Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley said during the first Question Period of the spring legislative session Premier Danielle Smith broke her promise to Albertans to cut income taxes if they re-elected her. “She promised that every family in Alberta would receive $1,500 every single year and she promised it would all start Jan. 1, 2024,” said Notley in a Wednesday speech in the Alberta Legislature. “To the premier, why should Albertans trust her to tell the truth when one of the first things she did was break her word on her single greatest election promise?” When politicians run campaigns, Smith said voters give them a mandate to implement policies over a term. “And we will be implementing a tax cut that will deliver families an 8% tax rate on income up to $60,000, which will deliver up to $750 per individual and up to $1,500 per family,” said Smith. “Our first objective and our first promise to Albertans was that we’d run a balanced budget and that’s what we’re here to do.” While she might deny promising income tax cuts effective January 1, Notley said the Alberta NDP has the documents. “Moreover, the price of oil hasn’t changed since she made that promise to Albertans,” she said. “The interest rate hasn’t changed since she made that promise to Albertans.” If Smith spoke to people other than Take Back Alberta founder David Parker, she said life has become less affordable since she made this promise. She called for her to apologize for making a promise she could not deliver on nine months ago. While Smith was asked to apologize, she said Albertans are waiting for Notley’s apology for racking up $80 billion in debt, which will be coming due over the next three years. “Twenty-six billion dollars at higher rates because her boss in Ottawa is propping up the Liberal government and leading to the affordability crisis we have, leading to the inflation crisis that we have, leading to the increase in interest rates that we have,” she said. “As we go to refinance their debt, it’s actually going to cost Alberta taxpayers more.” That is why the Alberta government has to be more prudent. Although Smith claims she has a plan for the Heritage Fund, Notley said it would be effective by 2050. Therefore, she asked Smith how does she expect Albertans to “trust her on a plan that is 26 years away when she can’t keep a promise that is nine months old.” She said Albertans are not buying it. This is because they see a broken promise, a bait and switch, and an untrustworthy premier. “To the premier, why does she think it’s OK to repeatedly break her promises to Albertans?” Smith said she recalled the NDP relied on former ATB Financial chief economist Todd Hirsch’s plan during the election. Hirsch called for the NDP to assign non-renewable resource revenues to endowment funds. With the NDP, she said Albertans “are pleased to know they campaigned on a promise they had no intention of implementing.” She has spoken about shoring up the Heritage Fund since 2001. “I’m very pleased the finance minister is working with me on that, and I can’t wait to share the details with Albertans,” she said. Smith said in May the Alberta United Conservative Party would lower income taxes if it forms government again. READ MORE: UPDATED: Smith pledges to cut income taxes if re-elected, CTF praises move“Taxes are the biggest cost for most Alberta families,” she said. “That’s why the United Conservative Party is committed to making life affordable by cutting taxes for all Albertans.”
