United Conservative Party 2025 AGM Keynote
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Summary
Learn English with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Speaker Danielle Smith delivers the keynote address at the United Conservative Party's AGM in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Saturday, February 1st, 2020, where she discusses her vision for the future of Alberta.
Transcript
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I think I thought you were a man, yeah, you know I'm just bringing in my ear, tell me
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All the things that I want to hear from the truth, that's what I like about you, that's what I like about you, that's what I like about you.
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Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the MLA from Le Duc, Beaumont, Brandon Luntee to the stage.
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Look, I am so excited to join you here in Edmonton as a capital region MLA.
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Look, let me tell you, when I go to events across the city, I always meet great
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Conservatives who are just as passionate about their community as they are their province.
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So thank you all for hosting us this weekend at this great AGM.
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Of course, it is my honor this morning to introduce our UCP leader for her keynote address.
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And let me tell you, under Danielle Smith's leadership, our province has accomplished
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Thriving communities supported by strong families, all building to an incredibly strong
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province that's ready to lead Canada into the future.
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And speaking of leading, I got to spend some time this summer with the Premier serving
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on the Alberta Next panel, and I was blown away by her strength and commitment.
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She insisted that no matter how long the line everyone had their chance to speak, she stayed
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calm and focused as she made her case, and she responded with kindness and grace when
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Folks, let me tell you, this is a sign of a true leader.
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She always listens to Albertans and cares about what they have to say, then acts decisively
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and with conviction to move the province forward.
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Danielle is a principled leader who isn't afraid to do what's right.
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Whether it's fighting for our energy sector, making life more affordable, or championing
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the rights of parents, she always puts Albertans first.
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So it is my immense pleasure to introduce, not just my boss, but also a good friend,
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I can be late for a date, that's fine, but you better be on time.
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Written in my mind will say it fits just right when last year's six is just a little too tight.
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I know we were a little bit delayed getting started today, but it was because we ended up with, I think, 4,450 delegates here.
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So, my dear friends, thank you so much for that warm welcome.
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I can't tell you how happy and energized I feel when I am with you.
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Let me tell you, battling leftists and the mainstream media and other anti-Alberta forces on a daily basis can be exhausting for me and for our entire caucus.
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And so to be here with you, to see your smiling faces and to hear your warm words of support and encouragement is just the fuel that I need.
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and that all of our MLAs need to get back out there and keep on fighting.
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Thank you for your incredible support, your volunteerism, and your prayers.
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We could not win this battle for Alberta without you.
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And winning the battle, my friends, is exactly what we're doing.
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Just think of how far we've come in only a few years.
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When I was chosen by you to be leader of this party and then afterwards elected Premier by Albertans,
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our province was in the midst of a tumultuous political storm that threatened Alberta's very economic and social fabric.
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At that time, the federal NDP Liberal Coalition government in Ottawa, led by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
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They were doing everything they possibly could to choke off
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and ultimately destroy our province's energy and agricultural sectors.
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Literally the first and second largest parts of our economy
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were under attack by our very own federal government.
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They were attempting to take control of multiple areas of provincial jurisdiction – energy,
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They even went so far as to impose their net-zero power regulations on us that threatened the
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very integrity of the electricity grid that Albertans rely on to keep our families safe
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They placed a production cap on our most valuable strategic asset, the Alberta oil sands, and
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along with it, an effective moratorium on the pipelines and oil tankers needed to take
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It seemed as though the entire world was against us.
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Those are times Albertans will not soon forget in our collective memories.
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But in those difficult circumstances, Albertans came together, as we always do.
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Together we raised our voices and worked relentlessly to fight and to find a way to overcome this
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We fought and won in the court of public opinion.
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And we fought against and continued to fight every person or initiative that seeks to destroy
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Together we have stopped and driven back the extreme anti-energy movement in our country.
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We have helped to turn the tide of national public opinion from being anti-oil and gas
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into a country-wide consensus that Alberta's energy resources are a national treasure that
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Those who had opposed us, including the former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his governing
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partner, the former federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, along with so many others who sought
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Alberta's economic demise, they've seen their political careers come to an abrupt
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and dramatic end, including, I would add, former Trudeau Environment Minister Stephen
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He, of course, resigned from Cabinet on Thursday after the announcement of the new energy deal
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that repealed several of the anti-Alberta laws that he created.
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On behalf of all Albertans, Monsieur Guibaud, we bid you adieu.
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And that's right, just 48 hours ago, I had the opportunity to sign
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a monumental energy agreement for our province with Ottawa
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that will enable Alberta to double our oil production by 2035,
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Build millions of barrels of new pipeline capacity and unlock billions of investment in AI data centers powered by clean Alberta natural gas.
