AB Today – Daily Report February 7, 2019

Quotation of the day

“To the ignorant fool who sent this letter, you'd best look at my longstanding work in pluralistic outreach, including to Muslims.”

UCP Leader Jason Kenney responds to an Islamophobic, racist letter delivered to an Edmonton mosque that pledged support for Kenney’s premier bid.

Today in AB

On the schedule

The legislature will reconvene on March 18 for the government’s final throne speech before the spring election.

Islamophobic, racist letter sent to Edmonton mosque uses UCP logo; party denounces the message

The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council is calling for a stronger response from the United Conservative Party after an Islamophobic, racist letter was delivered to an Edmonton mosque, the second hate incident targeting a mosque in the city within weeks.

AMPAC released an image of the letter, which asks the mosque, Markaz Ul Islam, to close its doors because it and its members “don’t belong here in Alberta.” After a brief white supremacist tyrade, the anonymous author writes, “Our Premier to be Jason Kenney is going to take Alberta back. So adapt if you want to stay.”

The letter concludes with an image of the UCP logo and an upside down Canadian flag with the words “The Clann” overlayed. People affiliated with The Clann, an anti-Islam group, and the Wolves of Odin reportedly harassed worshippers outside another Edmonton mosque last month ahead of the second anniversary of the mosque shooting in Quebec City. The Edmonton police are investigating.

AMPAC greyed out at least one sentence in the letter, which the organization says contained “more inflammatory and hateful language” it did not feel was appropriate for public consumption. The group said it has passed the unredacted version on to the police.

The UCP’s official account responded on Twitter, denying any affiliation with the letter’s author.

“This hateful note is in no way authorized or associated with the UCP,” the party said on Twitter. “The UCP was founded on the principles of ‘the rule of law, equality of all before the law, and protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of all’ and ‘a robust civil society made up of free individuals, strong families, and voluntary associations.’”

In a separate response, Kenney called the author an “ignorant fool” and said the UCP is “the antithesis of the hateful, narrow-minded ‘Soldiers of Odin/Wolves of Odin/The Clann’ (or whatever these sad losers call themselves these days).”

“This hatred and bigotry has no place in our Alberta. All Albertans must be free to practice their faith in peace,” Kenney wrote.

For AMPAC, the response did not go far enough to condemn the hate speech — the group said Kenney must “condemn Islamophobia clearly.”

“It sends mixed signals when there is no recognition of the fact that Islamophobia exists. No more mixed signals,” the group wrote. Premier Rachel Notley issued a statement condemning the racism and Islamophobia and called on Kenney to decisively evict hate groups from the UCP.

“While Jason Kenney has said there’s no place for hatred in his party, racists and extremists clearly feel welcome with them,” Notley said.

“Mr. Kenney has an elected obligation to personally condemn these values and to also take concrete actions to evict these factions from the UCP,” said Notley, adding that this is a “leadership moment” for the UCP leader and a “test of his character.”

On Twitter, The Clann denied any connection to the letter. However, an online account that appears to be associated with the organization posted a video celebrating news coverage of five men — one of whom identified himself as a former member of Soldiers of Odin — who entered the Al Rashid mosque last month, an incident that led to the Edmonton Police hate crimes unit being called.

Intelligence reports from Canada Border Services Agency obtained by Global News warn that members of the Soldiers of Odin “adhere to extreme right-wing ideology and are not afraid to use violence.”

Today’s events

February 7 at 9 a.m. – Edmonton The NDP treasury board committee will meet in the cabinet room of the Alberta Legislature.

February 7 at 5 p.m. – Calgary NDP MLAs Graham Sucha and Brian Malkinson will host a “mix and mingle” fundraiser to discuss consumer protections and housing markets. The location has not been announced.

February 7 at 5 p.m. – Calgary Anne McGrath, NDP candidate for Calgary—Varsity, will host a fundraiser at a private residence.

February 7 at 6 p.m. – Edmonton Glen Tickner, Alberta Party candidate for Edmonton—Glenora, will hold a “perogies and politics” fundraising dinner at the Westmount Community Hall. Topics of conversation

● In its February newsletter, pro-life group The Wilberforce Project urged its members to vote for pro-life candidates in the remaining six UCP nomination races. ○ “As it stands, if the UCP wins the upcoming election, then we will have the most pro-life legislature in decades, and maybe ever,” Cameron Wilson, the organization’s director of political action, wrote. “The nominations have gone very well for the pro-life movement ... we now need to keep the candidates who won their nominations accountable and on track to enacting pro-life policy should they win in the general election.”

● Another young NDP candidate is unimpressed with UCP Leader Jason Kenney’s jab at the NDP’s millennial candidates. ○ Erik Overland, the 19-year-old NDP candidate for Highwood, told CBC he is hoping to join the ranks of other young MLAs elected to office in 2015. ○ “I have had some backlash against my age, but I think the most important thing is that I like to think I know what I'm talking about," Overland said. ○ A video that circulated on social media last week showed Kenney mocking the NDP for its young candidates and MLAs. He singled out NDP candidate for Airdrie—Cochrane Steve Durrell for being 19 years old — despite the fact Durrell is 29. ○ UCP spokesman Matt Solberg said Kenney was mistakenly told Durrell’s incorrect age.

● Suncor Energy Inc. wants the to province to hurry up and end its oil production curtailment, the Canadian Press reports. Suncor, which owns a refinery east of Edmonton, benefits from low crude prices — which Premier Rachel Notley’s oil production cap was designed to drive up. ○ The company, which reported losses of $280 million in the fourth quarter of 2018, says the oil curtailment is having a negative impact on international investor confidence in Canada. ○ Suncor’s complaint is an echo of what Imperial Oil Ltd. CEO Rich Kruger told his company’s investors last week. Imperial Oil also operates a refinery on “refinery row” in Strathcona County. ○ Both companies say they plan to cut their rail shipments while the crude price remains high. ○ Western Canada Select is currently priced at $42.66 USD per barrel.

● Visitors to Alberta’s legislature can check out the Borealis Gallery’s new exhibition on the history of Canadian hooked rugs. Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs, runs from February 7 to April 23 in the Legislative Assembly Visitor Centre in the Federal Building.

● The province approved the refinancing of a loan for NAIT’s Productivity and Innovation Centre, which opened last November. The refinancing includes a $111 million loan for a term not exceeding 30 years at 4.5 per cent interest.

Funding Announcements

Government announces $70-million for innovative emissions reduction projects

● Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips announced the 11 winners of the province’s Industrial Efficiency Challenge. The winning companies will split $70 million in funding for projects aimed at reducing the emissions of their industrial operations.

○ The $70 million in public funds will leverage another $200 million in private investment, according to the ministry. ○ The 11 projects, which include gas and water heat recovery projects and a hybrid fuel project, are expected to eliminate 5.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030, per the ministry. ○ The contest launched last March. Winning companies were chosen by Emissions Reductions Alberta and funded by Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan.

Government announces obstetrics program, dialysis clinic in High Prairie

● Health Minister Sarah Hoffman and Children’s Services Minister Danielle Larivee announced $5.2 million in funding for a new permanent dialysis clinic at the High Prairie hospital. The clinic will save kidney patients from driving more than 100 kilometres to the next closest treatment centre. ○ The ministers also toured a new obstetrics clinic in the High Prairie Health Complex that opened in January, marking the first time mothers could deliver babies in the community since 2007.

AB Today is written by Catherine Griwkowsky, reporting from Alberta's legislative press gallery.

What did you think of this Daily Report? What else would you like to see here? Email [email protected] and let us know.