Alberta Minute: Cellphone Ban, Energy Censorship, and the NDP Elect Nenshi

Alberta Minute: Cellphone Ban, Energy Censorship, and the NDP Elect Nenshi

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

 

Alberta Legislature by IQRemix on Flickr

 

This Week In Alberta:

  • While the Legislature is adjourned, there are still two Committee meetings. The Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund will meet today at 1:00 pm. The Committee will discuss the Draft 2023-2024 Annual Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Report as well as set a date for the Annual General Meeting. On Friday, at 1:00 pm, the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship will meet to discuss written submissions relating to the Personal Privacy and Protection Act.

  • Some Alberta child care operators are considering opting out of Canada’s $10-a-day child care deal, citing insufficient support. The Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs (AACE) expressed frustration over funding being potentially withheld from operators who do not complete a mandatory survey. The survey aims to inform a long-term funding framework, but operators worry it won't reflect the true costs of running a child care center. During a tense town hall meeting, the Province announced the survey to better understand those costs and to collect the information necessary to continue advocating for a better deal with the federal government. But, AACE questioned why this data collection wasn't initiated earlier in the program.

  • The Edmonton Oilers have a chance to bring the Stanley Cup back to Alberta. After losing the first three games in the series against the Florida Panthers, the Oilers have been on a winning streak, forcing Game 7 after a 5-1 win on Friday night. Game 7 takes place tonight, in Florida, at 6:00 pm MST.

 

Last Week In Alberta:

  • The Alberta NDP wrapped up their leadership contest. Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi secured a decisive first-ballot victory, succeeding outgoing leader Rachel Notley. Nenshi received 86% of the vote. His 62,746 votes far outpaced runner-up Kathleen Ganley's 5,899 votes, Sarah Hoffman's 3,063 votes, and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse's 1,222 votes.

  • The Alberta government announced that, starting next school year, cellphones will be banned in classrooms for students in Kindergarten through to Grade 12. Students will be required to keep their devices off and out of sight during class, with usage allowed only during breaks, with exceptions for medical needs and emergencies. School boards will have the authority to enforce the new rules. Our friends at the Alberta Parents’ Union had been working hard to ensure parental consultation on cellphones. They were pleased to see that almost 70,000 people participated in an online survey about this issue!

  • The Province said it will explore all legal options, including a constitutional challenge and the Alberta Sovereignty Act, to oppose Bill C-59. This federal legislation, which recently received Royal Assent, requires companies to substantiate their environmental claims, with Ottawa ultimately acting as arbiter of what constitutes "truth". Premier Danielle Smith and other officials claim that the Bill aims to create chaos and phase out the energy industry, potentially even harming investments in emission-reducing technologies. The Pathways Alliance, a consortium of major oilsands companies, has pulled its online content due to uncertainty around the Bill, highlighting concerns over vague disclosure standards that could limit free communication.

 

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  • Alberta Institute
    published this page in News 2024-06-23 21:05:23 -0600