Learn English with Alberta s Premier Rachel Notley. In this speech, Rachel talks about Alberta's inflation and affordability crisis and how her government will work together with Albertans to find ways to ease the burden on families, seniors, and the vulnerable.
00:00:00.000Good evening, my fellow Albertans. I am truly humbled to speak with you as your premier tonight,
00:00:17.760and I want you to know how seriously I take the responsibility to serve you in this office.
00:00:23.140We're facing a very difficult time as a country and as a province. We've been through a lot
00:00:29.020together these past three years, but still have many challenges ahead of us.
00:00:33.920Tonight, I want to address how our government is going to work together with you and your
00:00:37.740family to overcome these challenges. First off, I wish to address the inflation and affordability
00:00:43.400crisis. The severity of this crisis has been primarily caused by years of record spending
00:00:49.400and debt by the federal government in Ottawa, combined with a continual string of anti-energy
00:00:54.760policies that are driving up the price of fuel, electricity, heating, food, and everything else
00:01:00.580we need to live and raise our families. Too many moms and dads are having to choose between
00:01:05.720nutritious food for their children and making their rising mortgage payments. Many seniors
00:01:11.300are choosing between filling their needed prescriptions and fuel for their vehicles.
00:01:15.920As a province, we can't solve this inflation crisis on our own. But due to our strong fiscal
00:01:21.140position and balanced budget, we can offer substantial relief so Albertans and their
00:01:26.340families are better able to manage through this storm. That is why our government will be
00:01:31.460implementing a series of affordability measures to benefit all Albertans with additional targeted
00:01:37.160relief for seniors, the vulnerable, and families. Although details of this Inflation Relief Act are
00:01:43.280still being finalized, measures will include the following. For seniors and families with
00:01:48.840dependent children under 18 years of age, we will provide $600 over 6 months for each
00:01:55.160child as well as each senior. This will be targeted to middle-income families with household
00:02:00.680incomes below $180,000. That same amount will be provided to vulnerable Albertans collecting
00:02:07.720AISH and PDD and income support. We will suspend the entire provincial fuel tax for at least
00:02:14.920the next six months and make the current fuel relief program permanent thereafter.
00:02:20.600We will index all provincial tax brackets retroactively to 2022, resulting in larger
00:02:27.180rebates when you file your taxes this spring. We will also index for inflation, AISH, PDD,
00:02:34.780income support, the seniors benefit, and the Alberta Child and Family benefit beginning
00:02:39.820this January. We will provide an increased rebate on consumer electricity bills through
00:02:45.940the winter months totaling an additional $200 per household. We will limit spikes in winter
00:02:52.780electricity rates while continuing with the current natural gas rebate program.
00:02:58.480And finally, we will invest in food banks and expand low-income transit passes to ensure
00:03:03.440every Albertan has access to food and mobility for their families. These are just first steps
00:03:09.320there's much more to do, but I will ensure every decision our government makes from now until this
00:03:14.600crisis is over balances affordability for Albertans with the need for continued balance budgets and
00:03:20.360fiscal responsibility. Because when our province's financial house is in order, we have the ability
00:03:26.520to assist Albertans through times of crisis, just like this one. Our province's other big challenge
00:03:33.400is health care. We have amazing frontline staff. Our nurses, doctors, paramedics and other health
00:03:40.200professionals are truly world-class in every respect. But we have far too many managers and
00:03:46.280consultants and not enough health professionals on the front lines caring for patients. Albertans
00:03:52.520are waiting too long for emergency room treatment or to have an ambulance arrive when they need it.
00:03:58.360Surgery times are far too lengthy, leaving many in pain or at unacceptable health risk.
00:04:04.880The answer is not the opposition's plan to throw billions more into the system.
00:04:08.700They already tried that once. It failed and almost bankrupted the province.
00:04:13.640But maintaining the status quo cannot continue either.
00:04:18.040Albertans want our government to get to work on fixing these problems without delay.
00:04:21.700That is why last week, Minister Jason Copping and AHS Official Administrator Dr. John Cowell initiated a health reform action plan to specifically target our most urgent health care challenges without disrupting frontline services.
00:04:37.220What does that mean for you and your family?
00:04:39.460It means more health professionals in emergency rooms to make sure those who need beds get them faster.
00:04:45.120And those who need a simple prescription or alternate care can get that care without having to be in hospital.
00:04:50.720It also means ensuring we don't have ambulances waiting with patients at the
00:04:55.280emergency rooms so our paramedics can get to more calls faster. And it means
00:05:00.680getting more surgeries done and waitlist decreased by using specialized surgical
00:05:05.000centers and underutilized rural hospitals and operating rooms that are
00:05:09.440just sitting there empty. We will also be looking at ways to gradually restore
00:05:13.880healthcare decision-making to local communities and health professionals on
00:05:17.660the ground and to encourage a stronger culture of innovation and patient care.
00:05:22.460This will take time and patience, of course, but I am confident that it will result in better
00:05:27.660health care for Albertans when and where you need it most. Finally, I'd also like to speak
00:05:33.500about our province's relationship with Ottawa. As Albertans, we love our nation deeply. Canada is
00:05:39.820our home and Canadians our family. However, the federal government's treatment of all provinces,
00:05:45.980most especially Alberta, is unacceptable.
00:05:49.620The government in Ottawa is intentionally and systematically attempting to control and regulate
00:05:54.620all aspects of our province's economy, resources, and social programs.
00:05:59.340Through equalization and transfers, they funnel billions of your tax dollars away from you
00:06:04.880and into a black hole of federal bureaucracy and vote-buying arrangements in other parts of the country.
00:06:10.920These continual federal attacks on our economy and provincial rights cannot be allowed to continue.
00:08:48.020I love this province and everything it stands for.
00:08:51.620We are a land of pioneers and farmers, entrepreneurs and innovators, communities and families.
00:08:58.080A place where the best and brightest come from every corner of this world to join with us in building one of the greatest places on earth to live, work, and raise our families.
00:09:08.800Together we can and will overcome every challenge we face to ensure that our province's best days are still to come, and that Alberta forever remains strong and free.