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And this complete turnaround of Canadian policy direction and public opinion was unthinkable just a few short years ago.
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No one thought it was possible. No one except right here in Alberta, where we know that all things are indeed possible.
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Now, Alberta is winning and we will continue to win this battle for our freedom and provincial
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rights because we are on the right side of history and Albertans will not be denied our
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Now I know full well that so many of you here today have been justifiably, like me, frustrated
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We have been abused and taken for granted repeatedly over the past decades.
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But my friends, let's not throw in the towel and give up on our country
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just as the battle has turned in our favour and victory is in sight.
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not when our fellow canadians even those that may support differing political parties are
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nonetheless supporting alberta's vision for a prosperous energy-rich nation with strong
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and sovereign provinces building a canada we can be proud of again now is not the time to give up
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the fight now is the time to double down and fight for both our province and our country
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because we Albertans are indeed the proudest of Canadians and we don't fight
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for the sake of fighting. We don't look for conflict when there is an opportunity
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for freedom and peace and prosperity with our fellow Canadians. That is all
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we've ever wanted. Freedom and peace and prosperity because Albertans are
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happiest when we are hard at work getting things done, solving problems,
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serving our communities, creating and innovating. That is when we are truly at
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our best. We want to lead this country towards a better and brighter future because we take
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great pride in that as a province. All we need is a government in Ottawa to get out
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of the way and let us turn Canada into a thriving energy superpower, with Alberta leading the
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And this new Alberta-Ottawa energy agreement is a first step in trying to accomplish exactly
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So let's take the win and charge full steam ahead, because this agreement means the end of the punitive oil and gas emissions cap, so our great energy producers can grow and thrive again.
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This agreement, yes, this agreement means the immediate suspension of the federal net zero power regulations in Alberta, which will stabilize our power grid, throw open the doors for massive investments into AI data centers.
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And this agreement includes a clear path to the construction of a 1 million barrel per day bitumen pipeline to Asian markets
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so that our province and our country are no longer dependent on just one customer to buy our most valuable resource.
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This agreement also allows for needed exemptions to the oil tanker ban, an overhaul of the known new pipeline law, C-69,
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and ensuring our energy companies are able to advertise their environmental leadership and efforts without fear of penalty.
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And this agreement also means that Alberta can show the entire world that the solution to our environmental challenges
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does not entail capping productivity and growth in the oil and gas development.
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Rather, it is to leverage the profitability of a strong oil and gas sector
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to invest in the very technologies that will solve the environmental challenges that we face.
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now, my friends. I am under no illusions. This agreement is just the first step in this journey.
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There is much hard work ahead of us and the federal government must earn back
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the trust of Albertans as we move through the next stages of this process.
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After all, the people of Alberta have of course had the rug pulled out from under them
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too many times to count over the past 10 years so i will take the advice of a great u.s president
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ronald reagan who said when dealing with the former adversary trust but verify and on behalf
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of albertans i will be verifying and holding alberta or ottawa accountable as you know every
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step of the way you can absolutely count on that but a new relationship and a new beginning needs
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a starting point and this agreement, I hope, is that starting point. So I invite each of you today
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to join me on this journey. Let's lower our fists and instead roll up our sleeves and get to work
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on making our province and our people more prosperous than ever before because we have
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many other critically important challenges to overcome, especially in dealing with the
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This is not the NDP's Alberta, where people and businesses were fleeing the reckless policies
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of the socialists that ran roughshod over our province for four destructive years.
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The fact is, from the election of the UCP in 2019 until now, Alberta, despite all of
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the roadblocks thrown in our way by Ottawa, has still managed to become once again the
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fastest-growing province in Canada and by a long shot.
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The Alberta Advantage is back, and all of Canada and the world has noticed and wants
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Let there be no doubt about how important immigration and interprovincial migration
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New Albertans from other provinces and countries have been essential to our economic prosperity
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and rich culture. For over a hundred years, Alberta has had a history of healthy levels
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of primarily economic immigrants able to easily integrate into Alberta's economy and culture.
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But that was upended by the last ten years of what was effectively an open borders policy
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by Ottawa. And Albertans of all ages, ethnicities and immigration history have had quite enough.
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We need an immigration policy that puts Albertans first.
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And that is why our government will be taking primary control over our immigration system
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Using our constitutionally protected provincial rights, Alberta will return to a more stable
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number of primarily economic migrants so that newcomers come here to work and contribute
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as they have historically done, while Canadian citizens living in Alberta are given first
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priority to the jobs and the opportunities our economy creates.
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We will restore the proper balance and ensure that our immigration system becomes a strength
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And although right-sizing Alberta's growth rate is critical, our province cannot afford
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to delay on making the investments in education and health and other infrastructure needed
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to catch up with the growth that's already occurred.
