The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - April 22, 2023


Notley blacklists independent media


Episode Stats

Length

14 minutes

Words per Minute

185.17117

Word Count

2,773

Sentence Count

177

Misogynist Sentences

4


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 When you let aero truffle bubbles melt,
00:00:02.300 everything takes on a creamy, delicious, chocolatey glow.
00:00:06.480 Like that pile of laundry.
00:00:07.800 You didn't forget to fold it.
00:00:09.200 Nah, it's a new trend.
00:00:10.720 Wrinkled chic.
00:00:12.000 Feel the aero bubbles melt.
00:00:13.880 It's mind bubbling.
00:00:15.000 Hey everyone, welcome back to the Alberta Roundup.
00:00:30.840 I'm your host, Rachel Emanuel.
00:00:32.040 I hope that you guys are having a great weekend so far.
00:00:34.760 It's been a very spicy week in Alberta politics.
00:00:37.640 So let's take a look at what we're going to be talking about on today's show.
00:00:40.840 Up first, Alberta ADP leader Rachel Nolley is blacklisting reporters she doesn't like.
00:00:46.840 We're also going to be taking a look at a new endorsement
00:00:49.480 from former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
00:00:52.360 And the UCP is taking heat for their new proposal,
00:00:56.120 which would see involuntary treatment for drug addicts.
00:00:59.160 And finally, I have a long awaited update for you guys on Sheila Annette Lewis.
00:01:03.720 She is, of course, the woman who has been removed from the organ donor transplant list
00:01:08.680 for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
00:01:11.640 All that and more happening now on the Alberta Roundup.
00:01:14.120 Okay guys, up first, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Nolley had hired security,
00:01:18.520 removed two independent reporters from her press conference earlier this week.
00:01:22.520 That was on Monday, and you guys might have seen the clips circulating online.
00:01:26.440 One of the reporters who was removed was the countersignal editor-in-chief, Kian Bextie.
00:01:30.600 And the rebel news reporter Alex Dahlwal was also kicked out of Nolley's press conference
00:01:35.480 before they even had a chance to ask her questions.
00:01:38.280 Later on Twitter, Kian said that he had showed up to the press conference
00:01:41.480 because he wanted to ask Rachel Notley about her candidates and their history of
00:01:45.560 defund the police rhetoric.
00:01:47.160 Rachel Notley said recently that if her party is elected on the May 29th
00:01:51.320 Alberta provincial election, she would hire more police officers
00:01:54.520 because we are, of course, in the middle of a public safety crisis.
00:01:57.800 But this was very interesting to anyone paying attention
00:02:00.680 because of the history her candidates have had of defund the police rhetoric.
00:02:04.920 So Bextie went to ask Notley about this, and here's what happened.
00:02:08.360 She's welcoming accredited media, though.
00:02:10.680 Well, I'll take media questions.
00:02:11.560 I don't want to split hairs here.
00:02:13.560 I mean, the premier took questions from me.
00:02:15.080 So did the mayor of Calgary.
00:02:16.200 Well, I mean, whatever they do is their bailiwick, right?
00:02:18.840 It's not what they do with us, right?
00:02:19.960 So you can understand that.
00:02:20.840 What they choose to do is within their purview.
00:02:23.400 All I'm just a, you know, I'm just a message to go here.
00:02:25.560 I appreciate that, but, you know, I think that it's totally reasonable that I'm here.
00:02:29.800 Do you work for the party?
00:02:33.000 We're contractors.
00:02:33.640 We're contractors.
00:02:34.760 Security contractors to stop media from asking the ex-premier questions?
00:02:37.560 I'm not stopping anybody from asking anything.
00:02:39.400 I'm just giving a message.
00:02:40.280 Well, you are stopping me.
00:02:41.080 Well, push comes to shove.
00:02:42.120 I mean, we can get into a debate here.
00:02:43.880 I don't want to get into a debate here.
00:02:45.080 I want to ask a very simple question of the ex-premier.
00:02:47.240 All I'm saying to avoid any hassle is that you're not going to entertain your questions.
00:02:52.520 You're not going to entertain my questions.
00:02:54.520 So it's as plain as that.
00:02:55.640 That's the NDP position.
00:02:57.480 That's right.
00:02:58.040 Okay, I'm just taking it.
00:02:59.880 We'll go this way.
00:03:01.080 Okay.
00:03:03.000 Why don't you put your hands behind that?
00:03:08.440 Okay.
00:03:09.240 In a statement to True North after the incident,
00:03:11.400 Bexty said he's accredited by the Alberta legislature.
00:03:14.600 He also said Notley is, quote, lying, unquote, about basic facts
00:03:18.680 to avoid answering difficult questions.
00:03:21.320 Bexty said, quote,
