Alberta’s legislative session began and ended this week with rapid-fire question periods in which MLAs seemed to speak at twice their normal pace; members managed to squeeze 123 questions into the first one-hour period.

In her “State of Alberta” address, premier Redford focused on government intentions to maintain economic prosperity in the province and “unprecedented discipline to public spending.”

Specific promises include shifting education budgets to three-year funding plans, and actively negotiating international internships for students in the energy sector.

Question period covered the recent suspension of Alberta Utilities Commission deliberations on new transmission lines, the inquiry into doctor intimidation by the government, hospital wait times, water sales, and senior care.

The two-day sitting was criticized before it began for being too short to be productive and far from what was expected when Redford promised a fall session. Due to the leadership campaign the legislature has not met since mid-May. It is not expected to resume until November 21. This means the government will sit for only 44 days in 2011.

During a press conference, Redford explained her choice to call a mini-session: “My first reaction was that as a caucus or a government we might not be ready for a fall session. I definitely got comment back, primarily from the opposition party, that it was important to them that it happen.”