The Weekly Roundup- June 20, 2022
Premier Jason Kenney and Energy Minister Sonya Savage are once again travelling to Washington, D.C. this week to represent Alberta in meetings on Capitol Hill regarding energy security and affordability. The Premier will also hold a media roundtable in D.C. on Thursday.
The UCP Board has now announced the 2022 Leadership Election Rules and Procedures. The new Premier and leader of the United Conservative Party will be announced on October 6th, 2022 through a hybrid mail-in ballot and in-person voting system. It’ll be expensive to be a part of the race, with an entry fee of $150,000 and a $25,000 good conduct deposit.
Voting will be on the basis of one member, one vote by preferential ballot meaning last place candidates will have their secondary preferences awarded to remaining candidates until one candidate has received 50% of first-preference and secondary preference ballots.
To accommodate UCP Cabinet Ministers Rajan Sawhney and Rebecca Schulz resigning to run in the race, Prasad Panda has accepted the role of Acting Minister of Transportation while continuing to serve as Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure and Jason Luan has accepted the role of Acting Minister of Children’s Services, which he will carry out while continuing as Minister of Community and Social Services.
Can you feel the excitement? The Alberta Liberal Party leadership race opened on June 13, with a new leader set to be announced on September 25. Interim leader John Roggeveen has led the party since March 2021.
The NDP have had to deal with some internal strife following a letter of complaint from 15 constituency association presidents alleging a pattern of mistreatment of volunteers. Rachel Notley has said the party is looking at hiring a third party to oversee future harassment complaints from staff and volunteers.
Below, you’ll find a recap of the UCP leadership race, government announcements made and Orders in Council passed since our last edition.
UCP Leadership Race Tracker
We’ll be using this section to apprise you of any major platform announcements, endorsements or other items of note related to leadership contestants. You can click through to their websites using the hyperlinks below.
Leela Aheer: No updates
Brian Jean: Jean officially launched his campaign last week, focusing on his platform of “Autonomy for Albertans”. He wants Alberta to get a better deal from Ottawa on issues like equalization payments, political representation, healthcare funding and trade.
Todd Loewen: No updates
Bill Rock: No updates
Rajan Sawhney: Sawhney launched her campaign last week and pledged an independent inquiry into the government’s handling of COVID-19 along with reviewing the effectiveness of the energy war room.
Danielle Smith: Smith said this week that she would introduce the potentially popular but also potentially unconstitutional Alberta Sovereignty Act that would allow the province to allow federal laws and court rulings the government of the day doesn’t like.
Rebecca Schulz: Schulz launched her campaign last week and enjoys the endorsements of a mix of UCP MLAs, CPC MPs and former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, saying that Albertans want humility from their government and that the leader needs to recognize the NDP are the opponent, not one another.
Travis Toews: Toews will be holding a campaign rally in the Edmonton area on Tuesday, and enjoys the endorsements of a large amount of the UCP caucus and some CPC MPs.
Government of Alberta Announcements
Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro issued a statement on parole eligibility, urging the federal government to invoke the notwithstanding clause to restore parole ineligibility for mass murderers.
A newly launched Women’s Hub directory connects women in the province easily with services and resources.
While some blame the conditions imposed by the UCP government on a failed Edmonton World Cup bid, Minister Orr issued a statement sharing that “they share in the collective disappointment” with soccer fans.
A statement was issued warning that Albertans should use caution if they receive a text offering an energy rebate due to a recent scam making the rounds.
The government celebrated their success related to red tape reduction, highlighting that they have cut more than one-third of the regulatory requirements inherited at the beginning of their term in May 2019.
Alberta has lifted remaining COVID-19 health restrictions including masking on public transit and mandatory isolation as the most recent Omicron wave and hospitalizations decline.
Terse statements were issued by Agriculture Minister Nate Horner and Health Minister Jason Copping on new proposed Health Canada labelling requirements for ground beef and pork, calling it “not good policy” that should be reversed. .
Orders in Council
OC 204/2022: Makes the Health Grants (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation.
OC 205/2022: Makes the Health Facilities (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation.
OC 206/2022: Appoints 6 persons to a list of public members for the purpose of establishing complaint review committees and hearing tribunals, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025; effective June 29, 2022, appoints Lillian (Patricia) Hull to a list of public members for the purpose of establishing complaint review committees and hearing tribunals, for a term to expire on June 28, 2025.
OC 207/2022: Appoints Robert Irwin as a public member to the council of the Alberta College and Association of Opticians for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 208/2022: Reappoints David Joseph Ellement as a public member to the council of the Alberta College of Combined Laboratory and X-ray Technologists for a term to expire on October 29, 2024.
OC 209/2022: Appoints James Dennis Fitzgerald as a public member to the council of the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 210/2022: Appoints Donna Stephenson as a public member to the council of the Alberta College of Paramedics for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 211/2022: Reappoints Laura Mae Delfs as a public member to the council of the Alberta College of Social Workers for a term to expire on May 14, 2024; appoints Allen Billy and Geraldine Smith as public members to the council of the Alberta College of Social Workers, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 212/2022: Appoints Alexander Phung as a public member to the council of the College of Dietitians of Alberta for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 213/2022: Effective June 29, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Patricia Hull as a public member to the council of the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta; appoints Margitta Dziwenka, Patricia Diane Frank and Paul Poirier as public members to the council of the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 214/2022: Appoints Colleen Sekura as a public member to the council of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 215/2022: Appoints Jennifer Tokar as a public member to the council of the College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 216/2022: Appoints Carol Gibbons Kroeker as a public member to the council of the College of Registered Dental Hygienists of Alberta for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 217/2022: Appoints Dianne Johnstone and Robert Kruchten as public members to the council of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 218/2022: Appoints Sean Schaffer as a public member to the council of the Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 219/2022: Makes the Co-ordinated Home Care Program (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation.
