Thread by @MBellefontaine

🚨🚨A UCP MLA is speaking in favour of an amended proposed by two former UCP MLAs. Will anyone else follow? #ableg

https://twitter.com/MBellefontaine/status/1400295346178199568

Yes, Stephan may be the only UCP MLA who votes in favour of the Loewen and Barnes amendment.

But this is remarkable in a UCP caucus that is usually very uniform in its votes.

#ableg

Justice Minister Kaycee Madu thanks Loewen for his amendment but says government is following recommendations from an MLA committee #ableg

I love this time of year. Nearly 10 p.m. and I am still watching the #ableg feed from my chair on the balcony. #ableg

Getting back to Justice Minister @KayceeMaduYEG

He is a minister who is in the house all the time and is constantly on his feet to respond to criticism about his bills.

Labour Minister @JasonCoppingAB does the same thing. #ableg

Madu wants MLAs to vote against Loewen's amendment.

#ableg

Premier Jason Kenney now speaking in the house against Loewen's amendment.

I N T E R E S T I N G

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honestly friends, if you only watch Question Period when the house is in session, you are missing all the good stuff, which happens while bills are debated.

This is why #ableg reporters watch even when they aren't on shift.

Kenney is trying to discredit Loewen and Barnes now for not making submissions to the committee that looked at these bills. #ableg

Kenney is urging MLAs to respect the work of the committee that made the recommendations that formed the basis of Bill 51.

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Kenney says it is disingenous for Barnes and Loewen to introduce this amendment at the 11th hour.

did UCP MLA Jason Stephan's statement prompt Kenney to beeline to the #ableg to address this???

Drama!

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CAN CONFIRM: me and all my fellow #ableg reporters are GLUED TO THE DEBATE right now.

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TODD LOEWEN RESPONDING NOW. Guys here is the feed

assemblyonline.assembly.ab.ca/Harmony/en/Pow…

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so the question is called. Amendment is defeated.

HOWEVER the bells are ringing for a recorded vote in about 15 mintues.

Remember MLAs can vote remotely. Fascinated to see how this shakes out.

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Meanwhile I imagine NDP MLAs in the house are watching this UCP caucus split playing out on the #ableg floor like this

An #ableg colleague just saw a UCP MLA heading into the house for the vote on the amendment.

Here we go. Recorded vote time.
#ableg

in favour in the chamber - Loewen, Barnes and Stephan.

Opposed Kenney, some UCP cabinet ministers, UCP MLAs.. and NDP MLAs in the house.

remote voting: all UCP MLAs vote against including Horner Issak, Long, Gotfried, Lovely Schow, Toor, eremy Nixon Yaseen

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Amendent defeated 44-3.

Jason Stephan the only UCP MLA to vote with Barnes and Loewen

#Ableg

Ok. Moving on.

NDP MLA Lori Sigurdson proposing another amendment about placing limits on spending.

Kenney still in the house and speaking to the amendment.

He now talks about how the NDP is "rolling in dough" due to "union money."

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Kenney is now talking on a familar theme. That they benefit from a loophole that allows the Alberta Federation to fund NDP campaigns. #ableg

NDP amendment is defeated.

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Another NDP amendment seek to prevent party leaders, candidates, etc, being involved in these citizen-initiated referendums

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Kenney the first UCP MLA to jump up to oppose the amendment from NDP MLA @ChrisNielsenNDP

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Justice Minister @KayceeMaduYEG suggests Nielsen's amendment would disinfranchise a party leader or registered political candidate.

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@KayceeMaduYEG Question called. Amendment defeated. #ableg

Independent MLA Drew Barnes rising now to introduce an amendment to Bill 51.

Standby folks. #ableg

Amendment A7.

@Drew__Barnes says bill 51 says if a referendum fails, people can't bring it back for five years.

