Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending making a string of policy announcements at private United Conservative Party events, saying Albertans shouldn’t be caught off guard by her agenda.
When asked why she’s not offering those details to all Albertans, Smith told reporters she is in touch with them regularly.
“I talk to Albertans every two weeks on the [call-in] radio show, and I am always telling them about things that are being proposed. I don’t think I’ve made any secret out of the fact that I take what our [party] members give us as guidance seriously,” said Smith, noting that the government also consults with stakeholders.
She said Albertans shouldn’t be surprised by any of the laws her government introduces when the legislature convenes in late October.
Last month, Smith told a UCP town hall she is looking to transfer the operation of some Alberta Health Services-run hospitals to third parties, including faith-based operator Covenant Health, to create fear and competition as part of her health restructuring plan.
That plan drew the ire of New Democrat Leader Naheed Nenshi, who said at the time the premier’s silence in public indicated the government was scared the plan wouldn’t be popular, or, that they were making it up as they went along.
At town hall events, Smith has also talked about provincial policing service ambitions and said she’s waiting to pass controversial transgender policies before allowing into her caucus an Independent legislature member who has made disparaging comments about transgender youth.
Smith has said her government hopes to pass legislation in the fall that will require parental consent on pronoun changes in schools, limit youth transgender medical care, and ban trans athletes from female sports.
Smith told reporters Tuesday that when it comes to letting Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson into UCP caucus, no decision has been made.
“I hope [she will] be able to provide some clarity about where she stands on these issues, and be able to provide some comfort that she’s going to govern for all of her constituents,” said Smith.
When asked whether she’s worried about being seen to curry favour with her party’s right-wing base ahead of a November leadership review, Smith said Albertans shouldn’t be surprised, because forthcoming policy is grounded in “solid conservative principles.
“I’m bringing forward good policy. We are conservatives, and we intend to govern as conservatives, and conservatives care about family. They care about protecting kids, they care about the economy. They care about making sure that we’re making good investment decisions. They care about health care reform,” she said.
Alberta has a history of sweeping conservative premiers from power at the behest of card-carrying party members, including former UCP premier Jason Kenney, who garnered just over 51 per cent of a leadership vote, prompting the campaign race that would see Smith take the helm of the province in 2022.