00:03:22.360 I am seriously worried what will happen to press freedom in this province if she regains power.
00:03:27.000 As I mentioned, Rebel News reporter Alex Dallowall was also removed from the press conference.
00:03:31.160 Rebel News later responded to the incident writing, quote,
00:03:33.960 Notley accuses Premier Smith of dodging questions,
00:03:37.000 but she removes independent journalists to avoid being held to account.
00:03:40.760 In recent weeks, Rachel Notley has been throwing a fuss saying Premier Smith is unwilling
00:03:44.840 to take questions from media.
00:03:46.120 Notley's attacks against the Premier ramped up last week after Premier Smith said she would be limiting
00:03:50.600 questions to reporters to one question each.
00:03:53.640 Traditionally, reporters were allowed one question and one follow-up.
00:03:57.160 However, many reporters use the follow-up to ask about an entirely unrelated subject.
00:04:02.200 I myself am guilty of that at times.
00:04:04.440 And so Notley took to Twitter to criticize the Premier,
00:04:07.240 saying Albertans deserve a leader that listens and, quote,
00:04:09.720 takes your questions, unquote.
00:04:11.640 She also said, quote,
00:04:12.440 Leaders with nothing to hide actually answer questions from the media.
00:04:15.880 Alberta, you deserve better than this.
00:04:18.440 And of course, before she hosted her press conference on Monday,
00:04:20.920 Notley made a point to say that she would be taking to the questions from media
00:04:24.200 and then proceeded to throw two independent reporters from the press conference.
00:04:27.880 Now, of course, legacy media has not covered the incident.
00:04:30.600 The Alberta Press Gallery did take the time to write Premier Smith a letter
00:04:33.800 complaining over her new one question per reporter policy,
00:04:37.560 but they have not taken the opportunity to stand up for independent media reporters.
00:04:41.800 The Independent Press Gallery of Canada, of which I and all other
00:04:44.760 true North journalists are a part of, did send a letter to Notley,
00:04:47.880 asking her if she would commit to allowing independent reporters into her future press
00:04:51.640 conferences and to ask questions.
00:04:54.360 The NDP leader so far has not responded to the inquiry.
00:04:57.720 Moving into our next story here,
00:04:59.160 Alberta's United Conservative Party has secured an endorsement
00:05:02.440 from former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
00:05:04.840 That endorsement comes weeks ahead of a provincial vote in which the UCP
00:05:08.360 need to secure moderate voters in the Calgary area as well as outside of Edmonton.
00:05:12.840 Many moderates were quick to vote for former Premier Jason Kenney,
00:05:15.880 who, by the way, was a cabinet minister in Harper's government.
00:05:18.760 Harper, at one point, even called Kenney one of his most effective cabinet ministers.
00:05:22.680 So this endorsement could be a very good thing for Premier Smith,
00:05:25.320 who, according to a recent poll, is viewed as very conservative, according to voters.
00:05:30.040 Here's a look at that endorsement from Harper.
00:05:31.960 Alberta's been through some tough years since 2015, but the economy is finally hitting its stride again,
00:05:38.440 and employment is booming. Yet that could all be derailed if the Notley NDP wins.
00:05:45.320 We've seen what they've done before. Job killing, tax hiking, anti-energy policies leading to mass layoffs,
00:05:52.440 business closures and recession. It took years to recover from the last NDP government.
00:05:58.200 We can't risk going backwards again. Vote for Alberta. Vote Conservative.
00:06:03.560 Okay, everyone. Moving into our controversy of the week, I can't wait to hear what you guys think
00:06:07.800 about this story. Alberta's United Conservative Party has considered introducing legislation
00:06:12.840 which would force drug addicts into involuntary treatment if they're considered a danger to
00:06:17.000 themselves or to others. The documents revealing that such legislation has been considered by the
00:06:22.040 government were obtained by the Globe and Mail through an access to information request.
00:06:26.200 The legislation would be called the Compassionate Intervention Act and could be introduced in the
00:06:30.200 legislature as early as this year. That legislation, of course, would only be introduced if the
00:06:34.840 Conservative Party wins the next general election, and I suspect they would need a very strong majority
00:06:39.800 government to introduce such a controversial bill. Colin Acheson, spokesperson to Mental Health
00:06:44.360 and Addictions Minister Nicholas Milliken, said Premier Smith charged the office with bringing forward
