AB Today – Daily Report April 25, 2019
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AB Today – Daily Report April 25, 2019 Quotation of the day “Without diligence, there is potential for significant weight fluctuations.” Speaker Bob Wanner warns the province’s new MLAs that not eating “healthily” or “regularly” is one of the risks of their new job. Today in AB On the schedule Premier-designate Jason Kenney will spend most of the remainder of the week in meetings as he prepares to transition to his new role as head of government. On April 30, Kenney will swear in his new cabinet at Government House. A spokesperson for the UCP has confirmed the new government’s first cabinet meeting will be held post-ceremony. Premier watch Soon-to-be premier Jason Kenney continues to keep a low public profile this week; however, he did issue a Twitter video marking Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day Wednesday. Kenney also posted a photo of a casual meeting between him and some incoming UCP MLAs from Tuesday. It’s back to school for province’s political rookies “Good people can do good things when they work together.” That was the message from Speaker Bob Wanner, who hosted an orientation day at the legislature Wednesday where he dispensed advice and preached humility and respect to first-time MLAs coming off the heated election campaign. When Alberta’s 30th Parliament convenes later this month, more than half of the MLAs in the legislature will be fresh faces; 47 of the 87 seats will be filled by newcomers. Wanner’s tips for the soon-to-be members ranged from a Spiderman quote (“With great power comes great responsibility”) to advice about unhealthy eating — and unhealthy tweeting. “Use social media at your own peril,” he said, cautioning members not to say anything online they wouldn’t want on the front page of the newspaper the next day. Wanner, who did not run for re-election and will retire once a new Speaker is voted into the position later this month, took a moment during the training session to look up at the bright lights on the chamber’s ceiling for one of the last times. Reflecting on his four years in the House, Wanner said he learned so much about Alberta’s residents from members’ statements and that “one of the biggest transformational changes [for him] was appreciating and understanding Indigenous peoples’ history,” reminding the incoming MLAs about the history of the Treaty 6 territory on which the legislature was built. Wanner says he is leaving the decision on which artist to commission for his official portrait up to his wife. And for the first time in his life, Wanner says he has no plans. “My wife and I are going to get in a canoe and see where the river takes us,” Wanner said. ‘Procedural nerd’ Nathan Cooper rumoured to be in the running for future speaker With just weeks to go until a new Speaker is chosen, incumbent UCP MLA Nathan Cooper (Olds—Didsbury—Three Hills) is rumoured to be the UCP caucus’ top pick for the role. Cooper joked with reporters about being a “procedural nerd” on a recent episode of CBC’s The Ledge podcast, and remarked on his passion for democratic system. “If the assembly was to support me or select me in that, for sure I’d be willing to serve, it would be a huge honour, but there’s a lot of work before the Speaker election,” Cooper told reporters at the legislature Wednesday. Cooper said he walked into the government lounge with a “significant grin” on his face this week, after spending years on the opposition benches. Despite a divisive campaign, Cooper said he still has friends across the aisle, likening the parliamentary system to Wile E. Coyote and the roadrunner. “Democracy is how we do combat in a peaceful manner,” Cooper said. Alberta legislature to host Brotherly Love reboot After sharing a bedroom together for 16 years, brothers Jason Nixon (Rimbey—Rocky Mountain House—Sundre) and Jeremy Nixon (Calgary—Klein) will soon be back under the same roof — only this time in a very different House. Jason, an incumbent who most recently served as the UCP’s House leader, is a towering figure at 6’7”. His younger, shorter brother Jeremy was elected for the first time on April 16 — and told reporters he won last time the pair wrestled. (On that note, AB Today has learned the elder Nixon is no longer Alberta’s tallest member — UCP MLA-elect Joseph Schow of Cardston—Siksika now has the best view in the House.) The incumbent Nixon brother had some friendly advice for Jeremy, advising him to start out slow, take it all in, and not be too hasty to act. They don’t call Alberta the home of political dynasties for nothing. Four sets of siblings (all men) have served as MLAs before, but this is the first time in the province’s history siblings will be working in the House at the same time. Other