Notley facing waves of criticism over photo radar stance, including from Don Iveson
Edmonton's former mayor hadn't tweeted about politics for weeks before he took a shot at Rachel Notley Thursday.
The issue, the NDP leader's stance on photo radar, which was attracting criticism from progressives and conservatives alike.
"Jason Kenney’s UCP government will continue to hit Alberta drivers with costly photo radar tickets, despite a lack of evidence that they contribute to traffic safety," Notley tweeted Wednesday night after changes were announced by the government.
Iveson responded by calling out Notley directly, in front of his 162,000 followers.
"I know nobody likes to get a ticket for driving too fast, but let’s not aim to beat populism with populism please," he wrote in a quote tweet.
Through a spokesperson, Notley refused to take questions from CTV News Edmonton on the issue Thursday.
Iveson also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Notley also took heat from others online.
"This is absolutely the wrong take. As a monthly donor, statements like this make it hard for me to continue supporting you financially," Edmonton resident Harrison Sheremeta wrote.
"This just seems a desperate attempt to be contrary," independent journalist Kim Siever tweeted.
"Ms. Notley, not only is that irresponsible, but it is untrue and you know it," said Ryan Hastman, who is chief of staff to Alberta's transportation minister.
Hastman linked to a report prepared for Notley's government in 2018 which concluded that collisons decreased slightly as a direct result of automated traffic enforcement.
On Wednesday, Edmonton's mayor, a councillor and its director of safe mobility all said that photo radar is an important "tool" in street safety.
"There has been a measurable change in people's safety on our streets over the years because of all of the tools we've been using," Coun. Andrew Knack said, including automated traffic enforcement in that.
NOTLEY'S TWEET 'A VOTE WINNER': EXPERT
Despite the reaction online, a local political scientist said the reason for Notley's tweet is obvious.
"It's a very popular policy approach and it will likely win her votes in the small towns of Alberta," said Chaldeans Mensah from MacEwan University.
Mensah allowed that Notley's stance likely won't be popular with urban progressives, but he feels the gamble is worth it because those people are still likely to vote NDP in 2023.
The idea is to gain rural and suburban votes, where the NDP needs gains, Mensah said.
"So if they can devise policy approaches that takes a couple of votes away from the opposition, hey, it's pretty good on their part."
Mansah called Iveson's shot at Notley a "kerfuffle" that likely won't amount to more animosity between the two progressive leaders, because they still agree on most things.
"The charge of populism is a bit overblown," he said.
"You need to take the whole package of what a politician is pursuing in terms of his or her approach to politics. And I don't think Rachel Notley can remotely be accused of being a populist."
A full list of the rule changes and the dates they come into effect is on Alberta's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.