The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - Smith says the left’s vision is bleak

00:00:00.000 One of the strangest phenomenas of the last two decades is this idea that you're selfish if you have children.

00:00:05.520 Now, children are required for moving civilization forward. 0.99

00:00:09.920 They carry on family legacy and culture.

00:00:13.000 They fill gaps in the workforce.

00:00:15.260 They care for their aging parents.

00:00:17.420 And they add a lot of joy to life in the years in between.

00:00:20.920 But suddenly, life has become very difficult for young families.

00:00:24.400 Housing is unaffordable. Food is expensive.

00:00:26.120 Women are encouraged to wait to have children until past their prime childbearing years. 0.93

00:00:32.240 And those who do have children are told they're responsible for the destruction of the climate.

00:00:37.640 So this week, when Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that she finds the message of the left bleak because of the young people who are choosing not to have kids,

00:00:45.880 I say bravo.

00:00:47.200 These are the types of conversations we should be having more of in politics.

00:00:51.600 I'm Rachel Parker, and this is the Alberta Roundup.

00:00:56.120 Okay, everyone, taking a look at our first story here, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was once again on Dr. Jordan Peterson's podcast this week,

00:01:10.180 and she told him she finds the message of the left bleak.

00:01:13.680 Take a listen.

00:01:14.500 I find the message of the left so bleak.

00:01:16.180 We have a whole generation of young people who've been brought up to believe that just the basic actions of human life are destroying the planet,

00:01:25.140 acting as if there's no future for humanity, that there is no improvement that can be made,

00:01:32.260 that there's too many humans on the planet.

00:01:35.000 Young people who are choosing not to have kids because they're worried about what the future might hold.

00:01:39.560 This is a very bleak vision.

00:01:41.020 So it's interesting to me that somehow that, because it has that spiritual component, is so attractive to young people.

00:01:49.400 As I opened with, I couldn't agree more with the Premier, and I think these are really important conversations to be having,

00:01:54.700 especially as we see the birth rate declining, and we are importing more and more immigrants every year 1.00

00:01:59.940 to fill the fact that Canadians aren't having kids anymore.

00:02:03.520 We definitely need to begin counteracting that, and I think one of the things we can all do is scream from the rooftops

00:02:09.480 how important and wonderful it is to have children.

00:02:11.880 Taking a look at our next story here, Canada's Premiers wrapped up the summer meeting of the Council of the Federation

00:02:16.700 with calls on the federal government to once again collaborate with Premiers and with provinces.

00:02:22.060 The Premiers of the ten provinces and three territories were in Halifax for their three-day gathering,

00:02:27.060 hosted by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

00:02:29.260 The Premiers said they discussed key priorities, that includes housing, affordability, skills and training,

00:02:35.000 strategic infrastructure, the future of energy, and emergency preparedness and response.

00:02:39.740 Several of the Premiers expressed frustration with what they say is a lack of teamwork with the federal government on important files.

00:02:46.200 Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said that a lack of collaboration has resulted in the doubling up of services like dental care and pharma care.

00:02:53.060 BC Premier David Eby said he and his counterparts have for years called on the federal government to meet with the Federation,

00:02:58.580 but those calls so far have gone unanswered.

00:03:01.740 Here's what Premier Houston had to say.

00:03:03.260 But we also, of course, talked a lot about the need for the federal government to respect our provincial jurisdiction.

00:03:09.480 The current lack of collaboration from the federal government to the provinces and territories has resulted in missed opportunities.

00:03:18.100 As we see federal programs that create duplicate processes that risk pitting provinces and territories, really Canadians, against one another.

00:03:29.260 But really the big risk is just in not delivering unattended results.

00:03:32.860 So there's a lot we can do to collaborate because the current situation we have is not in the best interest of the Federation as a whole.

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00:04:11.380 Taking a look at our next story here, a new Angus Reid poll on Confederation fairness says that Quebec takes more than it gives, and Alberta gives more than its fair share.

00:04:20.500 According to the poll, more Canadians believe that Quebec receives a disproportionate benefit from the nation,

00:04:25.580 while Alberta is the province considered by most Canadians to get a raw deal, meaning that it gives more to the Federation than it receives.

00:04:32.200 The poll found that 42% of Canadians said Quebec benefits disproportionately from its place in the nation.

00:04:37.840 Conversely, 23% said Alberta gives more than it receives.

00:04:41.380 10 points higher than any other province.

00:04:43.900 Moving into our Controversy of the Week, it is an exclusive from the Globe and Mail.

