More than 3,500 UCP members gathered in Calgary's BMO Centre on Saturday to vote on 30 proposals put forward by various ridings.Here's a notebook on which way some of the votes went:Resolution 1:The delegates gave overwhelming support for the UCP to defend Alberta's economy and autonomy by posing all attempts by the federal government to oppose net-zero by 2035. The most popular resolution, the motion is against the implementation of the federal government's ambitious sustainability goals by 2035. Resolution 1 is part of the application of The Alberta Sovereignty Act, with ministers asserting the plan net-zero plan is a non-starter for the province and will create a constitutional crises in the rest of the country."The Liberal government's plan was deemed "virtue signaling" rather than a realistic possibility. Only two or three people did not support this motion. Resolution 3:Protection of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the medical field is an important one for Conservative Albertans. During the COVID-19 pandemic doctors and other medical practitioners lost their jobs and had their liscences suspended for speaking out against things like informed consent, expressing concern over the rapid development and roll-out of vaccines, and vaccine injuries. The resolution passed with only one person voting against. .Resolution 9:The motion to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices at post-secondary institutions is a move to ensure colleges and universities are place where free thought, debate, and learning are held above all else. The resolution's bottom line is to keep campuses vectors of free speech, rather than a place for "woke ideologies," the UCP agenda states. It is indoctrination, not education. While one delegate said from the perspective of free speech, those who want to teach DEI should be allowed to do so rather than banned, and people can choose not to go to such a school, another argued "being nice" shouldn't be written into the syllabus. A third said students should not have to worry about their grade being affected by their behaviour. The motion was carried with only a handful of people opposed. .Resolution 10This resolution to oppose the expansion of the federal government’s euthanasia program Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) seeks to push back against the inclusion of people suffering from health issues. MAID, first established in 2016, was originally only allowed for people whose death was “reasonably foreseeable.” As of March 17, 2024, the Trudeau government intends to expand the program to allow people who suffer addiction and mental health programs. Alberta intends to put a stop to the new legislation for Albertans.The program has now become a “cautionary tale” around the globe, the UCP agenda states. The US National Institutes of health said Canada is the world’s “most radically medicalized system” of its kind. One delegate said people should not be treated the same way one might treat a dog. Another, a mental health professional, said treatment and prevention are the answer to mental health issues, not suicide. A third delegate said the choice to end one's life is a "right" and the person should be allowed to decide to "die with dignity." The motion passed with a handful of people objecting. .Resolution 12: The debate about 15-minutes city was brought forward, with the argument that this kind of urban design strategy limits people’s ability to use land freely. The UCP motion to prohibit land use or development planning initiatives that would restrict movements of residents as per section 6 of the Charter. One delegate said the motion is “redundant,” while another said it’s not the place of the government to determine where people live. Another delegate said this motion will impede on Albertans’ property rights. Meanwhile, a third said the motion is not an infringement on property rights. The issue with this motion appears to be the wording. The motion passed with a handful of nays..Resolution 13: This resolution deals with concerns surrounding cybersecurity and election fraud and moves to ban electronic voting machines for counting ballots for federal elections. One delegate said this resolution does "not go far enough," it needs to be implemented in municipality voting as well. Another delegate pointed out in the last election, paper ballots were Conservatives and electronic ballots were NDP. The resolution passed with a handful of opposers. .Resolution 19:The school voucher system strives to allow parents the freedom to make choices when it comes to their children’s education. With the voucher system in place, parents can choose to homeschool, join a homeschool pod, or send their kids to a charter school. Money will be allocated to individual students, and each school and school district are eligible for funding.Delegates can expect to see their children in smaller class sizes, teachers higher salaries, and students wider opportunities based on their interests and skills. One parent said funding should be equal for all and students eligible regardless of their religious views. Another person said the resolution should be denied because homeschool is not the same as going to a school and should therefore not receive the same funding. A third argued this motion is to ensure "no student are left behind." The vote was so close it was hard to tell what side won, and a hand count was needed. Finally, the motion was defeated. .Resolution 20:This resolution moves to keep pornographic