AB Today – Daily Report June 24, 2020
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AB Today – Daily Report June 24, 2020 Quotation of the day “This bill attempts to criminalize [solidarity].” AUPE president Guy Smith filed a constitutional challenge against the UCP’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act arguing the law violates freedom of speech, assembly and association protections. Today in AB On the schedule The house is scheduled to convene today at 1:30 p.m. Per the order paper, MLAs could debate Bill 22, Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act, at second reading. The following bills could be called at committee stage after clearing second reading yesterday: ● Bill 23, Commercial Tenancies Protection Act; and ● Bill 24, COVID-19 Pandemic Response Statutes Amendment Act, which allows some emergency authorities without declaring a public health emergency. These bills could also be called for continued debate at the committee of the whole: ● Bill 7, Responsible Energy Development Amendment Act; ● Bill 15, Choice in Education Act; ● Bill 16, Victims of Crime (Strengthening Public Safety) Amendment Act; and ● Bill 18, Corrections (Alberta Parole Board) Amendment Act. Tuesday’s debates and proceedings Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer introduced two government bills: Bill 26, Constitutional Referendum Amendment Act, and Bill 27, Alberta Senate Election Amendment Act. Government house leader Jason Nixon also gave oral notice of two more bills: Bill 28, Vital Statistics (Protecting Albertans from Convicted Sex Offenders) Amendment Act, and Bill 29, Local Authorities Election Amendment Act. Bill 15, Bill 16 and Bill 17 were all debated at committee stage. Bill 22, Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act, was debated at second reading for the first time. Premier watch Premier Jason Kenney said he will ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Ottawa’s assistance in bringing paid sick leave to workers in the province during a call today. A day after the premier tweeted a “Welcome to Edmonton” video that mainly showcased other areas of the province, such as national parks, Edmonton Tourism published its own video featuring views of the capital city. Public sector union launches charter challenge against Bill 1 The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) filed a charter challenge in the Court of the Queen’s Bench Tuesday, arguing the UCP’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act violates constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, assembly and association. The law, passed earlier this spring, increases penalties for trespassing on “essential infrastructure,” but AUPE’s statement of claim argues that definition is too broad. While the law was aimed at protests blockading railways and roads in solidarity with hereditary Wet’suwet’en chiefs in B.C., its definition of “essential infrastructure” includes “highways” — as defined by the Traffic Safety Act — which covers streets, sidewalks, squares and driveways. It also gives cabinet leeway to expand the list of spaces covered under the act. “We will fight this all the way to the Supreme Court and we will defend any and all AUPE members or staff who are caught in the bill’s crosshairs,” AUPE president Guy Smith said in a news release. Jonah Mozeson, press secretary to Justice Minister and Solicitor General Doug Schweitzer, told AB Today Albertans are onside with the government’s move after seeing what happened with the Wet’suwet’en protests. “Bill 1 is clearly aimed at those who would block key infrastructure such as railways, bridges, pipelines, and highways,” Mozeson wrote. “If the union bosses at AUPE are planning on blocking railways, they should let Albertans know.” But Smith argues the law goes much further, noting unions often hold pickets and demonstrations on sidewalks and in parking lots, which could be considered essential infrastructure. “This is the kind of law we would expect to see in an oppressive dictatorship,” Smith said in a news release. Jay Cameron, litigation manager of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, told AB Today he doesn’t think the law itself is unconstitutional because the government has a responsibility to end “anarchy and chaos.” “It is the government’s perspective that lawlessness and obstruction of private and public enterprise can’t be tolerated and they have a mandate from Albertans to uphold the rule of law,” Cameron said. But, he said he does consider areas of the law problematic, including its “excessive” fines and potential limitations to protests on sidewalks. Today’s events June 24 at 9 a.m. – Edmonton A subcommittee of the UCP’s community and families committee will meet in the Mountbatten Room of the Federal Building. The UCP’s jobs and economy committee member policy committee will meet in the Windsor Room of the Federal Building. June 24 at 3:30 p.m. – Edmonton The UCP’s resource and sustainable development committee will meet in the Cabinet Room of the legislature. The UCP’s jobs and economy committee will meet in Room 512. Topics of