Thread by @JasonOnTheDrums

#Ableg News 🧵

This week was a quiet Bad News Week for the @UCPCaucus:

💰 Alberta has the most EXPENSIVE car insurance in Canada (Story #1)

🤦🏻‍♂️ Danielle compares Alberta’s “struggle” to indigenous genocide (#9)

📉 New (Bad UCP) Poll (#15)

Here’s 15 Bad News UCP Stories

#Ableg News 🧵

1. A new report found that after the UCP removed caps on car insurance premiums in 2019, Alberta now has some the most expensive rates in Canada!

Alberta now pays
- 155% more than BC
- 172% more than Manitoba
- 169% more than Saskatchewan

#Anleg News 🧵

2. There are now MORE people in hospital with COVID-19 in Alberta than last year.

As of Dec. 5:
- more than 1,000 people were in hospital with C19, compared to 383 last year
- 162 people died from the virus in our province last month, 29 more than last year

#Ableg News 🧵

3. Alberta doctors are saying burnout is on the rise as a tsunami of respiratory viruses are hitting Albertans hard

Inpatient units across Alberta are operating at:

- Over 100% capacity at pediatric intensive care units (ICU)
- Just under 100% at Adult ICU

#Ableg News 🧵

4. ER wait times at #YEG hospitals are the LONGEST they’ve been since 2015.

There’s now an average wait of 3-hours for an emergency room visit.

Jason Copping said he attributed the higher wait times to a wave of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

#Ableg News 🧵

5. The president of the Canadian Medical Association is warning Alberta’s parents about respiratory illness spread over the holidays and the situation is “likely to get worse before it gets better”

Despite this, Copping claimed the flu season “reached its peak”

#AbLeg News 🧵

6. The UCP put forward a motion calling on the federal gov’t to keep its hands off of laws passed by the Alberta legislature, signalling they’re worried about the constitutionality of Smith’s Sovereignty Act

The Fed’s have not quashed a bill in nearly 80-years

#Ableg News 🧵

7. Indigenous leaders are asking Alberta’s lieutenant-governor to reject Smith’s sovereignty act as senior gov’t sources speak out over her handling of the file

One gov’t staffer said it appeared Smith was “sloughing off the issue and expecting it to blow over.”

#Ableg

8. The Confederacy of Treaty 6 Nations said Premier Smith “does not respect nor understand Treaty rights” after meeting with her on Wednesday

This was the first encounter after Smith brushed off meetings with Treaty 6 chiefs in October.

Smith responded later that day…

#Ableg News 🧵

9. In a SHOCKING moment, Premier Smith compared Ottawa's treatment of Alberta to the struggles First Nations experienced while talking about the sovereignty act

Despite being there. UCP Indigenous Relations Minister Rick Wilson denied hearing Smith’s comments

#Ableg News 🧵

10. 🤦🏻‍♂️ After facing backlash for her comments, Smith apologized to “anyone misinterpreted earlier remarks” to conclude she was equating Ottawa’s treatment of Alberta to the systemic and horrific abuse of First Nations people in Canada

This is Smith’s 4th apology

#Ableg News 🧵

11. Rural Alberta are feeling the financial strain of the UCP allowing the O&G industry to defer paying taxes…even as the sector has record profits

O&G owe municipalities $253 million in unpaid taxes

UCP MLA Shultz promised to take action, but failed to do so.

#Anleg News 🧵

12. In an unprecedented move, UCP MLA Shandro said the province will block efforts by RCMP officers to confiscate firearms

Shandro also instructed Crown Prosecutors not to enforce a federal law (gun control)

Shandro backed down from his statements the next day.

#Ableg News 🧵

13. Edmonton’s mayor is calling out the UCP’s new team tasked with addressing addictions, crime and homelessness, which was done without ANY consultation.

Mayor Sohi was not made aware of it and was “not, in any way, included in the creation of the task force,"

#Ableg News 🧵

14. Parents of student’s testing out the UCP’s new math curriculum are sounding the alarm as key foundational concepts are missing year to year.

Parents say this has “affecting their (children’s) mental health and academic confidence”.

LaGrange did not respond.

#Ableg News 🧵

15. 🚨NEW POLL 🚨

A new poll suggests Smith and her policies are NOT supported by the majority of Albertans

- 54% think Alberta is on the wrong track
- Favourability for Notley is at 43% / 32% for Smith
- 70% DO NOT support Smith’s Sovereignty Act

#Ableg News 🧵

@AB_AgainstUCP and I want to thank @YYCCowboy (please follow), @kim_siever @JasonPYYC @Mitchell_AB @MichelletypoQ @KikkiPlanet @SeanDunn10 @TheBreakdownAB @c1aireify @AlbertastanLive @ChadOhman @TheBlueGem3 @simon82521 @joececiyyc

Thank you all for reading