AB Today – Daily Report July 9, 2020
Quotation of the day
“I don’t speak freaky-deaky socialist.”
UCP MLA Shane Getson paraphrases Mike Myers’ character “Dr. Evil” in the chamber during debate on Bill 33, Alberta Investment Attraction Act.
Today in AB
On the schedule MLAs return at 1:30 p.m. today.
Bill 29, Local Authorities Election Amendment Act, is expected to be debated at second reading. The legislation overhauls municipal election rules ahead of the 2021 campaign.
The house could also debate Bill 21, Provincial Administrative Penalties Act, at committee stage and Bill 23, Commercial Tenancies Protection Act, at third reading.
Wednesday’s debates and proceedings Government house leader Jason Nixon introduced Bill 34, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, a housekeeping bill.
UCP backbencher Tany Yao introduced a private member’s bill, Bill 204, Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act. The controversial legislation would allow private companies to buy and sell blood and plasma.
UCP MLA Mike Ellis tabelled a report on NDP MLA Christina Gray’s Bill 203, Pension Protection Act, from the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Public Bills. The NDP caucus missed its chance to make the case that the bill should proceed to second reading for debate. The bill is now dead on the order paper.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley spoke to the government motion denouncing racism, expounding on how it takes no concrete action.
The house kicked off second-reading debate on the new bills tabled this week, including the contentious Bill 32, Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act.
Bill 28, the UCP’s legislation cracking down on sex offenders, passed second reading and comittee stage. Bill 23, which will protect some commercial tenants from eviction, also cleared committee.
Premier watch Premier Jason Kenney defended the decision to appoint Dave Rodney to the position of trade representative in Houston. Rodney gave up his seat in Calgary—Lougheed so Kenney could run for a seat after securing the UCP leadership. When asked why the appointment to Texas went to someone without energy sector experience, Kenney said the most effective representatives are those who have held public office.
The premier denied there was any quid pro quo expected when Rodney gave up his seat: “He never asked for any consideration in the future.”
When asked by reporters about this week’s U.S.Supreme Court decision against Keystone XL, Kenney said the decision maintains the status quo, meaning TC Energy will have to apply for water crossing permits individually.
He said Alberta will file an expert opinion with the U.S.’s highest court in response.
Pandemic spending must be targeted and get results: Kenney As Ottawa announced a multi-hundred billion deficit and more than $1.2 trillion in debt, Premier Jason Kenney said governments must spend wisely when tackling the pandemic-induced “fiscal reckoning.”
On Wednesday, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau revealed an expected $343.2-billion deficit for 2020-21, which will push the national debt load above one trillion dollars for the first time.
Speaking at a press conference — where he announced a 40 per cent increase in spending on a road doubling project — Kenney said while he understands the wide scope of support the federal government has provided, the feds “have to be careful not to spend indiscriminately.”
“The response has to be targeted and smart with real results,” Kenney said. “Every government in Canada and around the world is facing a fiscal crisis as a result of the largest economic contraction since the 1930s.”
Morneau contends the country would have faced a massive economic collapse without the aid and said he’s prepared to dish out more in case of a second or third wave of the virus.
Kenney said he appreciates the federal response and will continue to work with Ottawa to secure funding for COVID-19 testing and personal protective equipment.
But he appeared to take issue with some of Ottawa’s measures, including extending CERB payments through the end of September.
The premier said he’s heard from employers that because of CERB there have been challenges with getting people back to work.
“They’ve indicated the federal payments for people not working have created a rupture in the labour market,” he said.
The province is still waiting on changes to fiscal stabilization and on federal aid for large employers, Kenney added.
The feds delayed the spring budget because of the coronavirus, but prior to the pandemic Finance Canada had pegged the national debt at $716.8 billion.
Finance Minister Travis Toews is expected to give a provincial fiscal update in August.
Today’s events
July 9 at 10 a.m. – Virtual Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally will make an announcement about a new petrochemical program.
Topics of conversation
● There were 608 active Covid cases as of Wednesday afternoon, down by a dozen since Tuesday. There are currently 55 people in hospital, including seven in the ICU.
○ There is now a full facility outbreak at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton. The hospital is asking patients, including expecting mothers, to head to another facility. ○ As of Wednesday morning, there were 20 patients and 15 staff members who tested positive for the virus. Three people have died because of the outbreak, an increase of one.
● NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt promptly apologized for remarks — that drew both praise and ire — about Britain’s Iron Lady during debate of the UCP government’s referendum legislation, Bill 26, Constitutional Referendum Amendment Act. ○ Schmidt quoted former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who herself was quoting another former British PM Clement Attlee, as saying referendums are a “device of dictators and demagogues.” ○ “I am no fan of Margaret Thatcher. If nothing else goes right for me in a day, Madam Speaker, I can at least count on enjoying the fact that Margaret Thatcher is still dead,” he said. “The only thing that I regret about Margaret Thatcher’s death is that it happened probably 30 years too late.”
● The Alberta Medical Association says it was not consulted on changes made under Bill 30, Health Statutes Amendment Act — but it is A-OK with at least one of them. ○ In a letter to members, AMA president Christine Molnar said that Bill 30 will allow doctors to set up Alternative Relationship Plans by contract rather than a ministerial order, something the AMA has been asking be done for years. ○ However, the AMA said it is awaiting legal opinion on the bill’s changes to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act, noting “the implementation of these changes and the underlying processes are very important.”
● An 11-year-old Calgarian is organizing a protest against education cuts ahead of the province’s plan to announce a school relaunch plan on August 1.
● Last month’s Calgary hailstorm was declared the fourth most expensive natural disaster in the country’s history with $1.2 billion in insured damages, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
News briefs
NDP calls for testimony from CEOs, government ministers on COVID-19 outbreaks ● The NDP called on various government ministers, as well as CEOs of meat-packing plants and long-term care facilities where there were major outbreaks of COVID-19, to testify at the Select Special Public Health Act Review Committee so they can be held to account publicly for their actions during the pandemic.
○ The NDP’s short list includes JBS Canada president David Colwell, Cargill chairman and CEO David MacLennan, Revera president and CEO Thomas Wellner, Retirement Concepts CEO Azim Jamal, Extendicare CEO Dr. Michael Guerriere, as well as Premier Jason Kenney, Health Minister Tyler Shandro, Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer and Labour Minister Jason Copping. ○ The special committee’s mandate is to review the Public Health Act after concerns were raised that ministers had overarching powers under the law.
Funding announcements
Ministry of Advanced Education ● Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced $16 million for two restoration projects at the University of Alberta. ○ Half will go to upgrade mechanical and electrical systems in the Brand and Aging Research Building, and the other half will go to install a heating and cooling piping system in the Tory Building.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs ● The province is increasing its annual funding allocation by 40 per cent for the $120-million project to double the number of lanes on Terwillegar Drive in Edmonton. ○ The project, which includes a multi-use trail and a pedestrian bridge, is expected to be completed in 2025.
Question period
Kenny says unions force Jewish members to support BDS campaign
● NDP Leader Rachel Notley slammed Bill 32’s changes to labour laws that she said violate unions’ constitutional rights. ○ “It’s not about political expression,” Notley said. “It’s about killing unions, attacking unions, busting unions, and picking on the rights of individual workers. Why do you want to attack workers so much?”
● Premier Jason Kenney said the changes empower union members to determine whether their dues should be used for political campaigns. ○ “Could you imagine being a Jewish union member in Alberta and seeing unions use your dues to call Israel a genocidal state?” Kenney asked in response.
The premier went on to say that under current rules, a “refugee from the Venezuelan socialist dictatorship” could be forced to pay dues to CUPE, which he said supports “the Venezuelan regime of Mr. [Nicolás Maduro],” or an Albertan pipeline worker could be “forced through Unifor and through the AFL to finance campaigns to shut down pipelines.”
In a tweet, Alberta Jewish News said it disagrees with Kenney’s comparison.
Other NDP questions NDP MLAs also asked about labour law changes, why the government hired former MLA Dave Rodney, accountability for COVID-19 outbreaks, job support for people with disabilities, oversight of oilwell clean up funding and any additional money for the return to school.
NDP MLA Chris Nielsen dramatically ripped up the piece of paper his question was written on following his question on changes to child labour rules.
UCP backbencher questions UCP backbenchers asked about changes to union dues, changes to coal policy and Calgary hail damage.