materials out of the reach of children. Schools should not be allowed to provide materials that are sexualized, racist, or abusive in all learning materials. That includes books and libraries, online materials, and live events such as Drag Queen Story Hour. Many parents have voiced concerns over this issue, which the UCP argues in the agenda the content of these books “could be considered child pornography” under the criminal code. One delegate argued for the importance of protecting children's innocence. Another, who is establishing their own school, said it was an unreasonable task to monitor live events for such content. A third brought up the issue with wording in the resolution, arguing the word "racism" shouldn't be conflated with a motion to remove sexually explicit materials. "This is not curriculum," said another person, pointing out the graphic images and slang words printed in these books. The motion passed. .Resolution 21: The motion against solar farms on agricultural lands in Alberta has been put forth with the argument the new technology sterilizes agricultural land and emits toxic residue. Until the panels have been improved, the province moves to pause the move to solar farms. In the meantime, it has established three classes of soils depending on crop limitations. The argument for this motion is protecting Alberta's farmland for future generations, and the government of Alberta will not subsidize these solar panels. People can choose to install them, but the government will no be paying for it.The motion was carried. .Resolution 22: The UCP wants to end funding for supervised opioid consumption sites, which the agenda says are “a failed experiment,” citing a sharp rise in opiate-related emergency calls and deaths since 2020, and correlated rise in crime rates, public complaints, and the de-policing of neighbourhoodsSafe consumption sites are “blights upon the neighbourhoods” and “a hazard” to Albertans, and detract from recovery, which the UCP One delegate, a nurse, said she has seen first-hand that these sites help people. "If we take these away, I know people will die," she said. "I've seen it."Another delegate said these sites "only increase the danger of already dangerous neighbourhoods." The motion passed..Resolution 23:The UCP is striving to offer alternate routes for travel to other provinces and territories, as well as states, including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and Northwest Territories, First Nations, Alaska, and Montana. The Transportation Utility Corridors will connect Alberta to the world, the motion states, and offers a strategy for paying it off: oil tarrifs. The motion was carried with a handful of those who opposed. None of the motions are binding on the UCP government.
More than 3,500 UCP members gathered in Calgary's BMO Centre on Saturday to vote on 30 proposals put forward by various ridings.Here's a notebook on which way some of the votes went:Resolution 1:The delegates gave overwhelming support for the UCP to defend Alberta's economy and autonomy by posing all attempts by the federal government to oppose net-zero by 2035. The most popular resolution, the motion is against the implementation of the federal government's ambitious sustainability goals by 2035. Resolution 1 is part of the application of The Alberta Sovereignty Act, with ministers asserting the plan net-zero plan is a non-starter for the province and will create a constitutional crises in the rest of the country."The Liberal government's plan was deemed "virtue signaling" rather than a realistic possibility. Only two or three people did not support this motion. Resolution 3:Protection of freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the medical field is an important one for Conservative Albertans. During the COVID-19 pandemic doctors and other medical practitioners lost their jobs and had their liscences suspended for speaking out against things like informed consent, expressing concern over the rapid development and roll-out of vaccines, and vaccine injuries. The resolution passed with only one person voting against. .Resolution 9:The motion to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices at post-secondary institutions is a move to ensure colleges and universities are place where free thought, debate, and learning are held above all else. The resolution's bottom line is to keep campuses vectors of free speech, rather than a place for "woke ideologies," the UCP agenda states. It is indoctrination, not education. While one delegate said from the perspective of free speech, those who want to teach DEI should be allowed to do so rather than banned, and people can choose not to go to such a school, another argued "being nice" shouldn't be written into the syllabus. A third said students should not have to worry about their grade being affected by their behaviour. The motion was carried with only a handful of people opposed. .Resolution 10This resolution to oppose the expansion of the federal government’s euthanasia program Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) seeks to push back against the inclusion of people suffering from health issues. MAID, first established in 2016, was originally only allowed for people whose death was “reasonably foreseeable.” As of March 17, 2024, the Trudeau government intends to expand the program to allow people who suffer addiction and mental health programs. Alberta intends to put a stop to the new legislation for Albertans.The program has now become a “cautionary