AB Today – Daily Report August 26, 2020 Quotation of the day “I’m trying to figure out how to say ‘hyperloop’ in French.” Premier Jason Kenney responds to a query about the province’s plan for a high-speed ​ ​ transportation service. Today in AB On the schedule Salma Lakhani will be sworn in as lieutenant-governor at the legislature today. ​ ​ ​ Finance Minister Travis Toews’ economic update to the legislative assembly happens during a ​ ​ special one-day sitting Thursday. Premier watch Premier Jason Kenney has already been on the horn with new Conservative Party of Canada ​ ​ Leader Erin O’Toole. The premier told reporters Tuesday the pair chatted for half an hour ​ ​ following O’Toole’s win and lauded him for raising the issue of western alienation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau right out of the gate. ​ ​ “He has been a consistent leader on issues, real priority issues for Albertans around oil and gas, pipelines, fairness in the federation, jobs and the economy,” Kenney said of O’Toole. He also celebrated Dr. Leslyn Lewis’ strong showing in the leadership race, noting he played a ​ ​ ​ ​ role in recruiting her to the CPC. Lewis won the second ballot in Alberta and would have won the third had she not been knocked out nationally, Kenney said. “I expect to see great things from her.” Kenney was also on a call with Trudeau and his fellow premiers Tuesday — after which news broke that another $2 billion in provincial transfers to support the safe return to school will be announced by Ottawa today. Premier wants the ‘right people’ in cabinet for economic recovery work With a great “fiscal reckoning” on the horizon and major “fair deal” policy in the works, Premier Jason Kenney shook up his cabinet for the first time since taking office. ​ The premier said the shakeup was necessary because he needs the “right people” around the cabinet table as the province preps its economic recovery strategy. “This is going to be the biggest deficit in the history of Alberta by a country mile,” Kenney told reporters. Fir out, Schweitzer demoted to economic development That means the shaft for Tanya Fir, who was dropped from cabinet. Doug Schweitzer takes up ​ ​ ​ ​ her economic development, trade and tourism portfolio, which has been rebranded as jobs, economy and innovation. The ex-solicitor general will also coordinate the province’s economic recovery plan, a role Kenney deemed “critical.” Schweitzer will work in tandem with Labour Minister Jason Copping on more labour reforms ​ ​ scheduled for release this fall. Kenney thanked Fir for her service only after being prompted by a reporter (she wasn’t mentioned in the official news release). Madu becomes Canada’s first Black justice minister Kaycee Madu was promoted to justice minister and solicitor general, replacing Schweitzer, and ​ becoming the first Black justice minister in Canada, per Kenney. Having a Black solicitor general is important at a time of heightened awareness of the impact of policing on Black and Indigenous people, Kenney told reporters. Madu will lead the Police Act review, as well as probe the possibility of creating a provincial ​ ​ police force, help hire Alberta’s first chief firearms officer, launch the upcoming Alberta Parole Board and lead the province’s legal fight against the federal carbon tax. He will also be crafting referendum questions including on equalization and other “fair deal” recommendations, as well as writing recall legislation. Allard promoted to municipal affairs file Tracy Allard, the UCP MLA for Grande Prairie, got an upgrade from the backbench and is now ​ serving as the minister of municipal affairs. Kenney described Allard as having “a little bit of Margaret Thatcher in her” with “an iron fist in a ​ ​ velvet glove.” NDP Finance critic Shannon Phillips said the cabinet shuffle was “cosmetic” and lacked ​ ​ specifics on job creation and economic diversification. “I’m not at all surprised Tanya Fir was shuffled out — she appeared rather incompetent to my ​ ​ reading of the situation,” Phillips said. “But this failure isn’t hers. This is about the premier and the tone from the top.” Premier reiterates confidence in Shandro When asked about the tense relationship between Health Minister Tyler Shandro and the ​ ​ province’s health-care professionals, including physicians who passed a non-confidence motion against him, Kenney said he backs Shandro 100 per cent. “Tyler has done what he has to do to stop the out of control increase in physician compensation costs,” Kenney said. “I support that kind of tough leadership.” This is the first cabinet shuffle for the UCP government and the last public act for outgoing Lieutenant-Governor Lois Mitchell, who will end her tenure today. ​ ​ Today’s events August 26 at 9 a.m. — Edmonton ​ The new UCP cabinet will meet in the