Juno News - February 01, 2025Alberta COVID report draws ire of “experts” and media
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Summary
This week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has once again placed herself at the forefront of protecting the country from tariffs, this time saying that Canada should appoint a border czar to work with U.S. counterpart Tom Homan. The province s 300-kilometre shared border with the United States would be monitored for drug smuggling, gun trafficking, and illegal immigration. The final report on Alberta s COVID-19 response that Smith commissioned in 2022 was published and recommends halting the use of COVID vaccines in healthy children and teenagers.
Transcript
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has once again placed herself at the forefront of protecting
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the country from tariffs, this time saying that Canada appointing a border czar would
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be the best way to avoid President Donald Trump's proposed 25% tariffs, which are expected today.
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The final report on Alberta's COVID-19 response that Smith commissioned in 2022 was published
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and recommends halting the use of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy children and teenagers,
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among other recommendations that oppose the mainstream narrative.
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Alberta's junior high students will soon learn more about anti-Semitism with an updated curriculum
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that the provincial government said was a result of the rise in anti-Jewish hatred worldwide
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following Hamas' brutal October 7th attack on Israeli citizens.
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Calgary's Green Line LRT project got the green light, following City Council voting to proceed
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All of this and more in this week's episode of the Alberta Roundup.
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I'm your host, Isaac Lamoureux, and I'm super excited to be here with you again.
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling on Ottawa to appoint a border czar to work with
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U.S. counterpart Tom Homan and avoid the incoming tariffs proposed by the Trump administration.
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The tariffs are expected to come the same day this video is published, February 1st,
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but I am recording the day prior, so if anything changes between then and now, buyer beware.
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Following a meeting with the country's premiers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other federal
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ministers on Wednesday, Smith revealed that she told them that a border czar was the best answer
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Holman previously raised concerns about Canada's border security shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump's
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Smith made the request for a czar after speaking with dozens of U.S. representatives,
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She said this was clearly the most important first step to take.
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She also invited a Fox News team to the Coutts border to showcase the work already underway to prevent
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Alberta previously unveiled enhanced border security measures, including a patrol team of 51 officers,
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10 support staff, 4 patrol dogs, 10 surveillance drones, and 4 narcotics analyzers.
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The province's 300-kilometer shared border with the U.S. would be monitored for drug smuggling,
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While Alberta was the first province to introduce such measures, which they were able to do because
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the measures were in work for 18 months at the time, other provinces followed suit.
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Smith also thanked the federal government for allowing Alberta to send a Black Hawk helicopter
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As for who should be the border czar, Smith had a pretty good idea.
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She said she believed somebody with a high-ranking military background would be the best option
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She said she had already recommended that her deputy minister, Paul Winnick, a former lieutenant
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general who served in the army for 38 years, become the czar.
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The federal government is aware of her recommendation, as she said,
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Jonathan Wilkinson was present when she made it.
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That's the kind of person we need, someone who understands military operations, who understands
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deployment, who understands the seriousness with which we have to take this issue.
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She added that the czar would serve as a consistent voice at the table for Canada,
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considering Trudeau's soon-to-be resignation and the subsequent election shortly thereafter
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provides Canada with no consistent voice at the negotiating table with the United States.
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The liberals have been considering pandemic-style payouts to businesses harmed by the tariffs.
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Again, Smith wouldn't even entertain the thought.
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She wouldn't even begin to discuss the package and her opinion of it because she said it was
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her goal to do everything she could to ensure that the tariffs never come to be.
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The Trump administration hinted that the 25% tariffs on Canadian imports would begin
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February 1st today, with another round coming in April.
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The latter tariffs will be determined after Trump receives a study he requested that is
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On top of the border czar, Smith also proposed that Canada and the U.S. collaborate to establish
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You guys may already know if the tariffs came to be.
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And let me know what you think about Smith leading these negotiation tactics.
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Would Canada have been better off if she were actually at the helm of these negotiations and
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The final report on Alberta's COVID-19 response was released.
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It recommends that the provincial government stop providing vaccines for healthy children
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and teenagers as the risks outweigh the reward.
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Following months of interviews, research and analysis, the report claimed that halting the
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use of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy children and teenagers would follow what some other jurisdictions
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have already done, such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the UK.
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The report called for the cessation of the vaccine for teenagers and children because
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the risk of COVID-19 in the two groups is, quote, exceptionally low.
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The tagline, safe and affected, was repeatedly used to assure the population and encourage
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Based on the evidence that has emerged to date, it cannot be concluded that these COVID-19
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The report revealed evidence to suggest that it was not effective.
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For example, it highlighted that the original Pfizer vaccines did not prevent death compared
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to the placebo in their clinical trials in any age group.