conversation ● There were 45 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday, bringing the total number of active cases in the province down to 532 — 10 fewer than the day before. There are 37 people hospitalized, including six in intensive care. There were no additional deaths, holding the total at 153. ○ There is an outbreak at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton, with six patients and two staff members testing positive. ○ The North East Edmonton health zone is now under an official watch due to the threshold of cases reaching 50.6 per 100,000. However, the province is not taking additional public health measures in the region. ● The Alberta Parks website was updated to include reopening plans for 17 park sites previously slated for closure. ○ Some of those parks had been listed for full or partial closure, not due to the pandemic, but as a cost-saving measure. The government has plans to sell or transfer parks to a third-party manager, rather than operate them provincially, including 20 full or partial closures and 164 proposed for third-party management. ● The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met Tuesday to discuss, among other things, the role of the Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB). ○ The MacKinnon report on the province’s finances recommended the ATB and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation be operated in a more commercial manner. ○ NDP Finance critic Shannon Phillips asked the government to consider the functions the ATB serves that a commercial bank doesn’t, such as providing branches in rural communities where others don’t and its program that allows Albertans facing homelessness to do banking. ● Economist Trevor Tombe disputed the NDP’s claim that $133 billion in unfunded liabilities that would go along with the province’s potential exit from CPP are of grave concern. ○ Tombe, whose comments were echoed by the premier during question period, argued Alberta could make up the difference via an Alberta Pension Plan payroll tax, which the NDP didn’t factor in. ● Who is holding up wage top-ups for front-line health workers in congregate living facilities? The employer and union are both pointing fingers at each other over delays, CBC reports. ● For the first time in 45 years, Transportation Minister Ric McIver is shaving his moustache. ○ McIver is losing his upper lip hair for a good cause —the Big ‘Stache Off, which raises money for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation. ○ Normally, McIver hops on his bike for the Motorcycle Ride for a Lifetime, but the pandemic cancelled the fundraiser this year. News briefs Government, AER restore environmental monitoring ● Environment Minister Jason Nixon announced environmental reporting suspended during the public health emergency will resume on July 15. ○ That is a month earlier than originally laid out under a ministerial order, meaning companies will have to submit reports on emissions reductions and renewable fuel by June 30. ○ “The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic required us to operate under an abundance of caution during the height of the health emergency,” said Energy Minister Sonya Savage in a news release. “While this pause was of low risk, it is also important that we maintain full confidence in the rigour of our regulatory system and return to all regular reporting activities as soon as it is safe to do so.” ○ The Alberta Energy Regulator made a similar announcement on Tuesday. Committee to hear feedback on NDP pensions bill ● The Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Public Bills voted in favour of allowing presentations from the public on a proposed bill by NDP Labour critic Christina Gray. ○ Bill 203, Pension Protection Act, would reverse the UCP’s public sector pension plan governance changes. It would also prevent Alberta from pulling out of the Canada Pension Plan. ○ Gray says more than 2,000 Albertans requested time to present their opposition to the withdrawal from the CPP and 30,000 Albertans signed an online petition through the NDP’s website. Funding announcements Ministry of Health ● Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced $10 million for targeted serology testing to check for people who may have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood — making Alberta the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so. ○ The funding will be used to test children in Edmonton and Calgary for antibodies through 2022. It will also assess samples collected provincewide for other purposes and randomly test a select group of Albertans over the age of 45. Appointments and Employments Alberta Utilities Commission ● Carolyn Dahl Rees, a current board member of the Alberta Utilities Commission, was named interim chair for up to 12 months. Wexit Canada ● Former B.C. MP Jay Hill has been named leader of Wexit Canada, a federal separatist party, the Western Standard reports. According to the Standard, Peter Downing stepped down as head of the party. ○ The new federal party will not be affiliated with the provincial Wexit Party or other independence parties.