Alberta legislature wraps up with attacks, insults; next stop is May 29 election
The Alberta legislature wrapped up its spring sitting Thursday with politicians on both sides of the aisle test-driving insults and expected attack lines ahead of the scheduled May 29 provincial election.
The Opposition NDP lambasted Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party government for hiking fees, fighting with doctors, proposing royalty breaks for oil companies, firing educational support staff, breaking COVID-19 rules and failing to deliver promised economic stimulus to Calgary.
The UCP fired back, saying they saved Alberta after four years of disastrous NDP government that featured massive deficits, credit downgrades, nanny state rules and shameless kowtowing to Ottawa - all topped by a surprise consumer carbon tax.
“What a woeful group of provocateurs,” Energy Minister Peter Guthrie told the house as he squared off with NDP MLA Heather Sweet.
“The activist mentality of the NDP have a target: to end fossil fuel production.”
Sweet shot back: “Our record is (we delivered) one pipeline. UCP (delivered) zero pipelines.”
Finance Minister Travis Toews told the house Alberta's economy is back in the black despite intrusive retrograde federal rules imposed with the quiet complicity of Rachel Notley's NDP.
“I call on the members opposite to stand with the government on this side of the house against the Trudeau-Singh alliance which is pushing our nation's economy backwards,” said Toews.
“We're doing everything we can to position Alberta for competitiveness, investment attraction and growth.”
Where's the promised growth in Calgary, former NDP finance minister Joe Ceci needled Toews, citing high downtown vacancy rates.
“Why has the UCP spent the last four years holding Calgary back?”
“Every time the minister rises I'm afraid of another credit downgrade,” Toews shot back, echoing previous UCP taunts mocking Ceci as “Alberta's worst finance minister.”
The NDP's Rakhi Pancholi offered crocodile sympathy for UCP candidates heading to the doors selling four years of fee hikes.
“(They'll) have to run on their record, their record of hiking utility prices, insurance rates, school fees, income taxes, property taxes, tuition (and) student loan interest all while handing out money to their friends and insiders,” said Pancholi.
“Alberta's future is at stake in this election.”
The house wrapped up a short month-long sitting focused on passing a budget capped by a $2.4-billion petro-powered projected surplus to go with spending hikes virtually across the board, particularly on health care and education.
Both parties have been busy in recent weeks with pre-election announcements. Cabinet ministers have been reannouncing budget initiatives while the NDP has rolled out its own policy ideas while hammering on perceived UCP weak spots.
Smith's government has moved controversial issues to the back burner. These include abandoning the Canada Pension Plan for an Alberta one, ditching the RCMP for a provincial police force and a proposal to reward oil companies with potentially billions of dollars in royalty breaks for cleaning up inactive wells that they are already mandated by law to do.
Notley, speaking to reporters in Calgary, said her government would introduce a bill to keep Alberta in the CPP rather than subject Albertans' nest-egg savings to the whims of a provincial government of the day.
“Changing CPP is actually harder than changing the Canadian Constitution,” said Notley.
“But if Danielle Smith gets her way, political risk skyrockets. Smith and her UCP cabinet could change benefit levels or the retirement age in one cabinet meeting behind closed doors.”
Toews told the house that the pension plan is all about making sure Albertans have the chance to get the best deal possible.
“The NDP would not give Albertans that opportunity but this government will,” said Toews.
“We're completing the work. We will ensure Albertans ultimately can make the choice.”
Smith, speaking at the Canada Strong and Free event in Ottawa, said her greatest achievement in her five months as premier was firing the board of Alberta Health Services, then revamping health care under a single administrator. She said the changes have resulted in reduced surgical wait lists and ambulance bottlenecks.
“You give (civil servants) clear goals and you measure them and you know you're going to chop off a few heads if they don't achieve results, they achieve results,” said Smith.
The focus of the campaign is expected to be Calgary.
Recent polls suggest the NDP and UCP are neck and neck in the popular vote. NDP support is strong in Edmonton while the UCP dominates outside the big cities and support is split in Calgary.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.