NDP though.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ric McIver is an idiot. And I don't mean that in a partisan way - he's simply a remarkably dumb human being with poor judgement.

So he's the right wing counter weight of stupidity to Joe Ceci?

Cause, that man be dumb when it comes to finance.

[Kjesse]

Until other members of the legislature, be it PC or Wildrose, speak up, I'll assume McIver was being an idiot, but if what he says is true-- the ruling of the speaker was prepared in advance, that is abhorrent and the speaker should be removed.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Just to be clear, this article says that hundreds of managers took some sick leave, not the full 16 weeks, over the last two years. So it is not really helpful in terms measuring the amount of abuse that may be occurring.

Also, presumably, especially with a formal attendance management program in place, any absence due to illness that extends beyond a few days or any absence after the nth short-term absence from work, must be supported by information from the employee's physician.

Lastly, many employers (including private sector employers) offer their employees short and long term disability insurance plans (the costs of which are borne by the employer) that can pay employees a large proportion of their lost earnings all the way to retirement (if the disability is supported by medical evidence).

Ultimately, although I'm sure that there is sick leave abuse, this article doesn't actually provide any evidence of it. Further, in my experience, the largest culprits in sick leave abuse are family physicians who all too frequently see themselves as advocates for their patients and will recommend time off from work at their patients' request.

If the article is to be believed, I think it does clearly show the abuse:

A CTV News Investigation looked into the sick days taken by Alberta Health Services managers and found that hundreds of people were taking months of sick leave at the expense of provincial taxpayers.

CTV News looked at sick time for more than three, fully-paid weeks and found hundreds and hundreds of people taking months off, in some cases.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Just to be clear, this article says that hundreds of managers took some sick leave, not the full 16 weeks, over the last two years. So it is not really helpful in terms measuring the amount of abuse that may be occurring.

Also, presumably, especially with a formal attendance management program in place, any absence due to illness that extends beyond a few days or any absence after the nth short-term absence from work, must be supported by information from the employee's physician.

Lastly, many employers (including private sector employers) offer their employees short and long term disability insurance plans (the costs of which are borne by the employer) that can pay employees a large proportion of their lost earnings all the way to retirement (if the disability is supported by medical evidence).

Ultimately, although I'm sure that there is sick leave abuse, this article doesn't actually provide any evidence of it. Further, in my experience, the largest culprits in sick leave abuse are family physicians who all too frequently see themselves as advocates for their patients and will recommend time off from work at their patients' request.

On CTV they mentioned any time over the 16 weeks requires something from a doctor.

Not anything before.

Also it mentioned insurance kicked in some after the 16 weeks. So almost all the time is on the taxpayer dime.

And I was sad my 10 sick days got cut to 5 this year.

[chemgear]

I'm sure they work "really hard" though.