The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - March 04, 2023


Should Notley still be on TikTok?


Episode Stats

Length

11 minutes

Words per Minute

157.70312

Word Count

1,776

Sentence Count

151

Misogynist Sentences

3

Hate Speech Sentences

2


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.640 It's the Family and Friends event at Shoppers Drug Mart.
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00:00:11.680 Open your PC Optimum app to get your coupon.
00:00:26.400 Hey everyone, happy Saturday and welcome back to the Alberta Roundup.
00:00:29.700 I'm your host, Rachel Emanuel.
00:00:31.720 We are finally in March and I am very excited that spring is just around the corner.
00:00:36.720 I know you Albertans love your winter, but I'm sure some of you are tired of it by now.
00:00:41.100 Let's take a look at what happened this week in Alberta politics.
00:00:44.240 NDP leader Rachel Notley continues to post on TikTok while her federal counterparts delete it.
00:00:49.680 The Alberta government says they're going to introduce legislation to protect firearms owners.
00:00:54.860 They also said a provincial police service is off the table at least for now.
00:00:58.940 And of course, that came out of Budget 2023, which was tabled in the legislature this week.
00:01:04.560 All that and more happening right now on the Alberta Roundup.
00:01:07.840 Okay guys, let's take a look at this first story here.
00:01:10.080 This is a massive story coming out of the province this week.
00:01:13.560 If you thought that once the COVID-19 pandemic ended, it meant that pastors wouldn't be arrested arbitrarily anymore,
00:01:19.740 you were wrong.
00:01:20.340 Pastor Derek Reimer of Calgary's Mission 7 Ministries, which works mostly with homeless and vulnerable people
00:01:26.780 in the city's downtown core, was informed on Wednesday that he faced arrest and charges.
00:01:32.040 Those charges were related to a protest that broke out at a children's-friendly drag story hour.
00:01:38.400 Video footage shows an altercation breaking out at the drag queen story hour.
00:01:42.360 We're going to play that clip for you right now.
00:01:43.900 We're going to play that clip for you right now.
00:02:13.900 Then early on Wednesday morning, Calgary police visited Reimer's home
00:02:21.320 and told him that he faced arrest and two charges related to that incident.
00:02:26.120 Police returned later in the day and he was in fact arrested.
00:02:28.980 Rebel News has the video.
00:02:30.080 It probably doesn't surprise you that like some of the arrests of pastors that happened
00:02:48.260 during the COVID-19 pandemic, this story too is gaining international attention and for
00:02:53.880 all the wrong reasons.
00:02:55.040 In Canada, of course, that's all disappeared.
00:02:56.820 Canada has now become an atheist totalitarian state with amazing speed.
00:03:01.060 And in Canada, it's now a crime to object to sexualized drag shows for children.
00:03:04.860 Not allowed to say a word.
00:03:06.400 Late last month, a pastor in Calgary was violently thrown out of an all-ages,
00:03:11.620 in other words, for children, drag queen story hour for daring to object to the sexualization of children.
00:03:17.240 Moving into our next story here.
00:03:18.680 You guys are going to enjoy this one.
00:03:20.140 Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley continues to use and post on TikTok.
00:03:24.740 Even though federal counterparts, and that includes federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh,
00:03:29.680 are deleting the app after a federal review found that it contained high security risks.
00:03:35.640 Notley posted a video to TikTok as recently as Tuesday.
00:03:38.920 That's one day after Jagmeet Singh announced that he would be taking a pause from the device following that federal review.
00:03:44.440 In a statement, Singh said,
00:03:46.440 You guys might remember that in 2020, former U.S. President Donald Trump sought to ban TikTok in the United States.
00:04:03.460 At the time, the Trump administration alleged that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company,
00:04:08.200 had a close relationship with Chinese authorities.