00:04:47.700 Alberta cabinet ministers and government officials attended Stanley Cup playoff games in Edmonton,

00:04:52.740 as guests of a man whose company was involved in importing children's medicine from Turkey.

00:04:56.460 While Alberta Premier Daniel Smith and her staff attended a separate game in Vancouver,

00:05:01.140 with tickets provided by a director of a provincial crown corporation.

00:05:04.280 According to sources and attendees who spoke with the Globe and Mail.

00:05:07.640 The government changed the ethics rules late last year to make it easier for politicians and their staff to accept gifts and tickets.

00:05:14.560 Alberta Premier Daniel Smith attended a private box to watch an Edmonton Oilers playoff game in Vancouver,

00:05:20.040 and invited BC Premier David Eby to join her.

00:05:22.980 A source said an Invest Alberta board member gave Miss Smith and her office the tickets.

00:05:27.260 The Premier did not respond to multiple requests for comments.

00:05:30.180 The Minister of Affordability and Utilities, Nathan Newdorf, told the Globe that he attended an Oilers playoff game in Edmonton

00:05:36.840 as a guest of local businessman Sam Maresh.

00:05:40.200 Maresh's company, MH Care Medical, was involved in Alberta's deal to import children's pain medication during a shortage.

00:05:46.760 You guys might remember that Tylenol shortage back in 2022.

00:05:50.240 Newdorf said he received clearance from the ethics commissioner before joining colleagues,

00:05:54.120 who included other ministers and government officials in the suite.

00:05:57.160 He declined to name them, but he told the Globe, I don't need to hide anything.

00:06:01.080 I have no problem telling the truth.

00:06:03.000 The United Conservative Party government passed legislation last year to make it easier for politicians and staff

00:06:07.920 to accept gifts, benefits, tickets, and invitations.

00:06:11.520 The legislation requires MLAs to disclose such tickets in certain circumstances,

00:06:15.820 and also empowers the Premier's Chief of Staff, who is currently Marshall Smith,

00:06:19.660 to determine what was acceptable for political employees.

00:06:22.700 MH Care Medical is a medical supply and distribution company

00:06:25.700 that was involved in the province's importation of children's pain medicine from Turkey,

00:06:29.520 according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

00:06:32.820 Only 30% of the drugs, which were manufactured by Atabay Pharmaceuticals,

00:06:37.040 arrived and just a fraction of those were used.

00:06:40.000 Maresh did not return messages seeking comment from the Globe and Mail.

00:06:43.220 The Premier traveled to Vancouver to watch a game in a box

00:06:45.820 using tickets provided by the Invest Alberta director.

00:06:48.140 The Premier, on May 10, posted a photo on social media of herself in a box

00:06:52.480 with BC Premier David Eby and Vancouver Mayor Ken Simm, when the Oilers played the Canucks.

00:06:58.400 A source at Edmonton's Sam Jaber and his accounting firm,

00:07:01.560 Jaberson & Associates, gave the Premier the tickets.

00:07:04.500 Jaber sits on the board of Invest Alberta, a crown corporation designed to promote,

00:07:08.460 identify, and pursue investments in the province.

00:07:11.540 He also did not respond to messages seeking comment.

00:07:14.300 Okay, I just want to start by breaking down the story because there is so many moving parts

00:07:18.260 and I think it is a bit complicated.

00:07:20.480 So essentially, it appears that the Premier and her staff and ministers

00:07:24.480 did not break ethics rules because they received a sign-off

00:07:28.060 for these tickets from the Premier's Chief of Staff, Marshall Smith.

00:07:32.180 Typically, there is a threshold.

00:07:33.640 I believe it is $500.

00:07:34.860 You're not allowed to accept gifts over $500.

00:07:37.300 And if you do, you need the sign-off of the Chief of Staff.

00:07:39.920 Marshall Smith signed off on all these individuals receiving these tickets.

00:07:44.300 Now, when we look at the actual cost of the tickets themselves,

00:07:47.940 the story doesn't say how much tickets were.

00:07:49.620 I did talk to somebody who owns a box up in Edmonton at the Rogers Centre.

00:07:55.760 They said during the playoffs, these tickets were going for about $33,000 for a whole box.

00:08:00.960 So that included 10 sitting seats and 12 standing seats.

00:08:04.720 So these tickets were in the thousands of dollars.

00:08:06.520 In addition to the base cost of the tickets, there is a minimum catering fee.

00:08:11.440 We could have been looking at about $50,000 all in for the cost of this experience.

