00:01:00.160Alberta Premier Daniel Smith has made good on her promise to end mask mandates in school.
00:01:05.180She's also ending fully remote online learning.
00:01:08.160The Alberta government says during the last two years, there were periods of online learning
00:01:11.720and parents were often given little to no warning before being told they would have to provide at-home care for their children.
00:01:18.160Daniel Smith says she's heard from parents and students alike and they desire a regular school year.
00:01:22.740Through new regulations, the Alberta government will not allow schools to move to fully remote online learning.
00:01:27.440They also won't allow schools to ban students who choose not to wear a mask.
00:01:31.440Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says parents and students want stability, while school boards want clarity.
00:01:37.780Quote, securing a face-to-face classroom environment means students can continue to learn successfully,
00:01:42.660while allowing their parents to go to work.
00:01:44.900It will also help to maintain and improve student mental health, while minimizing student learning loss.
00:01:50.500During the 2021-2022 school year, the government funded a $45 million pilot project to undergo assessments for students.
00:01:58.600Through literacy assessments, the province learned that about 70,000 students from grade 1-3 were about 11 months behind their grade level.
00:02:06.340That period followed 17 months of on-and-off again at-home learning.
00:02:10.640But after returning to consistent in-person learning from May to June 2022, the average learning loss dropped by 3.7 months.
00:02:17.820The Alberta government has provided an additional $10 million to continue funding the learning assessments.
00:02:23.080The province is also forecasting a $12.3 billion surplus, according to its fiscal update released on Thursday.
00:02:29.620The province will save another $13.3 billion due to debt repayment.
00:02:33.820The surplus is $1 million shy of the province's last estimate due to softening oil prices and demand.
00:02:39.460Still, high oil and gas prices contributed to a total revenue of $76.9 billion, or $14.3 billion higher than the budget estimate.
00:02:49.260Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she promised to balance the budget so Albertans are on the hook for debt repayment,
00:02:54.280with showing compassion to Albertans in need.
00:02:57.060Finance Minister Travis Taves said the government's disciplined fiscal approach, combined with a focus on investment attraction,
00:03:03.120economic growth, and improved commodity prices has resulted in material surpluses.
00:03:07.460Quote, this is good news for Albertans, as it allows for a timely response to the affordability crisis many of our families are facing.
00:03:15.380In the face of a potential global recession, Albertans can rest assured our province is in the best position possible
00:03:21.780as a result of our focus on responsible fiscal management over the last three years.
00:03:26.720Take a listen to some of his comments for yourself.
00:03:28.400I'm just very pleased that we can be at a point where we can be discussing, you know, the tension between additional savings and additional debt reduction.
00:03:37.580The surplus announcement came just days after Daniel Smith announced a $2.4 billion inflation-fighting package for struggling families.
00:03:45.240In a broadcast of the province on Tuesday night, Smith promised $600 for each senior and each child under 18 every six months.
00:03:52.220That will go to every family that earns less than $180,000.
00:03:55.720The Premier also promised to reinstate Alberta's entire fuel tax relief for the next six months.
00:04:00.760And the government will retroactively index all Alberta provincial tax brackets to 2022, meaning larger rebates for Albertans.
00:04:07.740Furthermore, beginning in January, the government will index for inflation a host of benefits,
00:04:12.940including income support, the seniors' benefit, the Alberta child and family benefit, and many more.
00:04:18.620Take a listen to what Premier Smith had to say on Tuesday night.
00:04:20.960I wish to address the inflation and affordability crisis.
00:04:24.720The severity of this crisis has been primarily caused by years of record spending and debt by the federal government in Ottawa,
00:04:32.060combined with a continual string of anti-energy policies that are driving up the price of fuel, electricity, heating, food, and everything else we need to live and raise our families.
00:04:42.760But due to our strong fiscal position and balanced budget, we can offer substantial relief
00:04:48.020so Albertans and their families are better able to manage through this storm.
00:04:52.780That is why our government will be implementing a series of affordability measures to benefit all Albertans,
00:04:58.620with additional targeted relief for seniors, the vulnerable, and families.
00:05:03.280In that same broadcast, after announcing the measures she would take to fight inflation,
00:05:07.640Danielle Smith said her proposed controversial Sovereignty Act legislation would be ready in about a week's time.
00:05:13.320For the record, it's now being called Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act,
00:05:17.740which is a change from the Alberta Sovereignty Act Danielle Smith first pitched during the United Conservative Party leadership race.
00:05:23.480The Premier said some people are attempting to use this legislation to scare people into thinking that Alberta is planning to leave Canada.
00:06:07.520Tuesday, February 24th and Wednesday, February 25th.
00:06:11.040Open your PC Optimum app to get your coupon.
00:06:16.020Okay, guys, moving into the controversy of the week.
00:06:19.280Edmonton Mayor Amarit Sohi has received racist attacks in response to a city decision not to install a Christmas tree this year.
00:06:27.160We spoke about this a little bit last week.
00:06:28.960The Edmonton Downtown Business Association has decided not to install a giant Christmas tree at their holiday light-up event this year.
00:06:37.360That marks the first time since 1999 they won't install a Christmas tree.
00:06:41.480And the City of Edmonton says it won't step in to supply the tree, citing the environmental impact of transporting a full-grown tree.
00:06:48.280In a joint statement, Edmonton City Manager Andre Korbold and Edmonton Downtown Business Association or Chair Martin Kennedy said a small number of people are using the situation to make racist attacks on the Edmonton Downtown Business Association staff and Mayor Sohi.
00:07:04.420Quote, these actions do not reflect the views of the vast majority of Edmontonians or the organizations we lead.