The Weekly Roundup - October 24, 2022
The UCP and NDP both held gatherings of their membership this weekend, with leaders Danielle Smith and Rachel Notley laying out some of the key themes we can expect to hear leading into the spring election. Both leaders took the opportunity to commit to waiving the provincial excise on gasoline, and both took their speaking times as an opportunity to say how disastrous the policies of the other party would be for the province. Health care, the economy and addressing inflation and affordability were key themes in both of the leader’s speeches.
Delegates at the UCP convention passed resolutions related to AESO, parental rights regarding gender identity of children and requiring disclosure as lobbyists for municipal councillors and officials. Delegates at the NDP convention passed resolutions regarding lowering the provincial voting age to 16, revisiting consultation on the UCP education curriculum, repairing EMS in the province and tackling the high price of groceries.
You can listen to New West Partner Keith McLaughlin on CBC’s West of Centre podcast or watch New West Partner Michael Solberg on Power & Politics discussing the two party’s fall conventions, the new cabinet and where Alberta politics is headed.
Premier Smith’s cabinet will be sworn in this morning. The cabinet has 27 ministers and 11 parliamentary secretaries and features some familiar faces in key portfolios:
Travis Toews in Finance
Tyler Shandro in Justice
Adriana LaGrange in Education
Demetrios Nicolaides in Advanced Education
Rick Wilson in Indigenous Relations
Jason Copping in Health
All but one of the leadership contestants (Leela Aheer) have found a place in cabinet:
Rajan Sawhney in Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Rebecca Schulz in Municipal Affairs
Todd Loewen in Forestry, Parks and Tourism
Brian Jean in Jobs, Economy and Northern Development
Some other MLAs have been tapped to fulfill key priorities for the UCP government:
Mike Ellis in Public Safety, where he will be tasked with working on a new provincial police force.
Nate Horner in Agriculture and Irrigation, a portfolio where he will be expected to get results for prospective rural voters.
Matt Jones in Affordability and Utilities, where he will need to address inflationary pressures and provide solutions for Albertans. The latest consumer price index figures show that prices continue to climb year over year, with aggressive rate hikes and a technical recession in early 2023 likely on the horizon.
The Premier also has two Deputy Premiers, representing urban (Edmonton MLA Kaycee Madu) and rural (Lethbridge MLA Nathan Neudorf). Prasad Panda, Jason Nixon and Ric McIver are no longer in cabinet.
You can view the cabinet roster in its entirety here.
Below, you’ll find a recap of other government announcements made since our last edition.
Government of Alberta Announcements
Minister of Service Alberta Nate Glubish is traveling to Denmark this week to learn more about the nation’s approach to managing health data and how it can improve outcomes for Albertans.
Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro issued a statement on the federal handgun freeze now in effect.
Seven remarkable Albertans were recognized and celebrated with the Alberta Order of Excellence.
Premier Smith issued an apology for her previous statements regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Upcoming Events Calendar
November 8, 2022: Brooks - Medicine Hat byelection
November 29, 2022: Alberta Legislature Session tentatively scheduled to resume