AB Today – Daily Report October 23, 2020

Quotation of the day

“If you’re out there AHS, I’m waiting.”

At a virtual news conference yesterday, Transportation Minister Ric McIver told reporters on ​ ​ Thursday he was still waiting to receive a COVID-19 test. McIver is in self-isolation because he was a close contact of Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard. ​

Today in AB

Written by Catherine Griwkowsky

On the schedule The house will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

Thursday’s debates and proceedings Agriculture and Forestry Minister introduced Bill 40, Forests (Growing ​ ​ ​ ​ ’s Forest Sector) Amendment Act.

MLAs debated Bill 36, Geothermal Resource Development Act, at second reading. ​ ​

Premier watch Premier spoke to reporters via videoconference Thursday as he continues to ​ ​ self-isolate.

The premier, who received a negative test result within hours of learning he was a close contact of Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard, said he learned of Allard’s positive test at 3:05 p.m. ​ ​ on Wednesday.

Kenney said Allard had no symptoms when she appeared at a press conference with him last Thursday, but began isolating on Friday after feeling mild symptoms.

As a member of the government’s emergency management cabinet committee, the premier has access to expedited testing.

However, Transportation Minister Ric McIver, who is self-isolating, said at a noon news ​ ​ conference yesterday that he was still waiting to get his test.

At the legislature The NDP caucus is now wearing masks full-time inside the legislature and Federal Building. Previously, the Opposition MLAs had taken their masks off to speak.

All MLAs have been wearing masks when moving in the chamber.

UCP overtakes NDP in fundraising The United Conservative Party has raised $3.1 million during this cool pandemic fundraising year, according to new Elections Alberta data. Nearly 75 per cent of that is from donations over $250.

The NDP trails with $2.7 million in donations, about 67 per cent of which came from big donors.

This year has been a rollercoaster for party fundraising. In Q1, the NDP raised more than double the funds of their governing rivals, but the UCP flipped the script by raising significantly more in Q2.

The two parties’ fundraising was roughly on par in Q3. The UCP took in $1.3 million, compared to about $1.1 million raised by the New Democrats.

(When accounting for donations strictly to the party, the NDP is ahead of the United Conservatives. But the UCP also collects money through constituency associations, which pushes them ahead overall.)

The , which has slipped from the public dialogue since former leader Stephen ​ Mandel resigned and took a board position at Alberta Health Services, raised about $75,000 ​ this year. The Liberal Party pulled in $55,000.

The Wildrose Independence Party, which was formed by a merger of the Freedom Conservative Party and Wexit Alberta in July, raised $32,000 in Q3.

Rapid testing trial run to replace quarantine for international arrivals Rapid testing is landing in YYC. Alberta, Ottawa and the airline industry are teaming up for a trial program aimed at getting international travellers out of quarantine faster.

Under the voluntary program, incoming travellers will receive a COVID-19 test upon arrival followed by a test a week later using rapid testing technology.

“Though a lot of work lies ahead, we can see a return to normal travel,” Premier Jason Kenney ​ told reporters at the news conference.

If a traveller’s initial test comes back negative and they commit to being retested at a community pharmacy within six or seven days or their arrival, they can leave quarantine. That’s sooner than the mandatory 14 day isolation period currently required under the federal Quarantine Act. ​ ​

Participants will also be subject to daily screening.

The trial will begin on November 2 at the Calgary International Airport and the Coutts border crossing and could expand to the Edmonton International Airport (which is resuming ​ international flights next week) in early 2021.

Those who do not participate in the testing will have to adhere to mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The government also announced fee-for-service testing through DynaLife labs for asymptomatic travellers needing a pre-travel test. Those flying can pay $150 for a test within 72 hours of a flight.

Today’s events

October 23 at 9 a.m. — Virtual ​ ​ ​ Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women Minister will speak at a virtual ​ ​ “Together We Can Make A Difference” event.

