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A handful of UCP management hopefuls squared off Saturday in a web-based discussion board outlining their assist and opposition on every little thing from the proposed Sovereignty Act to bureaucratic bonuses and privatizing well being care.
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The Calgary Management Discussion board hosted the dialogue on-line, presenting three open-ended inquiries to the 5 candidates in attendance earlier than presenting 10 sure or no fast hearth questions and permitting viewers to ask questions in a Q and A.
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Todd Loewen, Rebecca Schulz, Danielle Smith, Rajan Sawhney, and Travis Toews had been in attendance. Brian Jean made opening remarks earlier than departing for a private matter; he didn’t take part within the rapid-fire portion.
Among the many rapid-fire query matters, a number of discovered unanimous assist equivalent to returning emergency medical providers to municipalities, reforming surgical wait occasions and changing a nationwide previous age pension plan with a provincial one. All candidates opposed placing Premier Jason Kenney in cupboard they usually all opposed a “lockdown” in future pandemics.
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All candidates, apart from Rajan Sawhney who declined to reply, mentioned they’d allow MLAs to vote their conscience about allowing abortions in Alberta and each member besides Travis Toews mentioned they’d stay an energetic member of the UCP and would search to run once more within the 2023 election if they didn’t win the management race.
“I might reserve the correct to make that call,” mentioned Toews.
Sawhney was the one candidate to say she didn’t assist privatizing components of the province’s health-care system.
Candidates had been additionally unanimous in condemning massive bonuses for public staff after it was revealed earlier this month chief medical officer of well being Dr. Deena Hinshaw obtained $227,911 in money advantages final 12 months. Schulz mentioned the bonus wasn’t honest whereas Sawhney known as it egregious. Toews mentioned there must be ministerial oversight on bonuses. Loewen mentioned the bonus was “completely unacceptable” and mentioned everybody desires to go the blame onto one other division.
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“There’s most likely quite a lot of checks and balances in place, however no person desires to take accountability. All people desires to go the buck,” mentioned Loewen. “What we have to do is we’d like to ensure we maintain folks accountable for this. And that’s what hasn’t been taking place.”
In the meantime, Smith as soon as once more voiced her assist for the Sovereignty Act, saying Alberta must reaffirm provincial jurisdiction towards the federal authorities. She mentioned the act would permit Alberta to not implement federally imposed vaccine mandates or “gun grabs” and would permit Alberta to not implement any discount measures on fertilizer use.
“It will merely affirm the rights that we presently have beneath the Structure,” mentioned Smith.
A number of different candidates, together with Schulz, Toews and Sawhney mentioned they’d not assist the act, as did Jean in his opening statements.
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Schulz mentioned such an act will not be essential to say no to the federal authorities. She mentioned different provinces, equivalent to Saskatchewan, are already pushing again towards federal authorities initiatives and argued the Sovereignty Act wouldn’t assist carry collectively unity.
“I additionally don’t assume it’s good for unity for the very first act that the federal government or the leaders carry into place is one that isn’t supported by the overwhelming majority of different candidates or caucus,” mentioned Schulz.
Sawhney mentioned she understands the act as proposed is unconstitutional and she or he would as an alternative present larger assets to a full intergovernmental affairs ministry to work on recordsdata involving the federal authorities, to make sure Alberta has a voice in issues equivalent to a gathering between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that noticed LNG exports shut down.
“It’s much more necessary now that Alberta has a seat on the desk. Think about if we had been engaged on that some time in the past, we might have lent our voice to that dialogue,” mentioned Sawhney.
A brand new chief of the UCP get together will likely be chosen on Oct. 6.
