What is
@ABDanielleSmith
’s greatest regret?
Find out as she joins us on
@TheDiscourse__
today.
In this episode, Premier Smith pushes back on criticism and offers a glimpse into her plans for the next three years.
You don’t want to miss this one.
The NDP has much to be proud of today:
🟠winning the popular vote in Calgary and Edmonton.
🟠the tightest race in Alberta’s history, determined by 1300 votes in 6 seats.
🟠the most support the NDP has ever received in Alberta.
Friends, that is incredible progress!
#ableg
Instead of the vitriol
@jkenney
had hoped for, the overwhelming response was from people saying they were, in fact, better off — which led to the Canada-wide top trending hashtag
#BetterOffWithRachel
#ableg
“I’m a lifelong conservative both federally and provincially, and this is a big change for me to abandon my party, but I simply cannot any longer tolerate this,” says Former PC Attorney General.
#ableg
Mouseland is a story about mice who are governed by cats, & although the cats are nice cats who mean well, they make laws that only help cats & eventually the mice get fed up. Mouseland is a cute story that teaches kids about democracy. Only a cat would disagree.
#AbLeg
#abndp
The NDP tries to assure Albertans they're not pushing political ideology in their curriculum reform. But when the Premier visits young students in the classroom, what does she read to them? NDP founder Tommy Douglas' socialist propaganda tale 'Mouseland.' We can't make this up!
“Everywhere I go, I hear from conservatives who feel
@ABDanielleSmith
doesn’t represent them or their values. I’m asking those voters to give us a chance to show you what we’ve got.”
@RachelNotley
makes direct appeal to conservatives frustrated with Smith
#ableg
When you’re in power, it’s easy to forget you won’t always be in power.
Such a schoolyard tweet from a sitting minister solely intended to make a woman colleague feel small.
#ableg
For what it’s worth, if any person/outlet/organization come to the legislature with an agenda of spreading antisemitic, homophobic, islamophobic or generally hatefully messaging, I believe we would ask them to leave.
#ableg
I love how Notley's press secretary
@cherylanne
is extolling her virtuous relationship with the media while simultaneously forgetting I watched her beckon a sheriff and direct him to toss me out of the legislature.
Give me a break.
● 6700 kms on the campaign bus
● 90+ media events
● 14 rallies or town halls
● 22 babies held
So proud of this campaign, this team and of course,
@RachelNotley
!
Get out and vote for a better future, Alberta! Elections are decided by those who show up!
#ableg
Dr. Yiu is the first in a series of scapegoats
@jkenney
will point to ahead of his leadership review. Unwilling to take ownership of any of their mistakes, the UCP is always looking for someone to blame.
#ableg
This is no slip of the tongue. This is not “imprecise” speech.
Smith believes it’s important Albertans pay out of pocket for things like doctor visits. She has repeated and detailed this view multiple times.
#ableg
Wow. "A nice little debit card": that's what
@ABDanielleSmith
wants to replace public healthcare with.
In a newly surfaced video, Smith reveals her plot to make healthcare "partially funded by government, partially funded by your employer and partially funded by you."
#ableg
The debate was only a draw if we agree that the leaders had very different goals for the night.
@RachelNotley
made a forward offer, held Smith accountable and delivered some clever and memorable moments.
@ABDanielleSmith
made it an hour without saying anything crazy.
#ableg
On Day 3 of the Alberta Election campaign
@RachelNotley
unveils a plan to attract investment and create thousands of new jobs. She says Alberta will be an energy superpower now and into the future.
#ableg
In this era of journalism, if you can’t make news, you just buy it. Such a disappointing precedent and a disservice to readers. The
#UCP
@jkenney
are willing to cross any ethical line to win. Albertans deserve better.
#ABleg
Front page of today's Edmonton Journal. From debt free not long ago, to nearly $100 billion in debt in just a few years. Debt is not without cost - it eventually needs to be repaid, with interest. That has real consequences for future generations of Albertans.
#ableg
#abpoli
#UCP
It really begs the question: Why has
@jkenney
been so adamant that we call the election early? Was he hoping the election would be done and over with before any of this came out?
#Ableg
The UCP is governing on a wildly different agenda than they ran on.
Where are the family doctors? Where is the tax cut they promised?
So far, the UCP’s priorities are leaving CPP and taking away trans rights.
Duplicitous.
#ableg
I’ve spent almost a decade running for/with
@RachelNotley
. We marked the end of our 3rd provincial campaign together with a beautiful run through Edmonton. Happy E-Day everyone!
#ableg
#AbVote
Surrounded by parents, teachers and kids,
@RachelNotley
announces she will make sure our kids get the attention they need in the classroom - hiring 1000 teachers/year for 4 years.
