This release was issued under a previous government.

“My government was elected on a promise to deliver an agenda of responsible change, which included my commitment to leading a more open and transparent government.

“I am proud that we have already acted decisively to usher in a new era of openness – including Canada’s most transparent expense disclosure law, as well as an open Results Based Budgeting process which allows experts and hard-working Albertans to challenge every dollar government spends. These are important initiatives and key to meeting my commitment on transparency.

“Today, questions are being raised around employment and severance contracts for current and previous government employees. Let me be perfectly clear. These contracts are covered under Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPP) law, and no politician is involved in decisions on their release, including me. Anyone who suggests otherwise is flat-out misleading Albertans.

“We respect the independence of the FOIPP process and as I said earlier today, I will not interfere with that process.

“In the meantime, I have instructed Don Scott, the Associate Minister of Accountability, Transparency and Transformation, to put a policy in place that expands the proactive disclosure of salary and severance information for senior government employees to replace the current disclosure in the Government of Alberta’s annual report. It is my intention that this disclosure would be retroactive to the day this government was sworn in.

“I have further instructed Minister Scott to work closely with Alberta’s Public Service Commissioner to ensure we strike the right balance between the public’s right to know and the protection of personal privacy in the new public salary disclosure system. I expect this work to be complete by December 31st of this year.

“Our government is committed to building on our promise of a more open, transparent government.”