00:04:10.380 TikTok, of course, denied the claims, but that didn't stop a recent Canadian review,
00:04:15.420 which found that TikTok poses an unacceptable security and privacy risk.
00:04:20.040 Now, that didn't stop Notley from posting a video to TikTok on Tuesday,
00:04:23.480 in which she criticized the United Conservative Party government's education spending.
00:04:27.780 The Alberta NDP leader has just under 9,000 followers on the controversial Chinese social media platform.
00:04:33.800 Here's a look at one of her important videos.
00:04:36.820 What's your drink of choice?
00:04:38.580 A magrini.
00:04:39.260 I was going to say it was a snack.
00:04:40.580 Spagliato.
00:04:41.720 Mmm.
00:04:42.360 With Prosecco in it.
00:04:43.440 Oh, stunning.
00:04:44.220 Yeah.
00:04:44.840 I mean, I suppose it's understandable that Notley is still on TikTok.
00:04:48.540 How else would we get content like this, for example?
00:04:51.260 Oh, yes.
00:04:53.220 Oh, yes.
00:04:53.620 Oh, no.
00:04:54.340 It's time to run.
00:04:55.700 It's time to run.
00:04:56.920 It's time to run.
00:04:57.200 Oh, no.
00:04:57.520 Oh, no.
00:04:57.580 Oh, no.
00:04:57.700 Oh, no.
00:04:58.140 Oh, no.
00:04:58.640 Oh, no.
00:04:59.640 Oh, no.
00:05:00.640 Oh, no.
00:05:01.640 Oh, no.
00:05:02.640 Oh, no.
00:05:03.640 Oh, no.
00:05:04.640 Oh, no.
00:05:05.640 Oh, no.
00:05:06.640 Oh, no.
00:05:07.640 Oh, no.
00:05:08.640 Oh, no.
00:05:08.700 Oh, no.
00:05:09.240 And, of course, my personal favorite, the short jokes.
00:05:24.540 It shouldn't be hard because, you know, I am relatively short.
00:05:27.540 And just so you know, like, this is a thing that happens in our caucus, Drew.
00:05:33.240 Short people get what they want.
00:05:35.440 So we will have these lovely little things for short people to stand on, and all the tall
00:05:41.580 members of the caucus are just going to have to kind of make it work.
00:05:44.620 Okay?
00:05:44.940 That's just part of me being leader.
00:05:47.600 Now, I asked the NDP if they plan to discontinue use of the app, considering pretty much everyone
00:05:52.040 else across Canada is.
00:05:53.220 And, of course, they didn't respond to my media request.
00:05:56.040 You guys might remember that the NDP have a policy not to have dealings with True North.
00:06:02.400 Some say the bubbles in an aero truffle piece can take 34 seconds to melt in your mouth.
00:06:07.040 Sometimes the very amount you're stuck at the same red light.
00:06:10.700 Rich, creamy, chocolatey aero truffle.
00:06:13.540 Feel the aero bubbles melt.
00:06:15.560 It's mind bubbling.
00:06:16.540 So while they won't answer me, I think it's time for you guys to start emailing your NDP
00:06:20.780 MLAs and asking them why are they still on TikTok when everyone else is jumping ship.
00:06:25.980 And that includes the Alberta government who announced on Wednesday that they would no
00:06:29.440 longer allow government employees to have TikTok on government devices.
00:06:33.900 Moving into our next story here, I know a lot of you will be very enthused to hear about
00:06:37.440 this one.
00:06:38.100 The government has said they will table legislation to protect firearms owners.
00:06:41.840 On Wednesday, government House Leader Joseph Skow said the firearms legislation would be
00:06:46.820 one of three the United Conservative Party government plans to push forward in the next
00:06:51.200 month.
00:06:52.060 Skow said a number of Albertans have reached out to him and his colleagues to say that
00:06:56.240 federal firearms legislation which would confiscate legally purchased firearms is overreaching.
00:07:02.460 He said, quote,
00:07:03.320 As a province, we're taking action within our abilities to protect firearms owners.
00:07:07.280 We're enacting this bill because it's important that we're defending Albertans.
00:07:10.740 We're defending firearms owners in this province and we're making sure that everyone feels
00:07:15.220 the government has their back.
00:07:17.100 When pressed, Skow would not release any of the details associated with the bill, saying
00:07:20.860 those will come at a later date.
00:07:22.660 Moving into the controversy of the week, Alberta Finance Minister Travis Taves says that a provincial
