Finance Minister Travis Toews speaking Tuesday morning on the appointment of the Blue Ribbon Panel. (Photo: Facebook / Jason Kenney)

By Shaun Penner

Blue Ribbon Panel

Independent panel appointed to help balance provincial budget by 2022-23

May 7, 2019 | 1:48 PM

An independent panel has been appointed by Premier Jason Kenney, which will be doing a deep dive into the province’s finances to help balance the budget by 2022-23, while simultaneously not raising taxes.

Speaking in Edmonton today, alongside Minster of Finance and GP-Wapiti MLA Travis Toews, the Premier detailed that the Blue Ribbon Panel is mandated with locating wasteful spending and duplication, as well as helping plan Alberta’s budgeting practices beyond the next five years to retire all accumulated debt.

“I’m pleased that we are ready to take this very important first step. Albertans deserve to know that their government is making the best use of their tax dollars and I know that these individuals will be able to get us on the right track… and there is no time to waste,” said Toews.

The panel will be led by Former Minister of Finance in Saskatchewan Janice Mackinnon, who served under the NDP government from 1991-2003. She is also currently serving as the chair of the board of Investment Saskatchewan and chair of the board of directors of the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

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Other members of the panel include:

• Vice-chair Mike Percy: a former Alberta MLA and Dean of the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta. Percy was also worked previously as Chief of Staff to Premier Jim Prentice.
• Kim Henderson: Her previous roles include deputy minister to the Premier, Cabinet Secretary and head of the Public Service in the Province of British Columbia and Deputy Minister of Finance with the Christy Clark government.
• Bev Dahlby: He is a Distinguished Fellow and Research Director with the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.
• Dave Mowat: Mowat is the former president and CEO of ATB Financial.
• Jay Ramotar: Ramotar has held deputy minister postings with many different government departments, including Service Alberta, Solicitor General and Public Security, Health and Wellness, Infrastructure and Transportation and Treasury Board.

The panel is to provide their final report to the Kenney government by August 15, 2019. Their findings will also help shape the fall budget.