Juno News - June 07, 2025


UCP slams NDP over defending lewd books in schools


Episode Stats

Length

13 minutes

Words per Minute

166.86214

Word Count

2,229

Sentence Count

121


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 The Alberta UCP is blasting the provincial NDP for trying to stand in the way of protecting
00:00:15.720 children as the province plans to ban sexually explicit material from K-12 schools. A report
00:00:21.600 that came out this week is showcasing that Alberta's oil production has ramped up over
00:00:25.740 the last decade while reducing emissions across various industries. Alberta Premier
00:00:30.100 Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford also signed a Memorandum of Understanding
00:00:35.120 to eliminate trade barriers between their provinces. While sports haven't been covered
00:00:39.160 on the show in a while, the Edmonton Oilers were victorious in their first Stanley Cup
00:00:43.320 final game, and polls are suggesting that national unity could be on the line.
00:00:48.340 All that and more on this week's Alberta Roundup. I'm your host, Isaac Lamoureux. Let's
00:00:52.700 hop into that first story now. The United Conservative Party is accusing the Alberta NDP of hindering
00:00:58.680 efforts to protect children from sexually explicit materials in K-12 school libraries. This comes
00:01:05.020 after NDP MLA Lori Sigurdsson criticized the province's plan to ban such content, labeling
00:01:11.660 it as censorship. She said, quote, make no mistake, this actually is about banning books, and Smith's
00:01:18.540 administration is not the first in history to target and ban books seen as contrary to its ideology in
00:01:24.520 order to control public discourse. Darby Crouch, the UCP candidate for Edmonton Strathcona, called
00:01:31.020 Sigurdsson out. Crouch said, quote, what the NDP calls banning books is what most parents would call
00:01:37.260 basic common sense. We're talking about school library books that depict graphic sex acts, pornographic scenes,
00:01:44.300 and other content that has no place in an elementary or junior high school. Why the NDP thinks children
00:01:50.540 need access to this is beyond comprehension. The books in question contain shocking quotes and
00:01:55.980 pornographic imagery for any age group, let alone children. The books in question are so vulgar that
00:02:01.740 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued various graphic content warnings in her post to X. Smith said, quote,
00:02:08.860 Albertans deserve to know what's really being shown to children in some of our K-9 schools.
00:02:14.700 This isn't about banning books, it's about protecting kids from graphic, sexually explicit content that
00:02:20.140 has no place in a classroom. The Alberta government confirmed that books such as Gender Queer, Flamer,
00:02:26.540 Fun Home in Blankets, which contain depictions of sex acts, child molestation, and sexually violent
00:02:32.860 slurs have been found in Alberta K-12 school libraries. Crouch said that what the Alberta NDP
00:02:38.940 calls censorship, her party calls protecting kids and respecting parents. She said, quote,
00:02:45.580 parents deserve better, they deserve to know what their children are reading in school,
00:02:49.580 and that the content is age-appropriate. An online survey remained active until June 6th where Albertans
00:02:55.420 could weigh in on what type of content should be available for school library collections.
00:03:00.700 Even the survey came with a slew of warnings. A link was available to see some of the photos
00:03:06.860 that were available to these kids in their libraries, and the survey's warning read, quote,
00:03:12.060 Warning! This link contains graphic content that may be disturbing to viewers and is not
00:03:17.820 appropriate for young viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. We'll see how the province proceeds after
00:03:23.740 analyzing its survey data. Crouch is running in the Edmonton Strathcona by-election on June 23rd
00:03:29.740 against NDP leader Nahid Nenshi. She had some harsh words for him. Take a quick listen.
00:03:35.020 I'm Darby. I'm running to be your next MLA for Edmonton Strathcona. I also have the
00:03:40.700 pleasure of running against NDP leader Nahid Nenshi. Now there are some key differences between Mr.
00:03:45.660 Nenshi and me. When someone once asked him about living in Edmonton, he said, why would you wish such
00:03:49.980 a fate as living in Edmonton on me? Could I do it part-time? If you ask me the same question,
00:03:54.620 I'll tell you I'm not just visiting. Like so many young Albertans, I chose to make a life in Edmonton,
00:03:59.260 to chase opportunity, and because the Oilers might actually win the cup. My opponent, uh...
00:04:04.700 I'm not an Edmontonian. And in fact, it's going to take a lot to get me back into that jersey.
00:04:10.220 Can't forget a few weeks ago when he covered up his Oilers jersey as he cheered for the Winnipeg Jets.
00:04:15.260 Hockey love aside, there's so many real differences between us. I think the people
00:04:19.020 of Edmonton Strathcona are not only incredibly hardworking, but they're some of the most creative