Topics of conversation

● Alberta had 427 new cases confirmed on Thursday. The number of active cases grew to 3,519 (up 147). There are now 112 people hospitalized (down one), including 18 in ICU (up two). No new deaths were reported, keeping the total at 296. ○ Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced elective surgeries ​ ​ would be postponed again in the Edmonton zone in order to preserve capacity. ○ She said she was concerned by the increase in cases, which seemed to be driven up by Thanksgiving gatherings, despite voluntary measures in Edmonton which appeared to be working in the first week after they were introduced. She said her team is looking at additional responses. ○ There are currently outbreaks at the Edmonton General Continuing Care centre (23 cases) and Calgary Correctional Centre (24 cases). ○ Dr. Hinshaw also warned about emerging evidence of long-term effects of the virus, even among people who were not hospitalized.

● Exxon Mobil Corp is expected to announce job cuts to its Canadian workforce amid ​ ​ collapsing demand for oil, Reuters reports. ○ Exxon, which owns a 69.6 per cent stake in Imperial Oil, is the latest company to announce job losses after it lost US$1.7 billion in the first half of the fiscal year. ​ ​ ○ Both Shell and BP have said they will cut 15 per cent of their global workforces.

● Right-wing think tank Second Street released a report on hospital cafeteria spending by ​ ​ health authorities. ○ The Alberta Health Services-owned cafeteria at the University of Alberta hospital lost $821,848 in 2017-18, the most of any commercial food location in a health setting in the country. The cafeteria lost $733,180 in 2018-19. ○ Combined, the 26 Alberta health facilities that provided data to Second Street lost $3 million on commercial food locations in 2017-18, and $2.3 million in 2018-19. ○ Second Street did not study food for patients, only commercial operations for staff and visitors. The report was released as the UCP government is exploring privatization of delivery of a number of services, including food services.

● In the face of a lawsuit, the government signalled it may continue the injectable opioid agonist treatment (iOAT) program in some capacity, the Calgary Herald reports. ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ The province announced it would end funding for the iOAT program for people with treatment-resistant opioid dependency in March 2021. ○ Twelve of the program’s patients launched a lawsuit against the province for cancelling the program. ○ Kassandra Kitz, spokesperson for the Associate Minister of Mental Health ​ Addictions , told the Herald iOAT as a therapeutic option will ​ ​ ​ ​ continue but declined to give further detail.

News briefs

Government moves forward with privatized road testing ● Transportation Minister Ric McIver unveiled a new driver testing model, returning to ​ ​ private delivery in a reversal of the NDP’s move to shift to provincially run driver testing. ○ While in government, the NDP moved driver examiners into the public sector following the deadly Humboldt bus crash in Saskatchewan, caused by an Alberta commercial truck driver. The changes included more stringent driver testing requirements for commercial vehicle operators called “mandatory entry level requirements,” which will remain in the public system. ○ However, tests for class 4, 5, and 6 licences will be re-privatized. ○ Additionally, the province announced a new online booking system, which will open on December 1.

● NDP Transportation critic said the NDP had changed the rules to ensure ​ ​ good prices and fairness. ○ “Our NDP government inherited a conservative driver testing system that was broken,” Loyola said. “It cost Albertans too much and offered no protections against examiners behaving inappropriately or repeatedly failing new drivers in order to bill them for several tests. We drove down costs and improved service levels, particularly in rural Alberta.”

Funding announcements

Strategic Innovation Fund ● The federal government announced $100 million over four years to develop technologies that will lower oil and gas emissions with a goal of reducing 100 megatonnes of CO2 output by 2033.

Question period

NDP question fast-track testing for Kenney

● NDP Leader led off by asking why the premier got test results within ​ ​ hours while other Albertans, including front-line health workers, have to wait up to a week without pay. ○ “We all know that Albertans are waiting days for their test results, days full of stress and anxiety, yet the premier received his results within 24 hours,” Notley said. “Can the government please clarify how the premier received those results so quickly?”

