AB Today – Daily Report January 25, 2019

Quotation of the day

“I know it’s been hard — believe me, I have the scars to prove it — but on the pipeline, we are closer than ever.”

During a speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Premier Rachel Notley says she will not stop fighting until the Trans Mountain Pipeline is built.

Today in AB

On the schedule

Programming note: AB Today is off next week for staff holidays. We’ll be back Monday, February 4 at 7:30 a.m.

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

Premier Rachel Notley says Albertans will have a “clear choice” when they head to the polls

Premier Rachel Notley told a sold-out crowd at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that the choice facing voters this spring is simple: Re-electing an NDP government that will protect public services or making way for a UCP leadership that will cut them.

Notley promised to pull no punches against her main rival, UCP Leader Jason Kenney — who she referred to as an “extremely skilled” politician — saying voting in a UCP government risks reversing progress made over the last four years.

“I submit that what my opponent is proposing will turn back the clock on Edmonton and the province, put this city on its heels, and undo the tremendous work so many have done to help people weather the downturn,” Notley said.

The premier told the business audience the NDP is not ready to move out of the way because its work isn’t finished yet.

“Over the last four years we have charted a better way that has provided stability and opportunity through a very challenging time, work that needs to continue,” Notley said.

The premier said her government has worked to correct the massive backlog created by previous conservative governments’ austerity, citing recent moves to modernize schools and hospitals and to increase funding to municipalities.

She promised the crowd an NDP government would not bring in a sales tax or a payroll tax, nor would it bring back health care premiums.

Notley accused Kenney of flip-flopping on his spending plans: “I can’t help but notice that his story keeps changing. To some he says he will freeze spending at 2015 levels; to others he says that we should reduce spending by 20 per cent … And just a few weeks ago, he came to this very audience and said don’t worry, he’s only planning to freeze spending to zero.”

“Our population isn’t frozen at zero — it’s growing,” she said, adding that “holding spending at zero will require reckless cuts to the parts of the system you can’t cut,” such as schools and hospitals.

Kenney took to Twitter to question Notley’s insistence that she won’t raise taxes, saying the carbon tax is just a sales tax in disguise and accusing the premier of rolling over when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hiked CPP premiums. “Premier, if you want to campaign, call the election,” Kenney wrote.

Angus Reid Institute study highlights simmering Western alienation

One in three Canadians say Alberta gives more than it gets from confederation.

That’s according to a new Angus Reid Institute poll released Thursday that digs into growing Western alienation and what the pollster calls Canada’s “fractured federation.”

Unsurprisingly, the poll tracks no love lost between Albertans and Quebecers. A whopping 81 per cent of Albertans rated la belle province as unfriendly; 51 per cent of Quebec residents (including 67 per cent of men) feel the same about Alberta.

The study found residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba consider themselves “buddies,” but B.C. doesn’t share the kinship with its other Western Canadian neighbours — the fact that 57 per cent of Alberta residents and 24 per cent of Saskatchewan residents think B.C. has been unfriendly towards them can’t help.

Today’s events

January 25 at 9 a.m. – Edmonton

The NDP’s treasury board committee will meet in the cabinet room of the legislature at 9 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.

January 25 at 10:30 a.m. – Leduc

Premier Rachel Notley and Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson will announce plans for a new highway interchange at the Edmonton International Airport.

Weekend events

January 26 at 8:30 a.m. – Edmonton

Alberta Council of Technologies will host a “Vision and Leadership Symposium” at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton. Premier Rachel Notley, Alberta Liberal Party Leader David Khan, Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel and UCP Leader Jason Kenney are all scheduled to address the crowd.

January 26 at noon – Calgary

Freedom Conservative Party Leader Derek Fildebrandt and People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier will host the “Equality or Independence” rally at the Executive Royal Hotel in Calgary.