tale” around the globe, the UCP agenda states. The US National Institutes of health said Canada is the world’s “most radically medicalized system” of its kind. One delegate said people should not be treated the same way one might treat a dog. Another, a mental health professional, said treatment and prevention are the answer to mental health issues, not suicide. A third delegate said the choice to end one's life is a "right" and the person should be allowed to decide to "die with dignity." The motion passed with a handful of people objecting. .Resolution 12: The debate about 15-minutes city was brought forward, with the argument that this kind of urban design strategy limits people’s ability to use land freely. The UCP motion to prohibit land use or development planning initiatives that would restrict movements of residents as per section 6 of the Charter. One delegate said the motion is “redundant,” while another said it’s not the place of the government to determine where people live. Another delegate said this motion will impede on Albertans’ property rights. Meanwhile, a third said the motion is not an infringement on property rights. The issue with this motion appears to be the wording. The motion passed with a handful of nays..Resolution 13: This resolution deals with concerns surrounding cybersecurity and election fraud and moves to ban electronic voting machines for counting ballots for federal elections. One delegate said this resolution does "not go far enough," it needs to be implemented in municipality voting as well. Another delegate pointed out in the last election, paper ballots were Conservatives and electronic ballots were NDP. The resolution passed with a handful of opposers. .Resolution 19:The school voucher system strives to allow parents the freedom to make choices when it comes to their children’s education. With the voucher system in place, parents can choose to homeschool, join a homeschool pod, or send their kids to a charter school. Money will be allocated to individual students, and each school and school district are eligible for funding.Delegates can expect to see their children in smaller class sizes, teachers higher salaries, and students wider opportunities based on their interests and skills. One parent said funding should be equal for all and students eligible regardless of their religious views. Another person said the resolution should be denied because homeschool is not the same as going to a school and should therefore not receive the same funding. A third argued this motion is to ensure "no student are left behind." The vote was so close it was hard to tell what side won, and a hand count was needed. Finally, the motion was defeated. .Resolution 20:This resolution moves to keep pornographic materials out of the reach of children. Schools should not be allowed to provide materials that are sexualized, racist, or abusive in all learning materials. That includes books and libraries, online materials, and live events such as Drag Queen Story Hour. Many parents have voiced concerns over this issue, which the UCP argues in the agenda the content of these books “could be considered child pornography” under the criminal code. One delegate argued for the importance of protecting children's innocence. Another, who is establishing their own school, said it was an unreasonable task to monitor live events for such content. A third brought up the issue with wording in the resolution, arguing the word "racism" shouldn't be conflated with a motion to remove sexually explicit materials. "This is not curriculum," said another person, pointing out the graphic images and slang words printed in these books. The motion passed. .Resolution 21: The motion against solar farms on agricultural lands in Alberta has been put forth with the argument the new technology sterilizes agricultural land and emits toxic residue. Until the panels have been improved, the province moves to pause the move to solar farms. In the meantime, it has established three classes of soils depending on crop limitations. The argument for this motion is protecting Alberta's farmland for future generations, and the government of Alberta will not subsidize these solar panels. People can choose to install them, but the government will no be paying for it.The motion was carried. .Resolution 22: The UCP wants to end funding for supervised opioid consumption sites, which the agenda says are “a failed experiment,” citing a sharp rise in opiate-related emergency calls and deaths since 2020, and correlated rise in crime rates, public complaints, and the de-policing of neighbourhoodsSafe consumption sites are “blights upon the neighbourhoods” and “a hazard” to Albertans, and detract from recovery, which the UCP One delegate, a nurse, said she has seen first-hand that these sites help people. "If we take these away, I know people will die," she said. "I've seen it."Another delegate said these sites "only increase the danger of already dangerous neighbourhoods." The motion passed..Resolution 23:The UCP is striving to offer alternate routes for travel to other provinces and territories, as well as states, including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and Northwest Territories, First Nations, Alaska, and Montana. The Transportation Utility Corridors will connect Alberta to the world, the motion states, and offers a strategy for paying it off: oil tarrifs. The motion was carried with a handful of those who opposed. None of the motions are binding on the UCP government.
