Heading into the upcoming spring election, NDP’s Official Opposition leader Rachel Notley is focused on three key issues: affordability, healthcare, and the economy.
“From what we’re and our candidates are hearing at the doorsteps is that people are not all that interested in the drama around the Sovereignty Act, but what they’re really concerned about is having someone that will provide long-lasting, predictable relief on the affordability crisis, they want a government that is going to be dedicated to restoring and improving our public healthcare system, and they want a government that is going to be focused on a collaborative and strategic effort to recover the economy in a sustainable, resilient, job-creating way,” she said.
On the Sovereignty Act, in particular, Notley called it “worse than advertised” when it was being debated in the Legislature. She said the NDP heard from concerned investors, business owners, various Chamber of Commerce, oil and gas representatives, who have said it will create “huge investment uncertainty because no one knows what the laws are.”
“A perfect example is here in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland… many of those investments depend on partnerships with multiple layers of government. Perfect example of that is the Air Products announcement that just came out, which was really good news, but the vast majority of government funding to get that project over the finish line was federal money. Now you have a provincial government that is having a legislative tantrum… that makes investors skittish.”
That same day, Friday, Dec. 2, Rachel Notley visited Sherwood Park to meet with the local fire chief and Strathcona County Emergency Services members to discuss the progress of the Community Response Unit pilot and how the department was handling ongoing EMS pressures, which has been a topic of concern across the Edmonton region and the wider province for more than two years.
If elected, she vowed that she would focus on hiring more emergency services positions and turn current jobs into permanent full-time placement with benefits. In addition, more healthcare workers added to the front line, especially doctors, would help with the backlogs currently being experienced in ERs.
“It’s complex, but we need to be more responsive to individual community ideas and provide the resources that are necessary,” she said. “We need to restore predictability and stability. We need to properly provide the right resources to the system and recruit more healthcare professionals… The bottom line is this, whether you live in Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Calgary, or Cardston, they should have an ambulance come within minutes after they call for a medical emergency, and that’s not what we’re experiencing right now in Alberta.”
Looking more broadly at the overall healthcare system, Notley pointed to the importance of providing more homecare support, investing in more mental health care, taking a holistic approach to the opioid crisis, focusing on recruiting more family doctors, and looking at ways to reorganize primary health. In addition, she said the province could look into making more municipalities lean on an integrated emergency service, much like that of Strathcona County’s, as it’s been proven to be more efficient.
On the municipality front, which has been impacted by lower MSI funding, higher provincial lending rates, and higher policing costs, Notley pointed to the possible solution of the NDP’s Partners in Prosperity Act, which would look at the long-term revenue sharing benefits from oil and gas, and providing funding predictability to municipalities. In addition, the party plans to invest in affordable housing, which would take further pressure off of municipalities.
To address inflationary pressures, Notley applauded Premier Danielle Smith’s recent supports that will help some Albertan families, but those won’t help everyone, especially those who live alone. The NDP Leader would like to see more meaningful legislation for electricity and utility prices, car insurance, and student tuition.