Topics of conversation

● The Liberal Party of Canada’s MP for Pickering—Uxbridge Jennifer O'Connell wrote a letter to House of Commons Speaker Geoff Regan Thursday calling for an investigation into UCP Leader Jason Kenney’s possible misuse of the travel status expense account during his time as an MP. ● “The allegation that Mr. Kenney declared his primary residence to be the basement of his mother’s home at an assisted living facility in Calgary, Alberta, and that Mr. Kenney was rarely travelling to Calgary from his home in Ottawa raises grave concerns about whether Mr. Kenney’s arrangement breached the rules,” O’Connell wrote. ● As Speaker, Regan is also the chair of the House of Commons board of internal economy. ○ “Not at all surprised that the Trudeau Liberals are looking to help out their Alberta NDP allies,” Kenney tweeted in response. “We all know the Liberals would rather have an Alberta Govt that continues to act as doormat for Justin Trudeau, as opposed to a UCP Govt that will actually stand up for Albertans.” ○ While Premier Rachel Notley made a quip about Edmonton being her “primary residence” in a speech to business leaders Friday, her responses to questions from reporters were more muted, saying it is a federal matter.

● Alberta will not be open to business for HSBC under a UCP government, UCP Leader Jason Kenney tweeted on Thursday. ○ Kenney made the comment in response to a Bloomberg story about HSBC brass attending a party thrown by a Saudi-owned oil company at the World Economic Summit in Davos. ○ HSBC has been a target of conservatives since announcing last April that it would stop providing funding for new projects in the fossil fuel industry.

● The number of people claiming Employment Insurance dropped by 1.5 in November compared to October, according to Statistics Canada data. ○ In November 2018, there were 46,200 Albertans receiving regular EI payments. ○ Year-over-year the number of people on EI was down 27.2 per cent in Alberta.

● Calgary-based Canadian Pacific Railway saw an increase in fourth quarter revenues thanks to more grain and oil shipments moving along its tracks, the Canadian Press reports.

● Premier Rachel Notley is not letting the NDP’s meagre fundraising totals get her down — at least not in public. The premier put a positive spin on news that her party raised only half what the UCP did by reminding Albertans her party formed government in 2015 despite spending 10 times less than the Wildrose and Progressive Conservatives did during that campaign. ○ She said the party’s fundraising momentum is growing. ○ “Albertans are not going to vote on the basis of how big my bank account is versus some other party leader’s bank account,” Notley said.

● UCP Leader Jason Kenney kicked off his “Alberta Strong and Free” Northern Alberta tour Wednesday, with plans to hit 12 towns in three days. ○ Kenney, and several of UCP candidates, will make stops in Valleyview, Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, Spirit River, Fairview, Peace River and more.

News releases - Non-governmental

NDP MLA accused of asking staffer to perform partisan activities should be investigated by the Speaker, Alberta Party says

Alberta Party MLA Karen McPherson said Speaker Bob Wanner should investigate whether allegations against NDP MLA for West—Yellowhead Eric Rosendahl have any merit.

“My bigger concern is that this issue is looking like a larger pattern of behaviour from the government, with harassment and bullying to the point that staff — and even MLAs — are leaving, while these matters continue to be covered up,” McPherson said in a news release on Thursday, alluding to Robyn Luff’s exit from the party amid bullying allegations last November.

A former constituency office worker accused Rosendahl of trying to pressure her into working on his re-election campaign during office hours, despite the fact that legislative assembly office workers are forbidden to perform partisan duties while they are on the clock.

The woman who complained says she forwarded her concerns to the Public Interest Commissioner and was then fired.

“For this worker to be fired after she filed a complaint with the Public Interest Commissioner — a last resort — is shameful and ironic, because such actions would not be tolerated in the Alberta

Public Service under the government’s own new whistleblower protection legislation,” McPherson said.

Wanner recently declined to probe sexual misconduct allegations against two unnamed NDP MLAs following a similar request from McPherson, saying he received no “specific complaints” from victims.

Nominations

NDP ● Nicole Goehring, the incumbent MLA for Edmonton—Castle Downs, was acclaimed as the party’s candidate in her riding.

Appointments and Employments

Alberta Human Rights Commission ● Darryl Aarbo, Rita Aggarwala, Roxanne Davis, Laura Mensch, Sharon Sproule and Nazrina Umarji were appointed as board members of the Alberta Human Rights Commission for a term expiring on January 21, 2022.

