Thread by @gilmcgowan

The UCP’s Justice Minister is speaking in the Legislature right now saying the @ABFedLabour spends “tens of millions of dollars in funding for the NDP.” This is going to be convenient when we kick his ass in court. He’s lying to justify silencing workers. #FireTheUCP #AbLeg

The reality is we spend exactly (checks notes) zero dollars on the NDP. Instead, we spent $550k on what had to be reported as “political advertising” in 2017, $616k in 2018 and $650k in 2019. These were NOT campaigns in support of the NDP. Instead, they were ISSUE campaigns.

The 2017 campaign was called “Unstack the Deck”, and was aimed at lobbying the NDP government of the day to bring Alberta’s workplace laws out of the dark ages. How, exactly, is it inappropriate for a workers’ group to advocate for workers’ rights?

Similarly, the 2018 and 2019 amounts were used to fund what we called the Next Alberta campaign — which tried to force ALL parties to address the issue of energy transition in their platforms. Imagine that! A workers’ group asking parties to explain where the jobs will come from!

Since that time we’ve also reported $ spent on campaigns to defend the $15 minimum wage; promote universal childcare & Pharmacare; and defend public sector pensions. We’re currently running campaigns to promote paid sick leave & address staff shortages in health care & education.

The reality is that the UCP is deliberately misconstruing the nature of our spending. By defining it as “political advertising” they leave the impression that it spending in support of a particular party, when in reality it’s just an advocacy group spending money on advocacy.

Did our campaigns often criticize the UCP. You bet they did! That’s because the UCP represents a clear and present danger to the interests of Alberta workers. If they don’t want to be criticized by workers’ groups, then they should doing things to screw workers.

The 2018 & 2019 campaign was call "New Alberta" and was aimed at forcing ALL parties to address the #EnergyTransition in their election platforms. Imagine that! A workers' group demanding parties tell voters where the jobs will come from as the world moves away from fossil fuels.

More recently, we've spent money on campaigns to advocate for universal child care and Pharmacare; campaigns to defend public sector pension and the $15 minimum wage. We are currently running campaigns to promote paid sick leave and fight understaffing in schools and health care.

Are our campaigns often critical of the UCP. Of course they are! We have determined that the UCP is a clear and present danger to the interests of working Albertans. If they don't want to be criticized by worker groups, they should stop attacking them!

At the end of the day, the UCP is deliberately misconstruing the nature of the AFL's spending. By labelling it "political advertising" they leave the false impression it's all about promoting the NDP. In reality, it's just an advocacy group doing advocacy.

And, yes, that includes criticizing governments when they deserve to be criticized. And, the vast majority of Albertans agree that the UCP NEEDS to be criticized for many, many things!

The AFL's real crime is that we're good at what we do. Kenney and his United Clown Posse want to shut us up and shut us down because they're afraid of us. That's what they are: cowards. Lying, undemocratic, proto-authoritarian cowards.