00:04:23.420 and friendly people in Canada. Just like them, I think we need a government focused on keeping
00:04:28.140 the cost of living down. Things like cutting red tape to build more housing and lowering personal
00:04:32.620 taxes, so we all can afford doing more of the things that we love. And just like them, I think
00:04:37.580 we all deserve safer streets, matched with more healthcare, funding for compassionate
00:04:41.740 intervention, so we all can have a community we call home. Again, I'm Darby Crouch, and I'm
00:04:46.380 absolutely proud to run as your United Conservative Party candidate in Edmonton Strathcona. And I will
00:04:51.660 work for you every single day to make this place an even greater part of Edmonton. On June 23rd,
00:04:57.100 please show up to the polls and cast your vote for me in this election. Thank you.
00:05:00.940 The riding Crouch is running in against Nenshi is the Alberta NDP's safest in the province.
00:05:06.460 Notley held the seat between 2008 and 2024. The last time the Conservative held it was Julian Kozak
00:05:12.540 between 1971 and 1986. We'll see what happens in the upcoming by-elections on June 23rd.
00:05:19.420 Now for our next story, we'll be looking at a recent report that came out on Alberta's oil
00:05:23.420 production and emissions. The report, released Wednesday, showed that overall emissions in
00:05:28.300 Alberta decreased almost every single year since 2015 after peaking in 2014. Between 2015 and 2023,
00:05:35.740 holistically, the province's total emissions fell by 9 percent. Emissions have decreased in
00:05:40.300 conventional oil, transportation, and heavy industry since 2015. They have also fallen in
00:05:45.420 natural gas processing, methane, and electricity emissions. Despite the significant emission cuts,
00:05:50.940 Alberta has boosted energy production by 20 percent since 2015. The province also eliminated emissions
00:05:57.100 from coal-fired electricity more than six years ahead of schedule after the last coal-fired power plant
00:06:02.620 transition to natural gas fuel in June 2024. Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schultz said
00:06:08.700 the report proved Alberta continues to lead the way in responsible energy development. She said,
00:06:14.860 quote, we don't need top-down policies from the federal government to do this and will continue to drive
00:06:20.860 common-sense progress that benefit both our economy and the environment. Emissions from oil sands bitumen fell
00:06:27.020 26 percent between 2012 and 2023, while production increased by 96 percent, reaching 1.56 million barrels
00:06:35.900 daily as emissions continue to decline. Alberta had the highest absolute reduction of emissions nationwide
00:06:42.540 between 2022 and 2023, after reducing emissions by 2.1 million tons. The report shows that Alberta is
00:06:50.780 also succeeding in decoupling emissions from economic growth. From 2005 to 2023, Alberta's GDP increased by
00:06:59.020 41 percent, while emissions grew by just 4.8 percent. Over that same time, emissions intensity per $1,000
00:07:06.780 of GDP fell by 26 percent. Alberta introduced the first industrial carbon pricing and trading system
00:07:13.020 in North America in 2007. Between its introduction in 2023, 254 million tons of emissions have been addressed
00:07:21.180 by compliance measures beyond on-site reduction, including offset credits and technology investment.
00:07:27.100 Earlier in May, the province froze its industrial carbon tax at $95 per tonne in response to the tariff war.
00:07:34.860 Smith said the freeze came in response to concerns of business and industry leaders who warned that further tax hikes
00:07:40.940 would harm Alberta's competitiveness and be detrimental to their businesses. Smith said, quote,
00:07:46.460 Alberta remains committed to reducing emissions through the development and implementation of new technologies,
00:07:52.540 not unrealistically high taxes, while responsibly powering the world for decades to come.
00:07:58.300 Speaking of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, for our next story, her and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a
00:08:03.740 memorandum of understanding aimed at removing trade barriers between the two provinces on the 1st of June.
00:08:09.900 Smith hailed it as a milestone for interprovincial commerce, while Ford broadened the effort by signing
00:08:15.100 similar deals with several other premiers. Smith said, quote,
00:08:19.500 together, Alberta and Ontario are taking a big step towards a more open, competitive and united economy.
00:08:26.140 This agreement is about getting results, making it easier for people to work, do business and grow
00:08:31.420 across provincial lines. It's time to stop letting outdated rules hold us back and show Canadians what real
00:08:37.740 economic leadership looks like. The memorandum of understanding, signed June 1st at the First
00:08:42.700 Ministers' meeting in Saskatoon, pledges to ease the cross-border movement of skilled workers and permit
00:08:48.460 direct-to-consumer alcohol sales between Alberta and Ontario. The agreement also opens the door for
