Thread by @JasonOnTheDrums

#Ableg News 🧵

Honesty Alberta…I don’t know what to say. This week felt like the WORST week under the @UCPCaucus:

- UCP Signalling HUGE Cuts (Story #1)
- Bill 85 Undermining Democracy (#14-16)
- LaGrange Attacks Alberta Teachers (17-20)

Let’s look at 20 Bad News Stories

#Ableg News 🧵

1. A new budget survey from the UCP seems to be preparing Albertans for cuts and health care premiums.

You must chose something major to cut, introduce health care premiums or new user fees

Life is going to get more expensive for Albertans (@tony_clark)

#Ableg News 🧵

🚨 New Poll Alert 🚨

2. Only 29% of Albertans “respect Jason Kenney”, 53% say Alberta’s economy is future ready

3. In response to this poll, UCP MLA @doug_schweitzer said “Alberta has Swagger”…to which only 15% of Albertans actually supported.

#Ableg News 🧵

4. The @albertaNDP tried to bring an emergency debate to discuss the Omicron variant and the UCP's plan to respond to hospital staffing shortages, healthcare worker burnout, and more

The UCP halted discussion claiming the NDP was overreacting…more on this…

#Ableg News 🧵

5. UCP MLA and Health Minister Jason Copping admitted there is a massive backlog of 81,600 surgeries, including 15,000 due to the preventable Wave 4.

6. Copping also announced a MAJOR UCP Donor and an O&G CEO, Greg Turnbull, is now the Board Chair of AHS

#Ableg News 🧵

7. A system-wide Red Alert for Alberta hit Friday, meaning 911-call volume exceeded the ability for officers to even respond

8. Due to a lack of support from the UCP. Alberta EMS staff are falling victim to burnout and fatigue, resulting is system-wide Red Alerts

#Ableg News Thread

Liar Liar 🤥

9. On Wednesday Kenney told reporters that the Alberta Covid Response Team would be meeting to discuss Omnicon and our current restrictions; Copping claimed that never happened.

10. Kenney decided to loosen rules, without consultation anyways

#Ableg News 🧵

11. UCP MLA Angela Pitt joined UCP Leadership hopeful Danielle Smith hosting a virtual anti-vaxx support group for parents

12. An incredible 🧵 by @mattmcclure2 show that Covid-19 death rates are 94% HIGHER than reported by @CMOH_Alberta

#Ableg News 🧵

13. Major concerns with Alberta’s new “overdose response app”including the app DOES NOT use web mapping, preventing accurate location pinpointing — crucial when someone is overdosing

It’s also made by the same group behind Alberta’s failed covid Tracking app 🤷🏻‍♂️

#Ableg News 🧵

This is where it gets BAD…Bill 81

14. Despite the Alberta Elections Officer saying bulk buying of party memberships without notifying citizensis illegal, UCP MLA Madu stepped outside of his authority and announced that his ruling was that it was just fine

#Ableg News 🧵

😳 Yikes!!!

15. Massive UCP infighting happened during the third reading of Bill 81!

Several UCP MLA’s (Aheer, Gotfried and Hanson) want to PREVENT it, but they were prevented from passing any amendments.

UCP MLA’s Nixon and Angela Pitt also got aggressive.

#Ableg News 🧵

16. Bill 81 passes, now allowing for the creep of US style funding, which now allows fo

~200% more donations by Kenney’s TPA’s
- Prevents regular financial reporting by political parties
- 0pens the door to mass party memberships without consent

#Ableg News 🧵

17. Kenney’s Newly Elected UCP Board overturned an early leadership review bylaw

23 UCP CA’s signed a request to enact a leadership review, independent monitored and audited, allowing every UCP member in Alberta’s to vote

Kenney has them turn it down.

#Ableg News Thread

18. On Tuesday, Teachers involved in the new UCP curriculum working groups, previously muzzled by a non-disclosure agreement, spoke out.

Every single one spoke negatively of the Curriculum, exposing how it needs to be done from scratch..

#Ableg News 🧵

19. LaGrange responded on Thursday, saying that Teacher’s aren’t trustworthy or capable of self-governing, and began to dismantle the Alberta Teacher’s Surprise.

The ATA was able to demonstrate they did everything correctly, including a letter to the Minister.

#Ableg News 🧵

20. Later that day, LaGrange gave a BRUTAL press conference.

She could not answer a SINGLE QUESTION about what they plan on doing;, why this isn’t hypocritical from her other decisions, and how they plan on funding this as it seems like MORE red tape reduction.

#Ableg News 🧵

My sincere heartfelt thanks goes out to @AB_AgainstUCP @youseepeeYYC @MichelletypoQ @atypicalalbertn @kim_siever @MichelletypoQ @brrittannyh @KikkiPlanet @JasonPYYC @SeanDunn10 @high_tequila @TheBlueGem3 @StephWKBach @ActuallyTeaa @RKSAlberta!

Thank You All!

#Ableg News 🧵

HUGE thanks to the Journalists, Reporters and Drummers who brought us these stories:

@gthomsonink, @MBellefontaine, @Jantafrench, @kim_siever, @SkipIsChris, @elisevonscheel, @LucieEdwardson @TheBreakdownAB. @ryanjespersen

Alberta is still lucky to have you!