AB Today – Daily Report July 3, 2020 Quotation of the day “This confirms a victory for common sense and the rule of law.” Premier Jason Kenney applauds the Supreme Court of Canada’s dismissal of an appeal on ​ ​ the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. Today in AB On the schedule MLAs are back in their ridings for the Canada Day constituency week break. They will return to the chamber on Monday, July 6. Premier watch Premier Jason Kenney has been travelling the province on an RV tour. Recent stops include ​ ​ The Fort Museum of the North West Mounted Police with MLA Roger Reid, Nikka Yuko ​ ​ Japanese Garden in Lethbridge, Neubauer Farms outside of Medicine Hat with UCP MLA for Brooks—Medicine Hat Michaela Glasgo and a Canada Day pilgrimage to Elkwater Lake in ​ ​ Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. On Thursday, he was in Taber, where he announced the $150-million twinning of a 46-kilometre stretch of Highway 3. Canada Day reignites debate over Alberta’s place in Confederation The NDP plans to bring forward a motion in support of national unity, on the heels of a merger between two right-wing separatist parties. The Freedom Conservative Party and separatist Wexit Alberta party merged Tuesday to officially form the Wildrose Independence Party and said it is open to having other parties merge with it as well. “It isn’t too late for other Independence and Libertarian minded parties to join forces, prevent vote splitting, and have all our resources moving together instead of against each other,” the new party said in a news release. The new Wildrose is currently without an “intern leader” (sic) but is charging $10 for ​ ​ memberships and lists its board of governors on its new website. ​ ​ The following day, Premier Jason Kenney used a Canada Day statement to remark on the ​ ​ shared “unity” that brought the nation together 153 years ago. The statement references “Dominion Day,” which Canada Day was officially known as until 1982 — a name some conservatives, including ex-prime minister Stephen Harper, have tried to revive over the years. ​ ​ The “Dominion Day” mention came in Kenney’s second Canada Day statement of the day — an earlier missive thanked Albertans for their efforts in fighting the spread of the coronavirus but was revised a few hours later. In the later message to Albertans, Kenney resolved to “continue building a Canada that is freer, fairer, and more just.” But that wasn’t enough for NDP house leader and Democracy and Ethics critic Heather Sweet, ​ ​ who said her party is bringing forward a motion that will urge the legislative assembly to support a “strong and united Canada.” She said Premier Kenney and the UCP caucus have not ​ ​ denounced separatism strongly enough. Sweet singled out UCP MLA Drew Barnes, who has supported separation in blog posts since ​ ​ the release of the Fair Deal panel’s report, and Red Deer—South UCP MLA Jason Stephan, ​ ​ who called other Canadian provinces “hostile, parasitic partners” in a statement he read in the chamber last month. Today’s events July 3 at 10 a.m. – Virtual ​ Premier Jason Kenney will speak at a Keystone XL construction site in Alberta. ​ ​ Topics of conversation ● Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw issued an update on the status of ​ ​ COVID-19 in the province on Thursday, after taking Canada Day off. ○ There were 94 new cases over Wednesday and Thursday. The number of active cases dropped by five to 542. ○ Forty-four people were hospitalized, including eight in intensive care. ○ One person has died, bringing the death toll to 155. ○ Albertans have raised $5 million for charities providing COVID-19 relief. The province is chipping in another $2 million. ○ Dr. Hinshaw will be taking next week off to spend time with her family after four months of media updates. ● The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal application by the Coldwater Indian ​ ​ Band, Tsleil Waututh Nation and the Squamish Nation against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. ○ Premier Jason Kenney said it was great to see the win for TMX and noted the ​ ​ decision removes the last legal impediment to the project. ○ B.C. Premier John Horgan said “litigation has run its course from the province’s ​ ​ perspective” and it is now up to the First Nations that “are so fiercely opposed” to the project to determine how they want to proceed. ○ “From the province’s perspective, I still maintain that Vancouver is not the ideal location for a diluted bitumen export terminal — I feel very strongly about that,” Horgan added. ● Fitch Ratings downgraded its credit outlook for the province, from AA to AA-. The ratings ​ ​ agency attributed the downgrade to the “sharply higher provincial borrowing during the pandemic-driven economic crisis” and said the subsequent recovery will “result in a debt burden relative to GDP that is incompatible with an ‘AA’ rating.” ○ Fitch doesn’t seem to be satisfied with Monday’s recovery strategy announcements, noting the provincial government has