OC 220/2022: Designates Patricia Henderson as vice-chair of the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council; appoints 4 persons as members of the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council, each for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 221/2022: Makes the Designation and Transfer of Responsibility Amendment Regulation making tiny clerical changes.
OC 222/2022: Proclaims certain provisions of the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 in force on June 15, 2022, November 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022.
OC 223/2022: Proclaims certain provisions of the Education (Reforming Teacher Professional Discipline) Amendment Act, 2022 in force on September 1, 2022 and January 1, 2023.
OC 224/2022: Proclaims sections 1(1), (2)(c), 2 and 3(2) to (6), (7)(a), (b), to the extent that it enacts section 24(3.1)(b) and (3.2) to (3.4) of the Teaching Profession Act, and (c), (8), (9), (10)(a) and (b), (11) to (22), (23), to the extent that it enacts section 57.1(1)(b) and (e) and (2) of the Teaching Profession Act, and (24) to (27) of the Education Statutes (Students First) Amendment Act, 2021 in force on September 1, 2022.
OC 225/2022: Proclaims certain provisions of the College of Alberta School Superintendents Act in force on September 1, 2022 and January 1, 2023.
OC 226/2022: Makes the Certification of Teachers and Teacher Leaders Regulation.
OC 227/2022: Makes the Practice Review of Teachers and Teacher Leaders Regulation.
OC 228/2022: Makes the Education Act Transitional Regulation.
OC 229/2022: Makes the Early Childhood Services Regulation.
OC 230/2022: Makes the Private Schools Regulation.
OC 231/2022: Approves the Dispute Resolution Process Repeal Bylaw.
OC 232/2022: Appoints Raymond Block, representative of the interests of workers, as a member of the board of directors of The Workers’ Compensation Board for a term to expire on June 14, 2025.
OC 233/2022: Effective June 29, 2022, rescinds the appointment of Lawrence Dean Gallimore and reappoints him as a member and designates him as chair of the board of The Governors of The University of Lethbridge for a term to expire on June 28, 2025.
OC 234/2022: Effective August 15, 2022, designates Yasmin Jivraj as chair of the Board of Governors of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
OC 235/2022: Effective June 21, 2022, designates David Erickson as chair of the Board of Governors of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
OC 236/2022: Makes the Public Lands Administration Amendment Regulation.
OC 237/2022: Approves the Deputy Ministers and Senior Officials Salary Schedules Order.
OC 238/2022: Determines that the cultural property to be temporarily displayed in the Art Gallery of Alberta in an exhibition known as “Conjured Images: Spirit Photography from the turn of the 20th Century” is of significance.
OC 239/2022: Proclaiming the Traffic Safety Amendment Act, 2022 in force on March 1, 2023.
OC 240/2022: Makes the Edmonton Restricted Development Area Amendment Regulation.
OC 241/2022: Makes the Demerit Point Program and Service of Documents Amendment Regulation.
OC 242/2022: Makes the Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Amendment Regulation.
OC 243/2022: Makes the Payment in Lieu of Tax (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation.
OC 244/2022: Makes the Freehold Mineral Rights Tax (Expiry Date Extension) Amendment Regulation.
OC 245/2022: Proclaims certain provisions of the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 in force on June 15, 2022 and September 1, 2022.
OC 246/2022: Makes the order setting the remuneration and expenses to be paid to the members of the Alberta Parole Board.
OC 247/2022: Makes the Parole Board Remuneration and Expenses Repeal Regulation.
OC 248/2022: Makes the Court of Queen’s Bench (Various Regulations) Amendment Regulation making housekeeping changes.
OC 249/2022: Makes the Court of Queen’s Bench (Various Statutes) Amendment Regulation making housekeeping changes.
OC 250/2022: Amends section 8(1) of the Court of Queen’s Bench Act by striking out “masters in chambers” and substituting “applications judges”.
OC 251/2022: Makes the Justice of the Peace (Streamlining) Amendment Regulation.
OC 252/2022: Makes the Victims of Crime and Public Safety Amendment Regulation.
OC 253/2022: Makes the Remediation Amendment Regulation tied to red tape reduction.
OC 254/2022: Makes the Conservation and Reclamation Amendment Regulation.
OC 255/2022: Makes the Exploration Amendment Regulation tied to red tape reduction.
OC 256/2022: Makes the Public Lands Administration Amendment Regulation tied to red tape reduction.
Upcoming Events Calendar
June 28, 2022: New West Public Affairs presents Alberta Relaunch
July 20, 2022: UCP Leader application deadline
September 10, 2022: New CPC Leader announced
September 25, 2022: New Alberta Liberal Leader announced
October 6, 2022: New UCP Leader announced
October 31, 2022: Alberta Legislature Session resumes