newcomers chime in on their first day in the chamber ● Former UCP leadership contender Doug Schweitzer told reporters he was humbled to be chosen to represent the people of Calgary—Elbow, but is still working on learning his new colleagues’ names. ○ While he’s no stranger to the political spotlight, one thing that surprised him walking into the chamber was just how bright the lights are. “You see it on TV and it doesn’t look that bright,” Schweitzer said. ● UCP MLA-elect Sonya Savage for Calgary—North West said it was “surreal” to walk into the chamber after almost a year of door-knocking. “It hits you really, really hard that this is months and months of work paid off,” Savage said. ○ When asked about the potential of her getting tapped for a cabinet position as energy minister, Savage, who is an environmental and energy lawyer, said she will serve at the pleasure of the premier in any capacity, ● Peace River UCP MLA-elect Dan Williams joked that he put in more kilometres door-knocking during the campaign in his sprawling, 100,000-square kilometre riding than premier-designate Jason Kenney did provincewide. ○ At 32, Williams is one of the youngest members of the UCP caucus, but he is also one of the few with direct experience working with Kenney. When Kenney was a cabinet minister in Ottawa, Williams worked for his regional office. He was also the UCP’s caucus outreach manager. ● Edmonton—Highlands—Norwood NDP MLA-elect Janis Irwin is no stranger to the legislature, having served as Premier Rachel Notley’s director of stakeholder relations, but she said Wednesday was her first time on the floor of the legislative chamber since high school. ○ Irwin, the only openly LGBTQ MLA and a former teacher, is rumoured to be the official Opposition’s top pick for education critic. ● Rookie NDP MLA-elect for Edmonton—Whitemud Rakhi Pancholi is one of only three newbie New Democrats entering the legislature. ○ Pancholi, a labour and employment lawyer who has worked with school boards for the past five years, described the NDP caucus as “really fired up to hold the government to account.” Topics of conversation ● Looking for work? The UCP has posted a list of employment opportunities on its website. ● Ex-UCP nomination candidate for Calgary—Fish Creek Cyndy Morin has launched a $650,000 defamation suit against the NDP in response to an August 2018 press release that claimed she took illegal corporate donations, the Edmonton Sun reports. ○ The Elections Commissioner cleared Morin of wrongdoing last October, but by that time she had already dropped out of the nomination race to deal with the allegations and subsequent investigation. ○ The NDP contended that Morin’s law firm Resolve Legal Group had assisted in her nomination campaign through promotional material and events. ○ Morin and the firm are each seeking $325,000 in damages, according to a statement of claim filed in a Calgary court. ○ A statement of defence has not yet been filed. ● The Alberta Teachers’ Association is distancing itself from an upcoming student walkout. ○ “We would prefer not to dignify baseless Twitter accusations with a response; however, a clear, unequivocal statement seems to be needed: The Alberta Teachers’ Association has played no role in organizing or supporting the organization of any planned student walkouts,” the association’s account tweeted Wednesday. ○ The May 3 walkout is in protest of the UCP’s planned rollback of protections for gay-straight alliances in schools. ● Federal Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi told the Edmonton Journal in-situ oilsands projects could be in jeopardy if premier-designate Jason Kenney goes through with a promise to lift the 100-megatonne cap on carbon emissions from the oilsands. ○ According to Sohi, Ottawa had an agreement with Premier Rachel Notley to exempt in-situ project from Bill C-69 — but only if the oilsands emissions cap remained in place. ○ Kenney spent much of his time in opposition and on the campaign trail voicing opposition to Bill C-69, which he calls the “no more pipelines bill.” ○ As previously reported by AB Today, the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources recently amended its legislative schedule, cancelling its deadline for the passage of Bill C-69 (while keeping deadlines in place for 10 other bills). This increases the likelihood the bill will not clear the Senate and the requisite second round of House of Commons’ debate before the end of the spring session. With a fall election looming, this could spell the end for the controversial legislation. ● Cenovus Energy CEO Alex Pourbaix said the oil production curtailment succeeded in bolstering the price of Western Canadian Select oil, leading to billions more dollars generated for provincial coffers, the Canadian Press reports.