He wants this to change to 2 years. He says five years is "arbitrary and wrong" especially if a vote is close. Could hurt rural Alberta #ableg

@Drew__Barnes And again, there's Premier Kenney addressing this amendment to speak against it.

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@Drew__Barnes Todd Loewen, who is working with Barnes on these amendments, is now responding to Kenney and speaking in favour of the amendment. #ableg

Again no one from the NDP is speaking on this amendment. #ableg

Now Transportation Minister @RicMcIver speaking about this.

Interesting that no UCP backbenchers who are weighing in here. #ableg

@RicMcIver Peace River MLA Dan Williams is speaking against the amendment. He is one of the UCP MLAs who can be counted on to speak favourabily about anything that comes form the premier's office. #ableg

Justice Minister Kaycee Madu says he respects Barnes's amendment but feels that it goes against the recommendations of the MLA committee that considered this issue. #ableg

My colleague @Jantafrench is also tweeting about this debate because like me, she is a giant ledge nerd, LOL (and also on the night shift this week) #ableg

@Jantafrench Votin' time. Amendment is defeated. #ableg

@Jantafrench NDP MLA @MarieFrRenaud addresses how Madu keeps referring to the commitee work on this bill...but says they didn't actually use the recommendations for Bill 51

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Renaud moves an amendment to amend the criteria...trying to follow.

She wants to change the threshold...she says regional issues can be imposed on the province...#ableg
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This one is complicated. Lots of moving parts...

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unsuprisingly, Justice Minister @KayceeMaduYEG, the sponsor of Bill 51, is not in favour of Renaud's amendment. #ableg

@KayceeMaduYEG and Renaud'samendment is defeated.

@Drew__Barnes standing to speak

#ableg

Barnes says he has heard from people over the past decade who want democratic reform

Says the criteria in Bill 51 is too prohibitive, far more than in a general election.

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Barnes tables another amendment to Bill 51.

Amendment A9

he wants the time period for collecting signatures to change from 90 to 180 days #ableg

Barnes appeals to MLAs to support his amendment.

"Let's let Albertans have a greater say."

#ableg

Kenney not responding now (is he still in the house?).

Justice Minister Kaycee Madu shooting down the amendment, citing the MLA committee. #ableg

Madu thinks 90 days is adequate time for collecting enough signatures to get a citizens referendum approved. #ableg

Todd Loewen now responding to Madu and backing up Barnes's amendment.

These two have been working together tonight. #ableg

Loewen notes communities in his massive northern Albera riding of Central Peace Notley constituency are five hours apart.

that's why there should be more time to collect signatures, he says.

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Now @ricmciver speaking against the Barnes amendment.

Other UCP MLAs are in the house right now -- where are they?

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@RicMcIver Wondering if Kenney's appearance in the house has cowed any UCP MLAs who may have thought against voting for Loewen/Barnes amendment.

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Oh wait. UCP MLA Shane Getson is now speaking.

He is now sharing his "secrets" to getting elected.

It is somehow related to his experience as a project manager. #ableg

he says getting signatures in 90 days requires a plan.
Go to where the fish are.

He says Barnes is shaking his head. #ableg

Shane Getson was elected for the first and only time in 2019.

Drew Barnes was elected for the first time in 2012 and has been re-elected in 2015 and 2019.

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the amendment is defeated.
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Also worth mentioning that Barnes ran successully in three election campaigns and ran for the Wildrose leadership.

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An NDP amendment (didn't catc what it was) was swiflty voted on with little debate. Division called so 15 minute bells.

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Hmm Kenney still in the house. Just voted against NDP amendment on bill 51. #ableg

and the amendment is defeated.
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MLAs are now reporting Bill 51, Bill 63, Bill 68 so they pass through commitee of the whole.

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MLAs now moving Bill 56 into third and final reading. this is the bill that raises 911 fees but also cuts municipal infrastructure funding by 25 per cen.t

However, this gal needs to go to bed. Good night!

#ableg