● Government house leader explained Premier Jason Kenney is a ​ ​ ​ ​ member of the emergency management cabinet committee, which is on an expedited list for testing. ○ “Alberta has some of the highest testing inside the country, in fact, in the world,” Nixon said. “The system is working. It’s working well. Unfortunately, of course, you can’t have all results immediately happen. They are happening, though, at a very rapid rate.”

Other NDP questions The NDP also asked about energy sector job losses, the curriculum rewrite, increased medication costs for seniors, changes to the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped benefit program, the opioid epidemic, road tolls and ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks.

UCP backbencher questions UCP backbenchers asked about the curriculum review, progress on the well site reclamation program, red tape reduction, upgrades to Highway 60 and actions taken to protect school students and staff.

Lobbyist registrations

Consultants who registered as lobbyists from October 16 – October 22, 2020

● Nick Koolsbergen, Trisha Rinneard, Brad Tennant and Peter Csillag, Wellington ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Advocacy Inc. ○ Clients: Spartan Bioscience Inc.; Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service Inc. ​

● Brad Tennant, Nick Koolsbergen and Peter Csillag, Wellington Advocacy Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ○ Clients: Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation; Insurance ​ Bureau of Canada; Teser Technologies

● Sam Duncan, Brad Tennant, Nick Koolsbergen and Peter Csillag, Wellington ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Advocacy Inc. ○ Clients: Enriched Academy ​

● Alan Hallman, Alan Hallman & Associates Inc. ​ ○ Clients: Fort McMurray #468 First Nation ​

● Conor Mahoney, Yonathan Sumamo, Farid Foroud, Elan MacDonald, Brian ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Senio, Global Public Affairs ​ ○ Clients: Entos Pharmaceuticals ​

● Tim Wade, Tim Wade Consulting Inc. ​ ○ Clients: 2174308 Alberta Ltd, O/A Potluck Craft ​

● Steven McLelan and Erika Barootes, Enterprise Canada Inc. ​ ​ ​ ○ Clients: Sturgeon County; Fort McKay First Nation ​

● Nick Koolsbergen, Brad Tennant, Peter Csillag and Matt de Jong, Wellington ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Advocacy Inc. ○ Clients: Aware360; Enhance Energy Inc. ​

● Jordan Pinkster, Elan MacDonald, Farid Foroud and Candice Laws, Global Public ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Affairs ○ Clients: Amazon.com, Inc. ​

● Peter Csillag, Nick Koolsbergen, Brad Tennant, Trisha Rinneard and Matt de ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Jong, Wellington Advocacy Inc. ​ ○ Clients: Terrestrial Energy Inc. ​

● Jeff Sterzuk, Prairie Sky Enterprises Ltd. (Prairie Sky Strategy) ​ ○ Clients: AMGAS Services Inc. ​

● Jeff Johnson and Doug Horner, P3 Capital Partners Inc. ​ ​ ​ ○ Clients: Gaylord Chemical Company, LLC ​ Organizations that registered in-house lobbyists from October 16 2020 – October 22, 2020

● Fertilizer Canada ● Heartland Generation Ltd. ● Sun Life Financial ● Capital Power ● OrganiGram Inc. ● Heartland Generation Ltd. ● Alberta Milk ● Credit Union Central Alberta Ltd. (Alberta Central) ● AstraZeneca Canada Inc. ● International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers Local 110 ● Keyera Corp. ● Suncor Energy Inc. ● Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association ● Servier Canada Inc.

AB Today is written by Catherine Griwkowsky, reporting from the Alberta Legislative Press Gallery.

What did you think of this Daily Report? What else would you like to see here? Email [email protected] and let us know. ​ ​

Copyright © 2020 Queen’s Park Today. It is a violation of copyright to distribute this newsletter, in whole or in part, without permission.