Grocery budget has more detail than AHS report

EDMONTON– “There’s more detail in a household grocery budget than the supposed budget for Alberta Health Services,” NDP leader Brian Mason said today, following the release of financial documents AHS claims represent their operating budget for the next fiscal year.

“Albertans deserve to have a clear accounting of how Alberta Health Services plans to spend one third of the entire provincial budget,” Mason said.

Mason said the AHS financial report is devoid of basic budget details.

“Alberta Health Services is spending 10 times more than the budget of the entire Ministry of Children and Youth Services, and all they’ve provided is a vague list of multi-billion-dollar expenses,” he said.

Budget documents for the Ministry of Children and Youth Services ($1.1 billion) provide 24 pages of detailed revenues and expenses.

Financial information reported in today’s AHS document has been compiled in a single table reprinted in various forms.

“Alberta Health Services walks in the shadow of the most secretive government in Canada, and this so-called budget proves it.”

Mason also criticized the AHS financial report for failing to make any commitments to publicly funded and publicly delivered health care.