Thread by @EmmaLGraney

Next up at AUMA: Premier Jason Kenney. Follow along for more. #ableg

Kenney gets a standing ovation as he takes the stage at AUMA. "I sure hope you'll still be applauding after the budget," he says. "It's all because of Travis Toews." #ableg

Kenney's wearing a 'Support Canadian Energy' t-shirt over the top of his shirt today. They're giving them out at the door. Says he's going to ignore his 32-page speech... "I want to speak to you from the heart," he says #ableg

We need to be Team Alberta, Kenney says. "We all need to be rowing in the same direction towards prosperity and a strong future for Alberta," Kenney says. Says getting economy back on track, standing up for AB and getting finances back in order are key #ableg

Kenney says he's hoping there's no global recession but we need to be prepared. "This is not for the faint of heart," he says. Says his gvt is prepared to take action and that's why it killed the carbon tax (to applause) #ableg

Kenney says it could have been justifiable if there was any environmental benefit, 'but there was not.' Pumps for his government's new TIER fund -- a carbon tax on big emitters with $ going to rsrch, which is pretty much the same as what's been happening in AB since 2007 #ableg

(The difference is a slightly different set-up and big emitters will pay less for their emissions... and, like the NDP with their 'carbon levy', the UCP is refusing to call it a tax) #ableg

Again, I'm at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Assn convention in Edmonton rn, where Premier Kenney is giving a speech to delegates. #ableg

Kenney says previous raises of corporate tax rates saw decreased tax revenues, and that's why his gvt cut it — because AB is competing with jurisdictions in the USA. #ableg

Kenney's going to Texas in November on a trade mission to sell the message of Alberta being awesome (yes that's a paraphrase but I think I captured the spirit). "I'll be there to say - 'Texas, it's on,'" Kenney says. #ableg

Kenney now turns his attn to red tape, says there's far too much here in Alberta and that's why it needs to be cut. We get an F on the red tape report card and approval timelines are unacceptably long, he says, and that's why we're cutting red tape #ableg

Kenney says Alberta Energy Regulator and others need to be sensible and practical, not wading through red tape and bureaucracy. #ableg

The UCP is serious about cutting the red tape burden on municipalities, Kenney says. You're accountable to your voters and if you screw up you hear about it at the grocery store - "you don't need the province peering over your shoulder at every dollar you spend." #ableg

Kenney says he's open to taking a comprehensive look at the Municipal Gvt Act - it's only getting longer and more complicated, and he thinks it's arrogant for the province to micromanage municipalities through the MGA. 'Let's be partners in lowering those barriers' #ableg

The streamlining comes with a condition: Do all you can by reducing the red-tape burden on the 'job-creating private sector' he says. #ableg

Kenney talks about changes to municipality rules under the UCP, says it was in the election platform that was endorsed by Albertans. (My note: I'm curious whether everyone who voted for the UCP did indeed support every single part of the platform.) #ableg

Kenney says we need to manage spending in line with population growth. "We're doing everything we can" and part of this is an aggressive focus on increasing investment in Alberta #ableg

Kenney moves now to the fiscal challenges Alberta faces. "This is a huge challenge and we all have to be part of the solution," Kenney says #ableg

Kenney says the MacKinnon Panel did a great, objective report on Alberta's finances #ableg

Alberta has been over-spending for more than 20 years, Kenney says, and that's partly why we're in the fiscal pickle we are. The MacKinnon panel underscored that we're also under-performing #ableg

To those that say the solution is to raise taxes, I say why would be do that? How about we focus on operating at least as efficiently as other Canadians governments. Albertans expect that and they have a right to "and we need to be partners in this" #ableg

Kenney talks infrastructure investment and says the province has been spending too much on it. The MacKinnon panel recommended to reduce it by $500m/yr, say no final decisions "but you won't be surprised if there is a reduction" in capital spending in the budget #ableg

"We all need to be partners in this together," Kenney repeats. There's a very strong, 'Partners in austerity' vibe to this speech. Kenney says this doesn't have to be 1993 and the budget will be nothing like that. "It will not be like 1993" with 18% cuts across the board #ableg

Not all stakeholders will be happy with budget, but "please understand... we cannot live forever on our credit card," Kenney says. Says UCP will protect health and education, but higher taxes were only proposed by the Libs ("God bless them") and they got less than 1% vote. #ableg

We need to make tough decisions now so we have money for key sectors in the future, Kenney says #ableg

How must we be Team Alberta? We're not going to get this economy back on track unless we break the landlock on this province, Kenney says #ableg

Kenney repeats the land-locking of AB is thanks to those foreign special interests. #ableg

I'll add that those 'Support Canadian Energy' t-shirts (the same one Kenney is wearing now on stage) are on the vast majority of delegates at AUMA this morning. #ableg

We're on the cusp of game-changing technology changing fracking from water to solvents, Kenney says, and the TIER fund will totally help that #ableg

Sounds like Indigenous Relations Minister Wilson will introduce legislation setting up the Indigenous Opportunities Corp in the fall #ableg

We're going to do all we can to get this economy back on track, Kenney says. This isn't just a fight for Alberta - it's also for our country, he says. "Together let us stand up and fight for this province that has been good to us," he says. Ends to standing ovation. #ableg