In his first press conference as Premier of Alberta, Jim Prentice said his cabinet had decided to sell the fleet of provincial government airplanes.
“The philosophical decision has been made, that the Alberta government does not need to be in business of owning and operating an airline,” Prentice said.
Prentice made it clear Tuesday morning that the previous misuse of the aircraft was over – and it was the first decision made by the new cabinet.
The decision comes in the wake of a damning Auditor General report showing how former premier Alison Redford abused her power, and misused the government planes, wasting taxpayer money.
The province said 27 employees are affected by the decision to do away with the aircraft.
A Request for Proposals, or RFP process to sell the fleet of four planes will begin immediately, the province said.
In the future, officials said Ministers will fly commercial, and charter flights will be used to get ministers to areas where commercial airlines don’t service.
It’s a move one expert said was expected, given Prentice’s efforts to distance himself from Redford’s time as premier.
“He had to show Albertans he was going to do things differently,” Bob Murray with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy said. “Obviously he thought this was an emotionally charged issue that has plagued the party for so long, you immediately end debate.”
Wildrose and Opposition Leader Danielle Smith applauded the announcement, and said it was the right decision for taxpayers.
However, Smith took a shot at new Finance Minister Robin Campbell, and said he used the aircraft more than one hundred times last year.
The province said the planes cost nearly $10 million annually to run.
With files from Serena Mah
