Alberta legislature resumes: Government focuses on economy, Opposition on COVID-19
The first day of the Alberta legislature's fall sitting signalled the government's intention to focus on the economy and the Opposition determined to hold the United Conservatives to account for mismanaging COVID-19.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley accused Premier Jason Kenney and his cabinet of negligently downplaying the fourth wave of COVID-19, then disappearing in the summer as cases soared, resulting in hundreds of deaths and pushing hospital capacity to the breaking point.
“The premier went on vacation. He left Alberta without leadership,” Notley said in question period Monday as she pointed across the aisle at Kenney and his cabinet.
“Where was your health minister? Your deputy premier? Your finance minister? A single solitary adult over there? Where were they?”
Kenney responded that every jurisdiction has had COVID-19 hard times and the NDP's criticism is not helpful to solving the crisis.
“They (the NDP) have always craved an Australian-style hard and brutal lockdown, the consequences of which would require turning this province into a virtual police state,” said Kenney.
The premier has said he didn't react with renewed rules to address the soaring summer case numbers until Sept. 3, because he didn't believe a COVID-19-weary population would follow them.
The numbers have been dropping slowly in recent weeks, but there are still 182 people infected with the virus receiving intensive care.
The health system has had to double its normal amount of ICU beds, forcing the cancellation of thousands of non-urgent surgeries, and call in the military to handle the surge.
Kenney said there will be a review eventually of how his government handled the COVID-19 pandemic. He rejected the NDP's call for an all-party committee with subpoena powers to get to the bottom of what happened over the summer.
Now is not the time to pull medical staff away from their duties, he said.
The legislature is to sit for five of the next six weeks through to the beginning of December. There's to be a one-week break around Remembrance Day.
Government house leader Jason Nixon said there will be 18 to 20 bills focused on creating jobs and diversifying the economy.
“I will be putting forward a very robust legislative agenda inside the legislature. And we will be going very quickly around the clock - morning, noon and night - to be able to fulfil that agenda for Albertans,” Nixon said.
Kenney introduced the first bill Monday to streamline how professional requirements are processed for those from out of province.
“Occupations are regulated inconsistently across Canada, creating a patchwork of credential recognition that holds back skilled and certified workers,” Kenney told a news conference.
The bill would affect more than 100 regulated professions, including nurses, accountants, real estate agents, firefighters, paramedics, engineers, insurance adjusters and horse jockeys.
Professional bodies would have to make a decision on an application within a month of receiving it and establish timely appeals for those rejected.
They would also have to make available online a breakdown of what documents are required to apply and the fees involved.
Kenney said the legislation, coupled with low taxes, high oil prices and COVID-19 receding, would help Alberta's bottom line rebound.
“We are moving, I believe, probably into a strong and sustained cycle of economic growth,” said Kenney. “(But) we are hearing about labour shortages, not just in Alberta, but across the economy in North America, (so) this is going to become an emerging challenge.”
Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda introduced legislation to codify how capital projects are given a green light and a 20-year strategy for capital planning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion, 1 person seriously injured: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.