Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has banned mask mandates in schools and ended online learning, the Alberta government is forecasting a $12.3 billion surplus, and $14.4 billion will go to struggling families. An Edmonton area Liberal MP says Danielle Smith is stoking division, and finally the Alberta Justice Minister wants RCMP Commissioner Brenda Luckey to be replaced. All that and more happening now on the Alberta Roundup.
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.0.99
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.