00:06:49.160 recommendations to improve interventions to drug addicts who are considered a danger to themselves
00:06:54.120 or to others. He said the Compassionate Intervention Act was put forward as part of an effort to
00:06:58.840 explore a variety of options. In a statement to True North, Acheson said, quote,
00:07:03.160 As of this time, no decisions have been made by the government of Alberta. We will continue to
00:07:07.400 build out a full continuum of care, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery,
00:07:12.200 where all Albertans who are struggling with addiction can be compassionately supported in
00:07:16.120 their pursuit of recovery. Alberta NDP leader Rachel Nolley, who does not respond to inquiries from
00:07:20.280 True North, told the Globe and Mail the legislation is too punitive and, quote, is doomed to failure,
00:07:25.240 both from a treatment perspective and a legal one. She added, quote, effective and lasting treatment
00:07:29.960 meets people where they're at and supports them in taking a different path. I strongly expect that
00:07:34.760 the courts would strike down an approach that forcibly confines Albertans who have not been
00:07:39.080 convicted of a crime. On this show, we have talked extensively about the United Conservative
00:07:43.400 Party's government's effort to stem the addiction crisis ongoing in Alberta. Of course,
00:07:47.800 it's ongoing all across Canada and down the western seaboard of the United States,
00:07:51.640 but Alberta is the only province with a real plan that focuses on treatment. At least one doctor
00:07:57.000 was absolutely outraged that the United Conservative Party government had even considered
00:08:01.240 such a piece of legislation. Here's a video she posted on Twitter critiquing the proposal.
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00:08:12.280 merchandise. Two days only. Tuesday, February 24th and Wednesday, February 25th. Open your PC
00:08:18.600 optimum app to get your coupon. Hey, everyone. So I'm just getting in the car on my way to pick
00:08:26.280 up my kids after school and I just read an article about this proposed legislation from the Alberta
00:08:35.960 government called the Compassion Intervention Act where they can force people against their will
00:08:41.480 to be put into abstinence and recovery programs. And I wasn't expecting to have this reaction.
00:08:51.240 But this is like so messed up and completely violates the rights of people. And unfortunately,
00:08:58.360 this is a population that most of the general population can't identify with. And so they don't care about
00:09:08.360 them. And so it's just this this population that has no way to advocate for them at all.
00:09:15.080 And they continue to just be forgotten and die without services that they need without harm reduction,
00:09:25.160 which has evidence behind it. We all know this and get forced into recovery. And this is just
00:09:31.160 wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. And it's devastating. And I will keep pushing. I will keep advocating
00:09:40.680 and just hope that something like this doesn't actually come to fruition because it is it's just
00:09:45.480 wrong and it's a complete violation and it's not right. So my question of the week for you guys is
00:09:50.600 what do you think of this proposal? Do you think it is more humane than allowing drug addicts to live
00:09:56.200 on the streets? And as one former drug addict once put it to me to slowly kill themselves?
00:10:01.560 Or do you think that this is likely illegal and inhumane to force anyone into treatment?
00:10:06.440 Please comment in the video below and let me know what you think. Okay, everyone moving into what
00:10:11.080 we're watching the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedom's lawyer who is representing Sheila Annette Lewis.
00:10:16.440 That's the woman who's been denied an organ transplant because she is unvaccinated against COVID-19
00:10:21.720 is demanding that Alberta Health Services overturn its decision to deny Lewis an organ because she
00:10:27.080 has proved natural immunity. For those of you who have been following the story, you know that Lewis
00:10:31.000 has been dying of a terminal illness and she was removed from the top of the organ donor transplant list
00:10:36.760 after refusing to be inoculated against COVID-19. She has been challenging the constitutionality
00:10:42.040 of the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for over a year. That requirement was put in place by Alberta Health
00:10:47.160 Services and Alberta Hospital and six of her transplant doctors. The type of organ that she
00:10:52.600 needs as well as the name of her doctors are under a publication ban. Her legal counsel is now demanding
