EDMONTON — Alberta UCP and NDP MLAs threw verbal jabs with extra emotion during Question Period on Monday, as the two sides exchanged comments about the UCP's decision to accept a modified version of the Electoral Boundaries Review Commission's majority-recommended maps. "The minister said over and over again, he will accept the independent results of the Independent Commission until that independent commission got a little, well, 'independent,'" said Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi."Despite the Premier's spin on this, what's happened is the UCP doesn't like the results, and they're looking for a do-over. So what will the government do this time to ensure that this new process will cave to their pressure and help them rig the election?"Nenshi's comments were among the NDP's many remarks aimed at the UCP, accusing them of cheating by attempting to unsuccessfully rig Alberta's electoral system through the electoral boundaries report and claiming they will do the same with the modified majority report. .Smith and the UCP continuesly denied the accusations. They reiterated their position, as stated since Thursday, that they are rejecting the minority report, accepting the majority report, and applying the additional recommendation from the commission's chair, Dallas Miller, to ensure effective representation of rural Alberta. Further, the UCP chose to spin the NDP's remarks by asking why the NDP does not support rural Alberta."Mr. Speaker, in this side of the house, we take the recommendations of the commission very seriously, which lamented the loss of two rural seats," said the UCP's House Leader Joseph Schow in response to a question from NDP MLA Sarah Hoffman. "That member is from rural Alberta. I will put the question back to the member: what does that member have against rural Alberta, and why is that member disregarding rural Alberta's concerns about fair representation?".Monday's heated Question Period was immediately preceded by House Speaker Ric McIver reprimanding the Assembly for their heated debates on Thursday, when the UCP first announced its intention to accept the majority report's maps, with the caveat of an addendum proposed by the commission's chair. "I've been around this place for some time, and I've seen and heard quite a bit, but I must say, the conduct from both sides of the Assembly on Thursday was disappointing and unacceptable," said McIver. "This sort of behaviour is not what is expected of us from Albertans as their elected representatives. It was embarrassing for us, an embarrassment, embarrassment to the institution of this legislature. Albertans expect more from us, and in my role as speaker, it is my job to maintain order and decorum in this chamber."Discussions about the electoral boundaries report are expected to continue throughout the week and will take centre stage when the UCP officially introduces its motion to accept the majority report and Miller's addendum.