00:07:27.440 policing service is off the table, at least for now, as the government tabled Budget 2023
00:07:32.740 on Tuesday in the legislature.
00:07:35.320 Taves explained the decision in an interview with Global News after the budget was tabled.
00:07:38.940 We're going to play that for you now.
00:07:40.040 All right, finally, before I let you go, I do want to ask this.
00:07:42.340 There is no money in this budget for a provincial police force, though there is some cash for
00:07:47.160 municipalities to create their own forces.
00:07:49.520 We talked about this the other day with Grand Prairie.
00:07:52.040 But does that mean an Alberta provincial police force is essentially off the table or dead?
00:07:56.460 Look, this government is interested in one thing when it comes to enforcement.
00:08:00.860 That's better enforcement, less crime, more security and safety for Alberta citizens.
00:08:04.900 That's one reason why we're increasing spending in public safety by 13% this year.
00:08:12.420 We're looking for the best bang for our buck to increase enforcement, reduce crime.
00:08:17.240 So is that a yes?
00:08:17.980 It is off the table?
00:08:18.860 It's off the table.
00:08:20.320 Speaking of the budget, we should probably dive into some of these numbers in case anyone missed it.
00:08:24.000 The $68.3 billion budget is an increase of about 4% in government spending from the current fiscal year.
00:08:29.800 Investing is all about the future.
00:08:32.460 So what do you think is going to happen?
00:08:34.440 Bitcoin is sort of inevitable at this point.
00:08:36.960 I think it would come down to precious metals.
00:08:39.540 I hope we don't go cashless.
00:08:41.640 I would say land is a safe investment.
00:08:44.200 Technology, companies.
00:08:45.360 Solar energy.
00:08:46.360 Robotic pollinators might be a thing.
00:08:48.960 A wrestler to face a robot.
00:08:50.680 That will have to happen.
00:08:52.280 So whatever you think is going to happen in the future, you can invest in it at Wealthsimple.
00:08:57.700 Start now at Wealthsimple.com.
00:09:00.440 New funds will result in about 7,600 new government workers, mostly in health care and education.
00:09:05.820 The new budget would also leave the province with a $2.4 billion surplus, which the province plans to put towards debt.
00:09:11.880 The Canadian Taxpayers Federation gave Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's first budget a stamp of approval.
00:09:17.760 Committing to balance budgets, debt repayment, and saving for a rainy day shows this government is serious about not repeating the mistakes of the past.
00:09:24.820 Okay, guys, and finally, it's time to move into our weekly comment roundup.
00:09:29.920 Last week, we talked about Edmonton's 15-minute city's proposal.
00:09:33.300 And you guys pretty much resoundingly said, nope, we're not interested.
00:09:36.780 Here's what some of those comments looked like.
00:09:38.360 Annette said, I think if you have the option of having everything close to you and not needing to drive, that's great.
00:09:43.440 But if it's forced on you to live that way and you no longer have the option to drive to other places, that is tyranny.
00:09:49.060 User Jason Crossert wrote,
00:09:51.400 I think those were some fair comments.
00:10:19.820 A lot of people said they liked the idea of a 15-minute city, but they didn't even want to give the opportunity for the government to potentially enforce people staying in these zones, considering what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:10:31.320 I also believe in the free market.
00:10:32.820 I think that people should open businesses like stores and restaurants, wherever there seems to be a natural fit for one and wherever they think they could make a go at their business.
00:10:40.740 I don't think people need to be mandated to have stores in certain areas just so that we can have these 15-minute zones or districts, so to speak.
00:10:47.740 Okay, guys, that's all I have for you today.
00:10:50.000 Thank you so much for tuning in.
00:10:51.220 I hope that you have a great rest of your weekend.
00:10:53.400 I will see you next week, and God bless.
00:10:55.160 God bless.
00:10:56.420 Let's do this.
00:11:11.360 Thank you.
00:11:12.100 God bless.