00:08:54.380 Ontario to potentially join the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, which currently includes Alberta,
00:09:00.060 British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Yes, this was the same conference where Ford called
00:09:05.420 Kearney Santa Claus, but we won't dive into that on this show. Ford expanded the scope of interprovincial
00:09:11.660 cooperation by signing agreements not just with Alberta, but also with Saskatchewan and Prince
00:09:16.700 Edward Island. Ontario has now signed trade agreements with six provinces in total, more than any other
00:09:22.940 jurisdiction. Two-way trade between Alberta and Ontario was worth $62.4 billion in 2021, while Ontario's
00:09:30.460 total interprovincial trade reached $326.6 billion in 2023. Ontario's government framed the agreements
00:09:38.140 as a key part of its strategy to build economic resilience in the face of growing U.S. protectionism.
00:09:44.460 The province has also introduced legislation to Protect Ontario through Free Trade Within Canada Act
00:09:50.220 to eliminate trade barriers and encourage labour mobility. Ford said, quote,
00:09:55.420 it's just the latest steps we're taking to build a stronger, more competitive Canadian economy that
00:10:00.300 can outlast President Trump's tariffs and whatever else comes our way. Now, hopping into something a
00:10:05.180 bit lighter than normal for our last story today, which the shirt I'm wearing might have foreshadowed,
00:10:09.180 the Edmonton Oilers triumphed over the Florida Panthers with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 of the
00:10:14.060 Stanley Cup Final held in the province's capital on Wednesday. I'm guessing most Albertans watch the
00:10:19.340 game, so without diving into too many details on the game itself, we'll talk about what winning the Stanley Cup
00:10:24.380 might mean for all of Canada, not just Edmonton. Of course, the Canadian team has not won the Cup
00:10:29.420 since 1993, which was actually before I was born. Edmonton has not won the Stanley Cup since 1990,
00:10:35.420 despite the Oilers trading Wayne Gretzky just over a year before. A newly conducted poll by Ipsos
00:10:41.340 found that 63% of Canadians say they're cheering for the Oilers, a six-point increase from last year's
00:10:47.260 Cup Final matchup. Also, 56% believe the Oilers will beat the Florida Panthers, a seven-point
00:10:54.060 increase from 2024. Ipsos' report reads, quote, the Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup would be
00:11:00.380 a significant triumph for Canada, symbolizing national spirit and resilience. Almost 7 in 10,
00:11:06.700 68% of Canadians now see the Oilers as Canada's team. Even Oilers players are realizing the importance.
00:11:13.340 For example, Edmonton forward Evander Kane said, quote, playing for a Canadian team,
00:11:19.660 the Cup having not been back to Canada in 30 plus years, it's something that I think we all
00:11:24.620 understand representing the Edmonton Oilers. Being able to kick it off here is going to be
00:11:29.660 pretty special, he said before the first game took place in Edmonton. The City was electric after
00:11:34.780 Wednesday night's win. Take a quick look at some of the celebration. If you were in the City,
00:11:39.340 I'm sure you felt it, at least felt some of that energy. And the City will definitely be
00:11:43.900 on fire if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup. I mean, just to be a part of that, I might go out and walk
00:11:48.380 the streets all night to experience the party that we so seldom get to experience at. So if I don't,
00:11:54.620 if I don't show up for work the next day, I'm guessing I won't be the only one.
00:11:58.380 The Stanley Cup Final is showing signs of rekindling unity, with 56% of Canadians saying they will pay more
00:12:05.180 attention to this year's final than in previous years, as the stakes are now higher than ever.
00:12:10.460 Over 8 in 10 Canadians, 85% said the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup would be a significant
00:12:16.380 triumph for Canada, symbolizing national spirit and resilience. So I'm a bit curious if any parties
00:12:22.700 will occur in other cities across the countries if the Oilers win the Cup, because it really
00:12:27.100 might be Canada's victory. A previous Angus Reid poll from April found that 71% of fans said they would
00:12:33.980 support any Canadian team in the playoffs, which was the highest percentage in a decade.
00:12:38.620 But while hockey may serve to boost the national sense of unity, broader national pride has been
00:12:43.420 more volatile. A recent Leger poll showed that Canadian pride surged during the election period
00:12:48.700 in March, when it peaked at 86%, but fell back to 76% in Quebec and just 70% in Alberta following the
00:12:56.380 re-election of a Liberal government. I'm wondering if winning the Cup could bump those numbers back up.
00:13:02.060 I guess we'll have to wait and see.
00:13:04.860 That wraps up this week's edition of the Alberta Roundup. I'm your host, Isaac Lamoureux.
00:13:09.500 Thank you for tuning in, have a great weekend, and God bless.