The Weekly Roundup - August 4, 2023
Second quarter fundraising numbers federally and in Alberta were released this week, and in both instances, the conservative parties come out on top. Federally, the CPC brought in almost $8 million in the second quarter while the governing Liberals collected almost $3.2 million from supporters during the same time frame. Provincially, the NDP and UCP were much closer in Q2 fundraising totals with the NDP just over $3.9 million and the UCP just shy of $4.5 million when you account for constituency association donations.
With the federal cabinet shuffle in the rearview mirror (you can read our recap here), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a media availability this week looking to take on issues that are consistently polling as top concerns for Canadians; the rising cost of living and housing affordability and accessibility. Unfortunately for the PM, his presser in Hamilton will be remembered for him saying housing is not a “primary federal responsibility”, a gift to the CPC. Issues of access to housing and affordability continue to be bandied about at all levels of government as a problem that needs fixing with a lot of pointed fingers. Political parties that can harness tangible solutions will have the attention of the electorate.
The lack of affordable housing in Alberta led the mayors of Calgary and Edmonton to pen a letter this week with Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon for additional funding through the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative.
Below, you’ll find the other top federal and provincial stories of the week.
Top Federal Stories of the Week
The waiting game on a public inquiry into foreign interference continues, with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh responding to media questions that his party has pushed for an inquiry to include additional countries like Russia, India and Iran.
The countdown is on for access to Canadian media to change drastically as a result of the Liberal government’s Bill C-18. On Tuesday Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram said that within a few weeks, it will remove news for all Canadian users from its platforms. Once Meta makes the change, Canadians will be unable to share or view articles and other content from media outlets. The newly responsible Minister for Canadian Heritage, Pascale St-Onge released a statement calling the shift in policy irresponsible.
Top Alberta Stories of the Week
The slow drip of mandate letters is likely to be wrapped up before the August long weekend, with municipal affairs being the last ministry to be released. Some of the mandate letters receiving focus this week included Mental Health and Addictions and Public Safety. The full list of mandate letters can be found here.
Access to health care in Alberta is a top focus, with both access to lab services in southern Alberta and medical clinics charging membership fees gaining attention. The UCP government is looking to address long wait times for lab services in Calgary by utilizing the AHS-run Alberta Precision Laboratories to offer more appointments. Last week, the Premier came out with a strong statement about upholding access to Alberta’s health care system and remaining committed to the principles of the Canada Health Act.
In a move framed as creating certainty for renewables projects, the UCP government announced a pause on approvals of new renewable electricity generation projects over one megawatt until Feb. 29, 2024. The move came as a surprise to some in the renewables industry with concerns that the pause will hurt investor confidence and power prices.
Upcoming Events Calendar
September 18, 2023: House of Commons resumes sitting after summer break
October 30, 2023: Alberta Speech from the Throne and start of fall session
November 3-4, 2023: UCP Annual General Meeting