#ableg
Not a single tax dollar went to this announcement. The nurses who came to speak out about the dangers of
@jkenney
plan to privatize health care, came on their own time because they are worried about what he will do to front line services.
#ableg
It is an unethical abuse of public resources for the NDP Leader to hold a partisan news conference in a public hospital, as she did today. Those are party, not government signs.
This is explicitly prohibited by AHS policy.
Stop campaigning at public expense. Call the election.
Albertans have asked us to do an important job as Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. It is the highest honour imaginable to serve the people of our great province. To listen, to learn, to build the public trust and to stand up for Albertans when they need us.
#ableg
#abndp
Women who shouldn’t need to choose between working and family; pipe fitters fighting for their over time;
#LGBTQ
youth; seniors worried about their medication. Notley lists a long list of folks ends with “I am fighting for YOU.”
#ableg
#abvote
#yyc
.
@jkenney
says: “As far as I’m concerned, when I leave the borders of Canada, I’m on team Alberta.” Why can’t he be on “Team Alberta” within Canada’s borders?
#AbLeg
FOIP documents show the UCP directed the removal of COVID, flu references in its fall vaccine campaign. This is exactly why healthcare decision making power should not be concentrated in the Premier’s Office.
#ableg
This campaign is really going to matter. The UCP and the NDP are offering two very different visions for Alberta and many are asking themselves, can we trust
@ABDanielleSmith
?
#ableg
The
#UCP
&
@jkenney
want to give big corporations the biggest tax break in Canadian history. His plan will blow a $4.5B hole in AB’s finances over the next four years. This will mean longer wait times in hospitals, overcrowded classrooms & fewer supports for families.
#ableg
Yesterday,
@sunrickbell
and
@PostmediaNews
crossed a line. Cherry-picking polling data to support one campaign’s message and strategy is a disservice to Albertans and democracy and it’s unethical. Read my column here:
#ableg
The
#UCP
is supposed to win back Alberta. But it’s becoming clear that more and more Albertans are uneasy with what
@jkenney
and his party represent.
#ableg
Kenney knows this budget would never pass in the wake of COVID19, when the media and public has the bandwidth to pay attention. To use a global pandemic as political cover to ram through a budget with massive cuts to front line services is disgusting and undemocratic.
#ableg
In the dead of night,
@jkenney
rammed through his terrible budget, invoked time allocation AGAIN on another bill and then talked and talked and talked for what little time was left. What a sight to see, what a Premier this guy has turned out to be.
#ableg
#abhealth
#abed
It's the Premier's birthday today! Our senior staff sang her a horrible rendition of Happy Birthday during our morning briefing today, so in an attempt to redeem myself here is a lovely picture. Happy Birthday
@RachelNotley
!
#ableg
Albertans deserve better than this. He may have committed to decorum, but
@jkenney
has no problem spreading misinformation, and fear mongering.
@RachelNotley
has been quite clear that she has no plans to bring in a sales tax.
#AbLeg
Troubling to see this NDP-linked group put out trial balloons for a sales tax. Thankfully, Ralph Klein passed the Taxpayer Protection Act (), which requires a vote of Albertans for a PST. Was proud to help pass the law while with
@taxpayerDOTcom
#ableg
#UCP
On Election Day, many Calgarians will be asking themselves, who can take this city forward, and who will get a pipeline built.
@RachelNotley
makes a passionate pitch for Calgary’s support.
#ableg
“If you need a doctor, you will have a doctor.”
@RachelNotley
commits to connect Albertans with a family doctor and promises we will never have to pay out-of-pocket for it
#ableg
Rob, you were let go from your position because you couldn’t perform it professionally. The AB gov committed 50,000 bpd to KXL to ensure the project got over the finish line.
#ABleg
I can validate that she was definitely MIA on Keystone XL. Telling us to put all KXL lobby aside. This was her first directive to my office as AB’s rep in DC.
Happy Trans Mountain Day!
I spent countless hours in the Premier’s office supporting
@RachelNotley
as she pushed to get this project over the finish line. Today, as the taps officially turn on, it’s a good day for Canada!
This chart makes me smile. It may not be front page news, but this is proof that the work we’re doing is having a real impact on AB families and on the children who need support the most.
#AbLeg
Huge variation across Canada in child poverty rates. Alberta has the lowest -- by far. The new "Alberta Child Benefit" and the CCB cut Alberta's child poverty rate in *half* since 2015.
#cdnecon
#ableg
Though the Alberta NDP will serve as the province’s Official Opposition, the party continues to wield mighty political power.
My thoughts in the
@globeandmail
#ableg
Really
@jkenney
? You put a video out , defending your record on LGBTQ issues and you can’t even bring yourself to say the word, “gay”? Or “LGBTQ” for that matter?
#ABleg
AB has had a trade relationship with India for years,we have a full time trade office in Delhi.
