Barbs fly as UCP, NDP duel over Teck, rail blockades

First day of legislature offers a preview of extent of political chasm in Alberta

The new legislature sitting starts as you’d expect — with two irreconcilable views of Alberta colliding in mid-aisle like scratching wildcats.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley launched by saying the UCP throne speech was “less of a blueprint and more like those flyers selling time shares in Florida swampland.”

She said 50,000 Alberta jobs have been lost since the UCP took power, including 19,000 last month, and the premier’s corporate tax cuts have only made things worse.

Premier Jason Kenney, whose throne speech said the UCP is “obsessed” with job creation, countered that the government is doing everything it can to restore growth “after the fouryear-long NDP jobs crisis.”

Notley cites what she calls Alberta’s failure to adopt a climate change plan, taking her cue from the cancellation letter Teck Resources sent to the federal government on Sunday, effectively killing the Frontier oilsands mine project.

Kenney uses the public safety argument, which wasn’t specific in the letter but was mentioned by the Teck CEO at an investor conference in the U.S. “Teck was very clear, both publicly and to me privately, that the environment of rail blockages in Canada has created the situation that is unfriendly to any investment in this country,” Kenney said.

Then — excuse the expression — the legislature spat went right off the rails.

“You know who’s blocking those rails?” Kenney asked.

“In part a group called Extinction Rebellion, which has been endorsed by the NDP as a group that should be presenting to children in Alberta classrooms.

“This is a group who sponsored a rally attended by half the NDP caucus, the same group that’s blocking railways and roadways in this country.”

Afterward, Notley said she has no idea what Kenney was talking about, unless he’s referring to

NDP MLAS wading into the massive crowd when Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke at the legislature on Oct. 18, 2019.

“There were 10,000 people there — the biggest crowd ever,” Notley said. “All kinds of groups were represented. We just talked to people, the way we tend to do. UCP MLAS should have done that, too.”

It is true that NDP MLA Sarah Hoffman was caught in a photo with an Extinction banner — unintentionally, the NDP says — and that MLA Janis Irwin talked on Twitter about representing all views in the classroom.

But the NDP denies any connection or support.

“Saying that we endorse Extinction Rebellion is like me saying Jason Kenney endorses the Soldiers of Odin,” Notley snapped. Edmonton UCP candidates were photographed — also apparently unknowingly — with members of the hate group in 2018.

She also said her government was on the verge of a First Nations agreement, but Kenney nearly lost the deal.

“We had all the First Nations onside. We signed an agreement in principle, but once Kenney got elected they didn’t talk to the First Nations from April last year until January.”

Notley says the final accord with two First Nations, announced by the UCP on Sunday just as Teck was cancelling the project, was the very one for which the NDP had already reached agreement in principle.

Government rhetoric grows more heated daily around the UCP’S Bill 1, which provides $25,000 daily penalties for protesters who block crucial infrastructure.

“This government respects the rule of law and we expect our law enforcement personnel to enforce the laws across the country,” said Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer.

“That’s why we’re calling on justice ministers from coast to coast to follow Alberta’s lead and make sure we crack down.”

Then he lit into the NDP. “People on the other side of the aisle — they’re heckling. They’re endorsing Extinction Rebellion to go into our schools. We say no. We say not now, not ever, not in Alberta.”

But Notley said the NDP has no problem with Bill 1 as it applies

Saying that we endorse Extinction Rebellion is like me saying Jason Kenney endorses the Soldiers of Odin. RACHEL NOTLEY

to disruption of rail lines and other transportation. “We’re happy with a deterrent for this kind of activity.”

But she fears the bill may contain “overreach” that could be used against legitimate demonstrations in Alberta.

That’s the way it was in the legislature.

On the first day.