What to Expect
Premier Smith’s visit to Ottawa will be a key event to look out for this week, as provincial leaders gather to meet with Prime Minister Trudeau and negotiate healthcare funding for the provinces. Whether Premier Smith stays united with the other Premiers, or seeks to set Alberta apart, will determine how the visit plays out at home in Alberta.
Budget 2023 will also likely be finalized this week, and the government will then begin to focus on messaging and planning announcements in anticipation of its release and the spring session on February 28.
The Week That Was
Due to health-related concerns, UCP MLA Tracy Allard has stated that she will not be seeking re-election in the spring of 2023.
To increase emergency preparedness, emergency management experts are meeting for a two-day exercise that will simulate the government’s response to flood-case scenarios.
In light of the avian influenza outbreak in 2022, the provincial government has made the decision to extend the application deadline for participation in AgriStability for the 2022 program year, with a new deadline of February 28.
Alberta is dedicating $5 million in funding for supports and learning opportunities for people with disabilities in school.
Minister of Justice Tyler Shandro issued a statement in response to the federal firearms ban, Bill C-21:
“Alberta has been leading the charge in responding to the federal government’s efforts to criminalize law-abiding firearms owners. In September, Alberta announced it would challenge federal plans to conscript the RCMP to implement the firearms confiscation program.”
“It is becoming increasingly clear that further action will need to be taken to respond to the federal government’s hostility towards hunters, farmers, sport shooters and Indigenous Peoples.”
