Legislature session to roll until Stampede: A dozen bills and death of the desk-thump

The UCP wants to pass around a dozen bills during spring session, including tearing up the Climate Leadership Plan penned by the former NDP government.

House leader Jason Nixon said Tuesday the session calendar is now finalized. Following the throne speech next Wednesday, the house will sit until Calgary Stampede begins July 5.

If legislative business isn’t done by then, Nixon said, the house will reconvene after.

The governing party will also try to stop the time-honoured tradition of desk-thumping in the legislature.

“Desk-thumping is obnoxious and takes away from the process,” Nixon said.

“Stay tuned on this, but I suspect you’ll see a standing order that changes desk-thumping to not be allowed in the house.”

Bill 1 is set to kill the provincial carbon tax, and Nixon said that will extend to the entire Climate Leadership Plan.

Premier Jason Kenney said Monday that Bill 2, the Open for Business Act, is aimed at “restoring fairness and balance to the workplace” to “make Alberta a magnet for job-creating investment.”

Opposition leader Rachel Notley said Monday her caucus would filibuster any bill that impinges on the rights of workers.

Nixon fired back Tuesday “the opposition is welcome to filibuster all they want.”

“The fact is this — Albertans spoke on April 16 loud and clear. The legislative session will be primarily around promises and we’re not going to bend on that.”