00:10:57.400 that AHS accept her natural immunity in place of a COVID-19 vaccine and they want Lewis returned to
00:11:03.240 the top of the high priority organ transplant list by April 21st. In a statement, her legal counsel
00:11:08.680 Alison Pajovic said, quote, there is no principled medical or scientific reason to continue to deny
00:11:14.920 Ms. Lewis a life-saving organ transplant. She is protected from COVID-19 as she has had it twice.
00:11:21.480 The refusal to accept Ms. Lewis's natural immunity as an alternative to COVID-19 vaccination
00:11:26.760 and give her life-saving surgery is indefensible and a disgrace. On March 29th, Lewis provided her
00:11:32.600 medical doctors with a privately funded medical report, also known as the Connexus Report, which proved
00:11:39.080 her natural immunity against COVID-19. On April 3, one of Lewis's transplant doctors informed her
00:11:44.840 that nothing had changed. She would still need to be inoculated against COVID-19 if she hoped to
00:11:50.200 return to the organ donor transplant list. In a statement, Lewis's legal counsel pointed to an
00:11:55.720 August 22 U.S. Center for Disease Control study, which found that while COVID-19 vaccines have reduced
00:12:01.560 mortality and hospitalization, so has natural immunity to COVID-19. This is the latest update in
00:12:08.040 Lewis's case. As you guys might remember, she has also filed an application with the Supreme
00:12:12.760 Corps asking them to hear her case and to return her to the top of the organ donor transplant list.
00:12:17.960 And tragically for Lewis, she only has a limited amount of time. In a November ruling, an appeal
00:12:22.680 court determined that it is a virtual certainty that Lewis will die without an organ transplant.
00:12:28.200 So I'm sure I'll have an update in a few weeks for you guys about what the future holds for Ms. Lewis.
00:12:33.080 Okay guys, and finally, moving into our weekly comment roundup.
00:12:36.520 Last week, conservative leader Pierre Polyev came to Edmonton for a visit, and I asked you all what
00:12:41.640 you think of his approach to the legacy media. User Thor Music said, yes, what Pierre Polyev had to
00:12:47.640 say is very refreshing. Great report as always. Cheers. User George German said, Pierre Polyev is a
00:12:54.120 breath of fresh air. I love the way he hands it to CBC reporters. Most of the comments underneath last
00:12:59.880 week videos were of the same type. It seems that people are very relieved to have a federal conservative
00:13:05.160 leader who was unapologetic for being conservative. It sounds ridiculous that I have to even say that
00:13:10.280 out loud, but it is absolutely the truth. It's certainly been a long time since we had someone
00:13:14.760 in Ottawa who was unafraid to be conservative and to represent conservatives. Finally, user Shell Bell
00:13:20.360 wrote, you are one of the best Canadian independent media channels on here, but please, your hosts need
00:13:25.480 to show more personality. You have what the mainstream media doesn't, which is soul, but you need to
00:13:30.200 show it better. God bless. I thought this was an interesting comment. I am not going to speak for my
00:13:34.680 other True North hosts, which I think are doing a fantastic job, but I will say that 10 minutes is
00:13:39.160 a very short amount of time to bring you an update on what happened this week in Alberta politics,
00:13:44.200 and often when I go to do a bit of editing on my show, I find that I have to cut extra comments and
00:13:49.160 monologues I might have given on a specific issue. So while I do appreciate your effort to get to know
00:13:53.480 me a bit better, I'm on quite the time crunch here, and my viewers haven't really appreciated it when I've
00:13:58.360 gone too much past 10 minutes, which I totally appreciate. There's a million podcasts to listen to,
00:14:03.160 and most of them go on for quite long, so this is a short, brief way to bring you guys all the news.
00:14:08.440 However, if you are hoping to get to know the host a little bit better, I do recommend you listen to
00:14:12.680 the daily brief every morning. We give you an update of the top news stories of the day across Canada,
00:14:17.720 and usually we have a bit of extra time for conversation and debate. It can be quite fun.
00:14:22.840 Okay everyone, that's all I have time for today. Thank you so much for tuning in to this week's episode
00:14:27.000 of the Alberta Roundup. Please don't forget to comment underneath the show and let me know what
00:14:31.240 you think about the UCP's discussed proposal of involuntary treatment. And as always, if you're
00:14:36.440 able, please consider supporting us. You can do that over at donate.tnc.news. Thanks so much,
00:14:41.640 have a great weekend, and God bless.
00:14:57.000 Thank you.