Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in her first United Conservative Party Annual General Meeting speech since the last election, said Alberta is leading and has to continue to lead.“We must be that shining city on the hill,” said Smith in a Saturday speech at the Alberta UCP AGM at the BMO Centre in Calgary. “That land of promise that the best and brightest Canadians and people from around the world look to and say ‘there is the land of opportunity my family and I want to make our home.’” While the Canadian government wants to enact measures harming the oil and gas industry, Smith said they will not happen as long as she is premier. She vowed her government will never waiver in defending the rights and livelihoods of Albertans. It will thwart every effort until a new Canadian government that understands the concepts of nation building, the Constitution, and empowering provinces comes along. Until that day, it will not give an inch. As it appears the Canadian government is continuing with the Clean Electricity Regulations and emissions cap, the Alberta government is preparing several motions under the Alberta Sovereignty Act to protect people. She pledged Albertans will have access to affordable, reliable electricity no matter the season, weather or time of day. She said the Alberta government will be keeping it affordable for families and businesses as it grows. To do that, she said it will lower income taxes by $750 per person and $1,500 per family. The Alberta government has introduced the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act to guarantee there will be no new taxes or increases in personal or business taxes without approval in a referendum. Over the coming months, it will work with industry and people on a package of reforms to the electricity system to ensure they have access to affordable, reliable power. When the government lifts the freeze on auto insurance in 2024, it will be implementing a series of reforms to limit increases to premiums for drivers who have safe driving records. Other changes it will enact will assist insurers in keeping premiums more reasonable and competitive with the rest of Canada. She added the Alberta government will reform the healthcare system. Despite the excellent work of healthcare workers, she said more is needed. It will have more to say in the coming weeks on healthcare reforms that will decentralize decision making and resources from Alberta Health Services to the frontlines. With the substantive growth Alberta is set to experience in the years ahead, it will be expanding the number of spaces in its elementary and post-secondary education systems. While the radical left undermines the role of parents, she said parental rights and school choice “is and will continue to be a fundamental core principle of this party and this government.” She said she will never apologize for it. Since Alberta will be adding another one million people over the next five years and grow to 10 million by 2050, she said the Alberta government must spend more money on infrastructure. She added it must increase spending in municipalities and transportation networks. Over the coming years and decades, it will need to build commuter rail links between Calgary and Edmonton, their neighbouring communities, and local airports. It will need to decongest highways to Kananaskis and Banff, with a passenger rail tie between the Calgary International Airport, downtown Calgary and those areas. It will need to start planning for high-speed rail through the Calgary-Red Deer-Edmonton corridor for when six to seven million people inhabit it. She said Alberta will build, because that is what Albertans have always done. If Alberta wants to achieve these policies, she said it has to be done with fiscal discipline. She vowed the Alberta government will not put debt on future generations. It will balance the budget each year. It will limit spending increases each year to below inflation plus population growth.While Alberta has debt, it will pay it down every year until it is gone. Smith said it “will leave future generations of Albertans a legacy of prosperity and opportunity built on a fiscal foundation as strong as our Rocky Mountains.”Smith concluded by saying Alberta needs the unique strengths and gifts from everyone to attain its potential. No obstacles will stand in its way. “May Alberta be forever strong and free,” she said. Albertans voted and re-elected Smith in May. READ MORE: UCP WINS: Smith set to lead province for next four yearsThe UCP was elected in 49 ridings compared to 37 for the NDP. “To paraphrase our old friend Ralph Klein, welcome to another Miracle on the Prairies," she said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in her first United Conservative Party Annual General Meeting speech since the last election, said Alberta is leading and has to continue to lead.“We must be that shining city on the hill,” said Smith in a Saturday speech at the Alberta UCP AGM at the BMO Centre in Calgary. “That land of promise that the best and brightest Canadians and people from around the world look to and say ‘there is the land of opportunity my family and I want to make our home.’” While the Canadian government wants to enact measures harming the oil and gas industry, Smith said they will not happen as long as she is premier. She vowed her government will never waiver in defending the rights and livelihoods of Albertans. It will thwart every effort until a new Canadian government that understands the concepts of nation building, the Constitution, and empowering provinces comes along. Until that day, it will not give an inch. As it appears the Canadian government is continuing with the Clean Electricity Regulations and emissions cap, the Alberta government is preparing several motions under the Alberta Sovereignty Act to protect people. She pledged Albertans will have access to affordable, reliable electricity no matter the season, weather or time of day. She said the Alberta government will be keeping it affordable for families and businesses as it grows. To do that, she said it will lower income taxes by $750 per person and $1,500 per family. The Alberta government has introduced the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act to guarantee there will be no new taxes or increases in personal or business taxes without approval in a referendum. Over the coming months, it will work with industry and people on a package of reforms to the electricity system to ensure they have access to affordable, reliable power. When the government lifts the freeze on auto insurance in 2024, it will be implementing a series of reforms to limit increases to premiums for drivers who have safe driving records. Other changes it will enact will assist insurers in keeping premiums more reasonable and competitive with the rest of Canada. She added the Alberta government will reform the healthcare system. Despite the excellent work of healthcare workers, she said more is needed. It will have more to say in the coming weeks on healthcare reforms that will decentralize decision making and resources from Alberta Health Services to the frontlines. With the substantive growth Alberta is set to experience in the years ahead, it will be expanding the number of spaces in its elementary and post-secondary education systems. While the radical left undermines the role of parents, she said parental rights and school choice “is and will continue to be a fundamental core principle of this party and this government.” She said she will never apologize for it. Since Alberta will be adding another one million people over the next five years and grow to 10 million by 2050, she said the Alberta government must spend more money on infrastructure. She added it must increase spending in municipalities and transportation networks. Over the coming years and decades, it will need to build commuter rail links between Calgary and Edmonton, their neighbouring communities, and local airports. It will need to decongest highways to Kananaskis and Banff, with a passenger rail tie between the Calgary International Airport, downtown Calgary and those areas. It will need to start planning for high-speed rail through the Calgary-Red Deer-Edmonton corridor for when six to seven million people inhabit it. She said Alberta will build, because that is what Albertans have always done. If Alberta wants to achieve these policies, she said it has to be done with fiscal discipline. She vowed the Alberta government will not put debt on future generations. It will balance the budget each year. It will limit spending increases each year to below inflation plus population growth.While Alberta has debt, it will pay it down every year until it is gone. Smith said it “will leave future generations of Albertans a legacy of prosperity and opportunity built on a fiscal foundation as strong as our Rocky Mountains.”Smith concluded by saying Alberta needs the unique strengths and gifts from everyone to attain its potential. No obstacles will stand in its way. “May Alberta be forever strong and free,” she said. Albertans voted and re-elected Smith in May. READ MORE: UCP WINS: Smith set to lead province for next four yearsThe UCP was elected in 49 ridings compared to 37 for the NDP. “To paraphrase our old friend Ralph Klein, welcome to another Miracle on the Prairies," she said.