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The report alleged that Alberta Health Services removed a dashboard from its website after it
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showed higher hospitalization rates among the vaccinated than the unvaccinated.
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It also said there is a lack of reliable data proving that COVID-19 vaccines protect
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The task force that published the research said COVID-19 vaccines were not designed to
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The report also highlighted risks to taking the vaccine.
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There is reliable evidence of harm following vaccination, and the COVID-19 vaccine trials
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were not designed to detect rare or long-term adverse effects.
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There is a known risk for myocarditis, especially in young males.
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The task force also referenced Pfizer's own safety data from three months after authorization,
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which reported 1,223 deaths attributed to the vaccine and 42,086 injured within four days
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Almost half, 45% of these were from individuals between the ages of 18 to 50 who had a negligible
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There is no long-term safety data for these novel mRNA vaccines.
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It called for various other conclusions and recommendations that oppose the mainstream narrative.
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One recommendation was to research the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines more before
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The task force also said that infection-acquired immunity should be explored and communicated
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more in a future pandemic, considering there was little to no evidence to suggest that vaccine-acquired
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immunity was superior to infection-acquired immunity.
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The report also called for constructing a website and or call-in center for the vaccine injured
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It also called for a mechanism to opt out of federal health policy when due process has not
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True North previously reported that only 6% of vaccine injury claimants had been paid.
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The Alberta Medical Association issued an initial statement on the report that was getting
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The statement was issued again, with comments turned off this time.
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The association called the report, quote, anti-science and anti-evidence.
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The Canadian Medical Association went on to support the AMA's comments.
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You can guess the reaction that they received on X.
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I asked the AMA how it deemed a 269-page report filled with data and evidence from esteemed
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medical professionals anti-science and anti-evidence, but received no reply.
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The report examined ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and other treatments, but noted public health
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authorities largely opposed them despite early research showing promising benefits.
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The restrictive approach taken by Alberta health authorities towards alternate COVID-19
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therapeutics is concerning and further investigation is required into the restriction of treatment
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The researchers recommended legislative amendments allowing medical professionals to use approved
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medications for off-labeled treatments and explore alternative therapies.
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The report was commissioned by Alberta Premier Daniel Smith in 2022 with a mandate to explore the
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The task force included prominent medical professionals including Drs. Gary Davidson,
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The Albertan government announced upcoming curriculum on Monday, which was International Holocaust
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The updated curriculum will mean Alberta's junior high students will soon learn more about
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anti-Semitism influenced by the rise in anti-Jewish hatred worldwide following Hamas's
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brutal attack on Israeli citizens on October 7th.
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Alberta's Education Minister Demetrios Nikolaides said, quote,
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I firmly believe we must do everything possible to combat rising anti-Semitism and educate
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young Albertans about the realities of anti-Semitism.
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Ensuring all students learn about the injustices faced by those who historically were and continue
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to be marginalized or who have experienced discrimination will help us confront hate and
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The Jewish Federation of Edmonton and the Calgary Jewish Federation applauded the provincial government's
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announcement, which the organizations said proved the government was taking a stance
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The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, Stacey Levitt-Wright, said, quote,
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By ensuring these critical lessons are part of the learning experience for students,
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we are fostering empathy, understanding, and resilience in future generations.
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We look forward to further collaborating with Alberta Education in making sure these
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important teachings are delivered effectively across all grades.
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In 2023, Jewish people were subject to 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes
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despite accounting for less than 1% of Canada's total population.
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Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called for the deportation of temporary residents carrying
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out violent or hate crimes in Canada on the same day Alberta unveiled the updated curriculum.
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Woke ideologies had already caused hate crimes inspired by anti-Semitism to increase by over 100%
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before October 7th. Since then, he said they increased by 251%, primarily targeting Jews.
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Alberta's government previously introduced mandatory Holocaust education in elementary schools in
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November 2023. The draft K-6 social studies curriculum released in April 2024 also includes lessons on
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anti-Semitism. It is currently being piloted and will be fully introduced in the 2025-26 school year.
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As the draft curriculum continues to be developed, the provincial government aims to continue working
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with provincial Jewish organizations to determine when and where students should learn about anti-Semitism.
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The Greenline LRT project has reached its next development after Calgary City Council voted to proceed
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with a better Greenline alignment that the province said will be 76% longer and serve 60% more Calgarians.
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The new project will incorporate an elevated alignment and will save over $1 billion compared
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to if it were tunneled downtown. The Alberta government said that the savings will be reinvested
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into the project to extend the line further south. The province said, quote,
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By increasing ridership and expanding access, we are ensuring that taxpayer dollars deliver maximum
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value while building a stronger, more connected city. The province said it looks forward to working
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with the city and the federal government going forward to get this project completed and that the
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project will be a win for Calgary, the province, and the future of public transit in Alberta.