Windsor Room of the Federal Building August 26 at 1:30 p.m. — Edmonton ​ Salma Lakhani will be installed as lieutenant-governor at the legislature. ​ Topics of conversation ● Alberta reported 77 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. The province now has 1,134 ​ ​ active cases, a decrease of 37. ○ Another person died, bringing the provincial death toll to 235. ○ There were 46 people hospitalized (up one), including seven in intensive care (down two). ● A Conference Board of Canada report predicts the COVID-19 recession will carry on ​ ​ longer than originally expected and Alberta will see the biggest hit when compared to other Canadian provinces. ○ The conference board projects Alberta’s real GDP will shrink by 11.3 per cent in 2020, before recovering and expanding by 7.9 per cent in 2021. ○ The report points out the province is hit both by the decrease in global oil demand and plunging oil prices and the COVID-19 crisis. ○ Premier Jason Kenney told reporters on Tuesday government revenues are ​ ​ predicted to be down by $10 billion but defended what he said were “realistic” projections made by budget officials in February. ● Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen welcomed news that the World Trade ​ ​ Organization ruled against the United States’ countervailing duties against Canadian softwood lumber. The WTO sided with Canada on 16 of the 19 claims. ○ “We will continue to vigorously defend our world-class forest sector through litigation and appeals under the North American Free Trade Agreement and WTO appeal processes,” Dreeshen said in a news release. ○ However, the WTO is currently hobbled by the Trump administration, which has ​ ​ blocked it from appointing new members to its appeal board. Should the U.S. appeal the ruling within 60 days, it can’t be upheld by the WTO until appointments are made and the tariffs will stay in force. ● About one-third of Edmonton students will be sticking with distance learning for the first quarter of the school year, CTV reports. ​ ​ ○ Edmonton Public Schools said, so far, 29.6 per cent of parents have informed the board of their schooling-from-home plans. ○ Meanwhile, the Black Gold school division has decided to delay the return to ​ ​ classes to between September 8 and September 10, citing mental health concerns for both staff and students. ● Media trainer Grant Ainsley offered his free advice to the UCP’s issues managers — ​ ​ ​ ​ “stay off Twitter.” ○ Ainsley said historically press secretaries and issues management staff have briefed ministers and kept track of media stories, but recently, Alberta’s issues managers have taken on a combative role on social media. ○ “All this political tailgunning on Twitter is counterproductive,” wrote Ainsley. “It’s unnecessary and I don’t think it’s helping the cause of Kenney, or his government.” Appointments and employments Premier’s office ● Premier Jason Kenney’s principal secretary Howard Anglin is moving on from the ​ ​ ​ ​ premier’s office to take up a post-graduate fellowship at Oxford University. ○ Anglin, who served under both Kenney and Stephen Harper in Ottawa, will be ​ ​ replaced by Lawrence Kaumeyer, who served under Ralph Klein. ​ ​ ​ ​ News briefs Government signs MOU for Edmonton-to-Calgary hyperloop ● The government of Alberta signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TransPod Inc. ​ ​ to develop, test and construct a hyperloop line between Calgary and Edmonton. ○ The firm’s website says it is “developing a new tube transportation technology ​ ​ and is positioning itself beyond the ‘hyperloop’ concept as introduced by SpaceX.” ○ The MOUwill authorize TransPod to conduct a feasibility study through 2022, a research and development phase through 2024, begin test track construction and high-speed tests through 2027, and begin construction of the full line in 2025. ○ No taxpayer dollars were committed to the project, but Premier Jason Kenney ​ told reporters the government is offering up a 10-kilometre piece of Crown land for the hyperloop. Funding announcements Alberta Infrastructure Infrastructure Canada ● Federal Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna virtually joined ​ ​ Drayton Valley-area MLAs to announce $82.5 million for 20 infrastructure projects in central Alberta, including an aquatic centre in Drayton Valley that will operate with net-zero emissions. ○ The provincial government will be pitching in $69.7 million for the projects. Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda estimates they will create 1,300 jobs. ​ ​ Environment and Climate Change Canada ● Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced $2 ​ ​ million in funding for one of the City of Calgary’s climate action initiatives — an expansion of a willow plantation that will add 300 hectares of trees over three years. .