yet to detail the extent of its current fiscal challenges nor provide “firm details on a path toward an eventual recovery.” ● On June 29, Dr. Mukarram Zaidi, a Calgary physician, resigned from the board of the ​ ​ ​ ​ UCP Calgary—West constituency office and gave up his party membership over Premier Jason Kenney’s refusal to fire his speechwriter Paul Bunner. ​ ​ ​ ○ “Anyone who denies First Nations genocide and effects of residential school should have the same acknowledgement as with the denial of holocaust,” Dr. Zaidi said in a news release. ○ His resignation comes as the NDP dug up more of Bunner’s articles that included the use of a racial slur; blaming Matthew Shepard — a man who was tortured ​ ​ and murdered for being gay — for his own death; and stating that people of colour are responsible for most violent crime in Canada. ○ In response to the recently unearthed articles by Bunner, the Blackfoot Confederacy nations of Treaty 7 are also calling for Bunner’s resignation, saying if Bunner’s views have changed, he needs to show it. ○ “Bunner’s views on residential schools are offensive, dehumanizing and has hurt our Treaty relationship,” said Judge Eugene Creighton in a news release. ​ ​ ​ ​ “These stereotypes of First Nations fuel systematic racism that we’re struggling with right now in Treaty No. 7, Alberta and Canada.” ● A report from the Tourism Industry Association of Alberta outlines an eight-point plan to ​ ​ save the sector, which has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. ○ The association estimates a $1.2-billion hit to Alberta tourism alone, thanks to the pandemic, with 29,000 to 49,000 jobs lost because of a lack of visitors to the province. ● The previous government’s $25-per-day child care pilot expired on June 30, and the NDP are calling on the UCP to launch the phase-in of a universal child care program — noting that access to child care will be a “vital” part of the province’s economic recovery. News briefs ● Nurse practitioners are now allowed to complete medical examination forms for drivers, a task that was previously only conducted by physicians. ○ Medical exams are required for drivers older than 75, commercial drivers and for people with certain medical conditions. ● The RCMP announced how it would allocate new employees under the UCP government’s new police funding model for 2020-21. ○ There will be 76 new police officers and 57 new civilian support positions, the RCMP said. ○ Of those, 46 positions have been filled, including 25 front-line police officers and 18 officers who will provide support and specialized services. ○ “Putting more boots on the ground in rural Alberta will help protect residents and ensure they feel safe in their communities,” Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer ​ said in an RCMP news release. ● Alberta launched an online birth registry, which will allow parents to submit birth information and to order birth certificates. ● Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Minister Tanya Fir issued a statement ​ ​ lauding the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which took effect July 1. Fir said the trade pact will “provide clarity [and] economic stability” and facilitate job creation across borders. Funding announcements Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ● The government announced $27.8 million for an agri-food hub at Exhibition Park in Lethbridge. Ministry of Transportation ● Transportation Minister Ric McIver announced $50 million for a widening of a ​ ​ 36-kilometre stretch of Highway 40 from Wildhay River to Pinto Creek. The two-year project will create around 250 jobs and kick off next year. Ministry of Environment and Parks ● Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon announced $6 million in funding for the ​ ​ William Watson Lodge in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Appointments and employments Canada Energy Regulator ● Federal Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan has appointed Gitane De Silva ​ ​ ​ CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator for a five-year term. ○ De Silva previously served as Alberta’s senior representative to the United States, a post she was appointed to by Rachel Notley in 2015. ​ ​ ○ The federal Liberals have pledged to engage more closely with the West on energy policy since the party was shut out of Alberta on election day last year; appointing an Albertan to head up the oil country’s energy regulator could be seen as a political olive branch. ○ Most recently, De Silva served as special advisor of external affairs at TransAlta. Lieutenant Governor ● Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Salma Lakhani as Alberta’s new ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ lieutenant-governor, replacing Lois Mitchell, who had been in the post since 2015. ​ ​ ○ Lakhani is Canada’s first Muslim LG. Lobbyist registrations Consultants who registered as lobbyists from June 26 – July 2, 2020 ● Michael Juce and Jeff Sterzuk, Prairie Sky Enterprises Ltd.