Notley vows to reject ‘socialism for the rich’
Premier promises all Albertans will benefit as economy rebounds
Premier Rachel Notley on Wednesday promised a revived economy and a fairer Alberta as she took aim at what she called “socialism for the rich.”
Delivering her state-of-the-province address to an invited crowd of about 600 people at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Notley said her NDP government is committed to ensuring no one is left behind as the economy comes back from the downturn caused by slumping oil prices over the past two years.
She accused the opposition parties of proposing tax cuts for the rich and reductions in government services.
“The lie that looking after only the fortunate helps everyone else has been proven wrong,” said Notley. “Socialism for the rich and austerity for everyone else is a completely discredited approach.”
Notley, whose government hiked taxes on corporations and highincome earners after taking office last year, made the comments as she reiterated the NDP’s intent to raise Alberta’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018.
“This is Alberta and I know the economy is going to recover,” she said. “And in this province — as that happens — we’re going to pay people fairly.”
Notley made her speech shortly after Calgary-based Enbridge announced it would make further layoffs, including 370 positions in Canada, adding to the nearly 50,000 jobs lost in the province since the same time last year.
In a news conference, Notley said she came to speak in Calgary precisely because of the effect of job losses in the city, which has the highest unemployment rate among large centres in Canada.
She said her government is doing what it can to help create jobs but acknowledged she can’t yet definitely say the economy has turned a corner after two years of recession.
“We are cautiously optimistic but we are still planning to manage as though things have not started to improve, because I think that’s the prudent way to go,” said Notley.
Notley’s speech laid out priority areas for her government, including increasing economic diversification, improving the education system, fighting climate change and gaining market access for Alberta energy exports.
She said the government was committed to maintaining public services but there would be little room for new initiatives because of the province’s fiscal situation. The government is currently forecasting a $10.9-billion deficit this year.
The speech — devoted mainly to highlighting government actions already taken and priorities moving forward — contained little new information. That, and the tone taken by Notley, did not sit well with opposition parties.
In a news release, the Wildrose blasted what it called “empty campaign rhetoric and baseless attacks on the opposition.”
“It seemed more like a rally speech versus a speech about what’s going on in Alberta,” Wildrose MLA Leela Aheer told reporters. “When you’re using taxpayer dollars, I think that’s a little concerning.”
The event, which was livestreamed on the government website, cost more than $20,000.
Previous state-of-the-province speeches were often held in conjunction with organizations such as local chambers of commerce.
Cheryl Oates, Notley’s press secretary, said the government chose to organize its own event to ensure there was a diversity of people in the crowd and not simply individuals who could afford a chamber luncheon.
Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark said he was “profoundly disappointed … (Notley) took such a hard partisan line.”
Clark said the premier was setting up a straw man by suggesting the only options for the province are massive deficits or massive cuts to services.
“What she is doing is creating division in Alberta at a time when a premier, a leader, ought to be bringing our province together,” the Calgary-Elbow MLA said.
In a news release, Liberal Leader David Swann asked why Notley did not mention the ongoing crisis in the province around the use of fentanyl and other opioids.
The speech came a day after the release of a new poll by Lethbridge College’s Citizen Society Research Lab showing the NDP in third place provincially with just 19.7 per cent support, trailing the Wildrose at 25.7 per cent and the Progressive Conservatives at 38.4 per cent.
Notley told reporters she is not going to worry about polls 21/2 years ahead of the next election.
“My job isn’t about building my popularity or chasing polls,” she said. “My job is about making decisions that I believe are the best for Albertans,” she added, noting the government is facing the “most difficult economic time that Alberta has gone through in a generation.
“It’s hard for governments to be popular under the circumstances, but what’s important is for us to focus on helping Albertans.”