Alberta Minute: Judicial Recounts, Just Transition, and AHS Masking Ended

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

This Week In Alberta:

• The Legislature remains adjourned, but the election of presiding officers will take place on June 20th. The date for the Speech from the Throne has also been announced - it will be given on October 30th, 2023.
  
  
• This morning, in Calgary, Premier Danielle Smith and her Minister of Energy and Minerals, Brian Jean, will meet with Jonathan Wilkinson, the federal Minister of Natural Resources. Details are sparse, but at minimum, you can bet there will be a discussion about the federal government’s recently introduced Bill C-50 - the “Sustainable Jobs Act”. More information on that below!
  
  
• A judicial recount could be on the way in two Calgary ridings. The races in Calgary-Acadia and Calgary-Glenmore were so close that they triggered an automatic recount. That process resulted in the NDP’s Diane Batten winning by 25 votes in Calgary-Acadia, and Nagwan Al-Guneid, also from the NDP, winning by 42 votes in Calgary-Glenmore. A judge must now assess the UCP’s application for a recount and, if it is successful, all ballots, including those cast during advanced polling, will be recounted in front of a judge.

Last Week In Alberta:

• The federal government tabled Bill C-50 - the Sustainable Jobs Act. Basically, it's rebranded “Just Transition” legislation. Premier Danielle Smith took a strong stand against the Bill, stating that “Alberta will not recognize, cooperate with or enforce any attempt to phase out our province's oil and natural gas industry or its workforce. This is non-negotiable.” Our friends at Project Confederation have started a petition to oppose the Just Transition - whatever Ottawa is calling it now. If you agree that this legislation is unjust, please sign it here.
  
  
• The Alberta RCMP have announced a voluntary registry program for surveillance cameras. The Community Assisted Policing Through the Use of Recorded Evidence (CAPTURE) program allows private residents and business owners to sign up and let police know they have a camera on their property so that, in the event of a crime, police can check the database and see who might have footage of the incident. The program does not give RCMP live access to video footage and your equipment will not leave your property.
  
  
• Alberta Health Services has announced an end to its mandatory masking policy. As of this morning, continuous masking will no longer be required at AHS facilities and continuing care contract sites. The policy applies to all physicians, midwives, students, volunteers, contractors, patients, families, and visitors. A Calgary physician has crowdfunded $20,000 to seek a court injunction in an attempt to prevent AHS from dropping the policy.

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