00:08:16.120 Now, as I mentioned, it appears that they've sort of avoided breaching ethics rules

00:08:21.060 because they received the sign-off.

00:08:22.900 But I think this is going to be a huge optics problem for the government

00:08:26.400 because it sort of stinks of corruption considering the fact that

00:08:30.520 the man who was purchasing these tickets for government ministers and government officials

00:08:36.220 was someone who was part of the children's Tylenol deal back in 2022.

00:08:40.920 You guys might remember the Alberta government inked a deal with a Turkish manufacturer

00:08:45.700 for $80 million to receive their own supply of children's medication when there was that shortage.

00:08:51.220 Most of that medication never arrived.

00:08:53.980 And a lot of it that did arrive wasn't usable because it was the wrong size.

00:08:57.600 And you might remember seeing those reports from hospitals saying that the children's medication was too big.

00:09:02.640 So it was clogging the tubes and they basically just didn't end up using it.

00:09:06.300 So $70 million of that went to the pharmaceutical company Ate Atabay

00:09:11.320 and the other $10 million was used for distribution costs.

00:09:15.080 So the story doesn't say exactly how much Sam Marish's company received from that deal,

00:09:20.300 but they did say that they filed an information request and confirmed that Mr. Marish's medical company

00:09:26.880 was involved in that deal with children's medication.

00:09:30.980 And now it was his company that was involved in that deal.

00:09:33.020 And now he is giving out free tickets that would be in the thousands of dollars

00:09:37.380 to members of the government and to their staff.

00:09:39.820 So it certainly sort of gives you Allison Redford vibes when we look at just,

00:09:44.340 you know, the level of entitlement.

00:09:46.480 I think it would have just been better for government officials to say no and to pass on this.

00:09:51.040 I think when you're in politics, if you're ever in doubt,

00:09:53.720 if it looks like you might be blurring lines, if you're in a gray area, better just to say no.

00:09:57.140 I know that I would not have been able to afford these tickets.

00:10:00.120 And I'm assuming most people at home who are feeling the effects of the inflation crisis that we're in,

00:10:06.080 the affordability crisis that we're currently in are also thinking to themselves,

00:10:09.600 you know, I would never have been able to afford this experience for myself and my family.

00:10:13.580 And I certainly would have loved to have go and watched a Edmonton Oilers playoff games.

00:10:18.200 Why is it that our politicians are able to afford these things that regular people can't not afford them?

00:10:23.240 But why is it that they are being treated to this luxury lifestyle when people at home are suffering?

00:10:28.160 A lot of times because of government policies.

00:10:30.500 You know, Alberta Premier Janet Smith hasn't done a lot to ease taxes. 0.99

00:10:33.380 We still have the fuel tax.

00:10:35.080 Taxes are still high.

00:10:35.960 We still haven't made the changes that she promised to personal income tax.

00:10:39.420 So the story, you know, it doesn't sit well with me.

00:10:41.940 I don't think it will sit well with most of you.

00:10:44.300 I'm hearing behind the scenes that this might just be the first of many stories.

00:10:48.300 There might be more things coming out about what this scandal involved entirely.

00:10:52.500 I'm going to not say anything about that further, but this is definitely something to watch in the weeks to come.

00:10:57.480 And my question of the week for you all is what do you think about this?

00:11:00.160 Do you think it was right for ministers and for political staff to accept these tickets?

00:11:05.720 Or do you think that they were in the wrong, even though they might not have technically breached ethics rules?

00:11:10.940 Would it have been better for them to say no?

00:11:13.500 Because it does look like there is something untoward happening here.

00:11:17.080 And, you know, it doesn't sit right with me.

00:11:18.960 Does it sit right with you?

00:11:20.280 Finally, moving into what we're watching in the weeks to come.

00:11:22.560 The temperature is hot, hot, hot in Alberta right now.

00:11:25.180 And we are going to have to keep our eye out on the wildfire situation unfolding in Alberta.

00:11:30.480 Certainly doesn't look to be anywhere near as bad as it was last summer, but we know these things can change very quickly.

00:11:36.540 There's around 150 wildfires burning in Alberta right now.

00:11:39.960 The fire danger is similarly elevated in many areas of the province.

00:11:44.020 And the majority falling under a very high danger with pockets of extreme fire danger.

00:11:49.200 In a social media post this week, Alberta wildfire says most new wildfires in July have been caused by lightning.

00:11:54.500 Around half of wildfires this year are suspected to have been caused by human activity and 30% by lightning.

00:12:01.020 About 20% remain under investigation.

00:12:03.460 The largest wildfire in the province is one of two out-of-control wildfires in the Cattail Lake complex.