Ethics Commissioner ● Marguerite J. Trussler will begin a second term as the province’s ethics commissioner starting May 26 for a term expiring May 25, 2024.

Alberta Review Board ● Cynthia Baxter was appointed as a member of the Alberta Review Board for a term expiring on May 26, 2022, and Jane McCruden is re-appointed as a board member for a term expiring on May 31, 2022.

Law Enforcement Review Board ● Christine S. Enns and Rosetta Khalideen were re-appointed as board members of the Law Enforcement Review Board for a term expiring on February 14, 2022.

Criminal Injuries Review Board ● Indra L. Maharaj was re-appointed as board member and chair of the Criminal Injuries Review Board for a term expiring on June 4, 2021.

Alberta Institute of Agrologists ● Cassandra Haraba was appointed as a public member of the Alberta Institute of Agrologists council for a term expiring on January 21, 2022.

Council of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety ● Jody Young was nominated as Alberta’s representative to the Council of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

College of Alberta Professional Foresters and the College of Alberta Professional Forest Technologists ● Nancy Hack, Patricia Hull, John Lindsay and Debi Piecowye were appointed as public members to the College of Alberta Professional Foresters and the College of Alberta Professional Forest Technologists for a term expiring on January 21, 2022.

Alberta Veterinary Medical Association ● Elizabeth Hak and Brian Marcotte were added to the list of names used to appoint public members to hearing tribunals and complaint review panels for a term expiring January 21, 2022.

The Workers’ Compensation Board ● Keith Serre, Ross Hansen, Jane Sustrik and Dave Rebbitt were appointed as members of the WCB for a term expiring on January 21, 2022. Dr. Christopher de Gara was re-appointed as Medical Panels Commissioner for a term expiring on March 31, 2022.

Alberta College of Pharmacy ● Carmen Wyton was appointed as a public member of the board for the Alberta College of Pharmacy for a term expiring on January 21, 2022. Health Professions Advisory Board ● Linda Tymchuk was designated chair of the Health Professions Advisory Board.

Mental Health Patient Advocate ● Kathleen Ness was re-appointed as the province’s Mental Health Patient Advocate for a term expiring December 31, 2019.

Lobbyist registrations

If you are looking for further information on any lobbying registry, it is all public and easily searchable here.

Consultants who registered as lobbyists from January 18, 2018 – January 24, 2018

● Noah Niznick, PAA Public Affairs Advisors Inc. o Clients: Canadian Online Gaming Association; SecureKey Technologies Inc.

● Anna De Paoli, De Paoli & Associates Inc. o Clients: Big Marble Farms Inc.

● Jenelle Saskiw, Lindsay Lahey, Leo Piquette, Shayne Saskiw, Jonathon Wescott, Pascal Ryffel, Bronte Valk, Keith Pridgen, Cam MacKay, Alberta Counsel o Clients: Lac La Biche County

● Shayne Saskiw, Jonathon Wescott, Pascal Ryffel, Jenelle Saskiw, Keith Pridgen, Zack Ziolkowski, Bronte Valk, Cam MacKay, Alberta Counsel o Clients: Canada Ukraine Development Association (CUDA)

● Mike Peters, Jordan Pinkster, Brookes Merritt, Global Public Affairs o Clients: Amazon.com, Inc.

● Brookes Merritt, Candice Laws, Global Public Affairs o Clients: Draeger Safety Canada Ltd.

● Diana McQueen, DMC Consulting o Clients: MacKenzie County

Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from January 18, 2018 – January 24, 2018

● Hoffman-La Roche ● Amazon Canada Fulfilment Services, ULC ● Canadian Pacific ● Alberta Pharmacists’ Association ● Chemistry Industry Association of Canada ● Alberta Motor Transport Association ● Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) Alberta Association ● Enel Green Power Canada Inc. ● Cenovus Energy Inc. ● Canadian Wind Energy Association ● PetroChina Canada Ltd.

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

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