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You may remember that the province previously called the Greenline LRT a, quote,
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multi-billion dollar boondoggle. However, now, Transport Minister Devin Drishan celebrated the council vote
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After a decade of delay caused by Nahid Nenshi, the Greenline is finally being built.
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Back in 2015 when he was a mayor, he refused to do the proper planning needed to build this
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megaproject and costs skyrocketed. Nenshi has a track record of over-promising with taxpayers'
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money and this was his biggest boondoggle. Drishan said that as the provincial government
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continues to build projects province-wide, it will always respect hardworking taxpayers.
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Nenshi responded on X trying to defend himself, claiming that Drishan, quote,
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doesn't understand this file or his job very well. Unsurprisingly, Drishan struck back,
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calling Nenshi's plan in 2015 a, quote, taxpayer-funded dumpster fire. He said, quote,
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As mayor, you over-promised a 46-kilometer Greenline from 160th Ave to Seton for $4.5 billion
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and never delivered. Then, while you were still mayor, you cut off the North Calgary alignment,
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quit gaslighting Calgarians, they remember your incompetence.
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Various other Albertans took aim at Nenshi as well on X. Gondek joined in on the fund too,
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explaining why she voted against the motions that passed in council. Peter McCaffrey,
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founder and CEO of the Alberta Institute, a provincial think tank, criticized Gondek's
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Even when Jyoti is right, she manages to be right for the wrong reasons. Remember,
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she's opposed to the current plan because it doesn't waste enough money. I'm opposed to it
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because it wastes too much money. The whole Greenline needs to be scrapped. Yeah, let me know in the
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comments what you guys think about the Greenline and your opinion on the province keeping the
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project alive. So that wraps up our stories for this week. Let's hop in to the comment roundup.
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The first comment comes from at US Lanja, or us Lanja, who said, quote,
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Well, you cannot hold Trudeau solely responsible. Every elected NDP and Liberal MP supported him.
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Never forget people. Yeah, so this comment reflected a broad theme of comments that came
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from most of you in the last video. You answered the title of the previous episode, confirming that
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the tariff dispute was 100% Trudeau's fault. I like what you said here, though,
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US Lanja, because Trudeau did not act alone, and he alone is not the problem with Canada or the
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Liberal Party. Let's remember the Conservatives' new slogan, which is just like Justin, because the
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party is arguing that everyone in the Liberals is just like Justin, and that if Canadians were to vote
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Liberals in the next election, they'd be in for much of the same, irrespective of who governs the
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party. The next comment comes from at Parker KE, who said, quote, Alberta saves Canada. Thanks.
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Then somebody commented on their comment. That was at JC Nealon, who said, quote, again and again.
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Yeah, this seems to be the belief held by many, and was certainly exemplified during these tariff
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disputes. As Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, despite not being the Prime Minister nor the leader of the
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Premiers, was in the US consistently negotiating on the country's behalf, and one of the only leaders
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who was trying to make the tariffs never come to be through collaboration. Of course, you'll all know
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that the other Premiers and the Prime Minister at one point, or even still, wanted to use retaliation
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instead of collaboration, but that would mean, of course, that the tariffs do exist to retaliate.
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And Smith seemed to be the only one trying to avoid that altogether. With our lame duck Prime
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Minister, it really seems that Smith has stepped up to the table and become the pseudo PM in regard
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to the tariff negotiation, because she's the one holding all the cards by controlling most of the
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country's most valuable commodity, which is, of course, oil and gas. I'm curious to ask, though,
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do you guys think if Smith were PM, would we be in the same situation? And if not, how would the
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country look instead? The last comment I'll highlight today comes from at Blasheep, who said, quote,
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Gondek makes more than Smith? Over $200,000? That's insanity. Wow. Yeah, I couldn't agree
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more, Blasheep. I mean, here we are talking about a woman who is standing up for Alberta and the
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entirety of the country, and perhaps the only chance we have to avoid the tariffs, compared to
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the mayor, who has the worst approval ratings in the country, and was even subject to a recall
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legislation, although, of course, the impossible standards made that a no-go, but still. How in the
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world can a mayor be making more than our premier? It doesn't seem to make sense to me,
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at all. And we wonder why these mayors and councillors might cling to power. Where else
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could Gondek make this kind of money? So that wraps up our comment roundup in this
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week's show. My name's Isaac Lamoureux, your host of the Alberta Roundup. Have a great
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weekend. Thank you and God bless. May Alberta prosper strong and free.