00:12:09.300 About 200 firefighters and support staff, 10 helicopters, and 43 pieces of heavy equipment are working the complex.

00:12:16.480 Okay, everyone, and finally, moving into our weekly comment roundup.

00:12:19.880 Last week, we talked about a new program from the Alberta government that would provide a pathway to permanent residency for foreigners who want to come and police in Alberta.

00:12:29.400 A lot of you thought that this wasn't a good idea.

00:12:32.400 User Dan Popescu said, quote,

00:12:34.560 You know, this is something I think about a lot with just the level of people that are moving to Alberta, even just interprovincially,

00:12:49.160 like not coming from outside of Canada, but coming from places like Ontario and BC,

00:12:52.600 is if this is going to cause a big problem for Alberta as being traditionally one of the most, if not the most, conservative province in Canada.

00:13:00.940 I just wonder if these people who are moving here are going to realize that they're moving here from an Alberta advantage that exists

00:13:07.940 because of the way that our politicians have governed thus far and how conservatively our politicians have governed.

00:13:13.840 And a lot of times people don't recognize that.

00:13:15.480 And I think if they don't recognize that in this case, it'll be a problem.

00:13:18.320 It'll be a problem for Alberta politics in years to come.

00:13:22.300 User at Rick Johnson said,

00:13:23.600 Hiring police before they are citizens is contrary to Robert Peely's principle of citizens in uniform.

00:13:29.160 Quote,

00:13:29.780 The police are the public and the public are the police.

00:13:32.940 This just contributes to the us versus them dilemma.

00:13:36.220 I think this is a really interesting point to raise.

00:13:38.160 And it's one of the issues that I've always taken with the RCMP.

00:13:41.120 If you really want to become a police officer in Ontario, it can be very hard to get into your local police force.

00:13:45.440 It can be very difficult to get into the Ontario Provincial Police.

00:13:48.320 So a lot of people will accept a tenure for a couple years in like a rural Alberta community

00:13:53.760 with hopes of being able to get back to Ontario to their community after they have a couple years of policing experience under their belt.

00:14:00.580 Knowing you have happened is you have someone who has no real love of that community

00:14:04.920 or even of the province governing and policing the people in that community.

00:14:09.720 And I think it's just much better when you have people who are raised up in that community

00:14:13.240 and understand what the area is like, understand what the people are like.

00:14:17.740 Because we need to kind of get back to community policing where the police really understand the community

00:14:22.680 and want what's best for the community as opposed to they're simply filling a quota

00:14:27.260 or they're just blindly following orders.

00:14:30.720 And, you know, obviously there are circumstances where maybe there's no one in that specific community

00:14:34.880 who want to be police.

00:14:36.920 But as I said last week, I think that just goes back to let's get this the conversation started earlier in schools

00:14:42.040 and really tell kids these are all the options for you when you graduate college

00:14:47.060 or when you even graduate high school.

00:14:48.780 Not everyone needs to go to university.

00:14:50.720 Not everyone needs to go into the trades.

00:14:52.320 There's still other options in between.

00:14:53.760 And I just think a lot of young people aren't aware of how good a policing job is

00:14:58.280 because of the high salary and also the full benefits and pension package that it comes with.

00:15:03.260 You know, these are actually really highly coveted jobs,

00:15:05.440 especially right now with the affordability crisis that we're experiencing.

00:15:09.080 And I think the fact that we apparently don't have enough people applying for policing,

00:15:13.320 which is still mind-boggling to me, speaks to a lack of education with our young people.

00:15:18.180 Okay, I'm just going to read one more comment on this topic.

00:15:21.340 This is from Grant the Peaworth.

00:15:23.560 He said, quote,

00:15:49.300 I think this just really adds to the comment that I said before

00:15:51.600 about people understanding what is important to a culture in a given area.

00:15:57.120 And that can go from something as large as a country to a province,

00:15:59.860 to the specific culture in a community,

00:16:01.520 and knowing the needs and the laws and the rules

00:16:04.520 and what's socially acceptable in a given community

00:16:06.560 to best govern and to help move society forward.

00:16:10.080 Okay, everyone, that's all we have time for today.

00:16:11.980 If you support our work, you can do that over at www.donate.tnc.news.

00:16:17.020 I hope that you guys have a great weekend.

00:16:19.540 Don't forget to subscribe to True North and like this video.

00:16:22.160 I'll see you all next week.

00:16:23.280 God bless.

The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - July 20, 2024

Smith says the left’s vision is bleak

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