@oneilcarlier
has been there twice.The idea that
@jkenney
could get more done in his week-long photo shoot than trade officials have over the past 2 decades is beyond arrogant.
#ableg
Since you raise it, let’s talk about accountability. Rather than sign a giant letter to yourself, why not offer answers to important questions ABs are raising. People are worried about your plan to cut & how families will afford to pay out of pocket for basic healthcare.
#ABLeg
Nice of the Premier’s spin-doctor to admit that the NDP’s partisan stunt held in a public hospital in violation of AHS policy was a “campaign event.” Too bad that her boss hasn’t called the election, though.
And how did this violation happen in the first place? Accountability?
This is cowardly. Whatever your position is on any policy- MLAs have a duty to own it, to vote and to represent their constituents.
@jkenney
and his caucus are failing in their most basic duties to Albertans.
#ableg
#abndp
#UCP
Nostalgia is not an economic strategy, Alberta needs a path forward.
@RachelNotley
has a plan that works to diversify the economy, and create good, mortgage-paying jobs.
#ableg
“The PCs were clearly politically bankrupt after years in power. They tried to drag Kinew into the mud along with them. Their failure is a bright sign for national politics.”
#ableg
#skpoli
#mbpoli
“I can’t imagine how someone would be able, in good conscience, to say that someone dying of a horrible disease would not be able to see their loved ones because they’re gay.” -
@Dfildebrandt
#ableg
You know when you’re shopping w/ your kids & they’re behaving nicely for once? Then, just as you get to the checkout the kids lose it, screaming and crying & out of frustration and embarrassment you ditch your purchases and just head home? We are at the checkout, Alberta!
#AbLeg
The BC NDP should not be able to block pipelines without consequence. On day 1, a UCP Government will proclaim the 'turn off the taps' law.
Read what the BC NDP itself says that could mean: "...the result could be increased prices, lack of supply and civil unrest."
WATCH: A workaholic, a loyal friend, and a committed parent who is known to crack a joke and swear like a sailor. But underneath it all, she loves Alberta and she has spent her life fighting for Alberta families.
This is Rachel.
#ableg
#abvote
On the face of this, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of value in recalling the Legislature to debate an issue we all appear to agree on. Happy to have your support on this important issue though.
#ableg
I have written Premier Notley respectfully asking that the Government call an emergency session of the Legislature to allow for a constructive debate and show of unity on defending Alberta’s economy, resources, and Canada’s economic union.
This is peak hypocrisy.
While I completely agree public discourse is healthier when we stick to this issues, all political sides have work to do when it comes to dialing down the rhetoric and personal attacks- not just progressives.
When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
Smith has displayed a “chronic lack of judgment, now magnified by the fact that she is the premier.”
#ableg
After years working for opposing political parties, Erika
@Barootes
and I are teaming up to launch a new political podcast. The Discourse offers expert analysis & candid insights from both sides of the aisle. We launch Friday on YouTube & wherever you get your podcasts!
#ableg
Today, Prime Minister
@JustinTrudeau
spoke with Alberta media during which he managed to call Albertans fools, claimed the carbon tax was saving Alberta families thousands of dollars, and condemned anyone supportive of parental involvement in their child’s education.
We
Big news in the AB NDP leadership this morning!
A gracious, professional and compassionate video from
@pancholi_rakhi
as she bows out to support
@nenshi
.
Running for Alberta NDP leader has been the honour of my career. I’m so proud of the bold, hopeful and optimistic story we told about Alberta.
But today, I’m ending my campaign to support Naheed Nenshi in our shared goal of growing this party in every corner of our province.
There is a second proposal on the table for a 1-1 debate between
@RachelNotley
and
@jkenney
which could also serve an interesting and important role in this election.
#ableg
Before we’re asked to vote, ABs deserve the facts about every party’s vision for the future.
@jkenney
wants to give a $700m tax break to the rich. You can’t do that without making cuts to front line services, like health care. His own
#UCP
MLAs say “it will hurt.“
#ABleg
#ABNDP
Unfortunate that the Premier’s chief spokeswoman views the health of Albertans as a divisive wedge issue to be exploited for political gain. We all want to see Albertans get the timely, high-quality care they deserve. But spending more to get longer wait times not a solution.
Heading into 2019,
@shoffmanAB
nails it: Health care is what really divides us. Is about making sure every Albertan gets an opportunity to live a full and healthy life, or is it about making sure that rich people get richer?
#ableg
We’re still considering the consoritum proposal for a televised debate. It’s important Albertans have the opportunity to hear from the leaders. Our hope is that the debate will include all parties that were represented in the legislature.
@ableg
After a full day of flip-flopping excuses, now
@jkenney
and the
#UCP
have decided that a known Edmonton hate group should be offered “the benefit of the doubt.”
#ableg