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That's why our government is investing $8.6 billion to open up thousands of new school
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spaces across the province over the coming years.
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That's why we will be hiring 3,000 new teachers over the next three years, along with at least
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And importantly, we are going to tackle head-on the issue of complexity in our classrooms.
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We cannot compromise the education of all students because there are too many kids in
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a classroom that need specialized assistance and care.
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That doesn't help the students with special needs and it creates an impossible situation
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Students with special needs require unique care and attention that is often not possible
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So it's time to do what's right for our children rather than what's politically correct.
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And this is why our government, led by one of our best and most effective ministers,
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Demetrios Nicolaides, has taken a hands-on approach to ensuring the new teachers and
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EAs we are hiring are placed where they are needed most, whether that be in regular classrooms
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or special classrooms suited for children with complex needs.
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And because I see the NDP and their union allies are now organizing against parental choice in
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education, let me be very clear, our government will continue to support and protect all options
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parents enjoy in the education system. That includes public and Catholic and
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charter and independent and homeschooling because unlike the NDP and their allies we in the UCP know
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and believe that parental choice in education is a paramount importance and that is not going to
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change so long as the UCP is in government. And just as we are taking action to strengthen and
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and protect our education system, our government is accelerating desperately needed health
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care reforms. For far too long, politicians across the country have neglected the growing
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crisis in our provincial public health systems. Canada's health care systems, quite frankly,
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are broken. They are administered by bloated and bureaucratic monstrosities that are often
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concerned more with centralizing power and control and money rather than with empowering
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Our country has one of the most ineffective health systems in the industrial world.
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It is a national embarrassment with tragic and life-shortening consequences.
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We have well-trained and compassionate doctors, nurses, and other frontline staff, but we
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are having a terrible time keeping them in Canada due to subpar working conditions, rationed
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operating room time, and better opportunities in other nations.
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And no matter how much money this country and its provinces spend, the results have
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In fact, it has been deteriorating in every single province, whether governed by Liberals
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This is why our UCP government decided three years ago that we would not stand by any longer
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and throw billions more tax dollars into the black hole of AHS bureaucracy.
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We acted decisively to reform our health care system, and we are now starting to see improvements
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Wait times for surgical services are coming down.
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The number of doctors and nurses is increasing.
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is being spent on bureaucracy and more is being spent on the front lines however much more needs
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to be done and with the transfer of authority over the administration of our health care system from
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ahs to four targeted health agencies overseen directly by a dedicated and accountable government
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ministry alberta is now well positioned to accelerate desperately needed health reforms
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even further so led by minister rick wilson the minister of mental health and addiction
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we are well down the path of implementing the world-renowned
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alberta recovery model for addiction will soon commence operations on the compassionate
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intervention program that will mandate treatment in secure facilities
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for addicts who are a danger to themselves and others.
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The Alberta model has already saved thousands, and compassionate intervention will save thousands
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more. The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services, led by Minister Jason Nixon,
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doing remarkable work, leading a new effort to transfer hundreds of non-acute patients
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out of the hospital. These are primarily seniors and homeless individuals who have been left
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to live their lives in a hospital bed, and we are moving them into accommodations far
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better suited to their care and quality of life. This will not only result in improved care,
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but it will also free up hundreds of acute hospital beds for the Albertans who need them.
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We are also taking bold action under the leadership of Primary and Preventative
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Care Minister Adriana LaGrange by empowering Albertans to access private diagnostic testing
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No longer will Albertans require a doctor to give them permission to access private
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We want you and your employers to invest directly in your own preventative health, and if that
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testing turns up a serious condition that needs treatment the government will reimburse you for
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that cost because it likely means that your needed treatment will be less complicated and less
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costly for taxpayers because it was caught early and obviously all referrals from your doctor for
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testing and screening will remain fully paid for by your alberta health insurance and as i'm sure
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For many of you who heard this past week, under the excellent leadership of the Minister
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of Hospital and Surgical Services, Matt Jones, our government has introduced dual practice
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legislation that permits doctors to provide private elective surgeries such as hip, knee
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and eye surgeries after regular business hours and on weekends so long as they continue to
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provide their regular amount of public surgeries as well.
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This dual-practice arrangement for doctors has worked to reduce wait lists and attract
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surgeons and health investment in virtually every high-performing health system in the
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And, of course, as previously announced, we will be moving from a wasteful and inefficient
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block funding model for our public hospitals managed by bureaucrats into a more competitive
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and responsive activity-based funding model that pays public hospitals and private surgical
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centers for the services they actually provide.
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My friends, the days of an antiquated bureaucratic and unaccountable health system are over.
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Albertans want more choice and better results from their health care system, and it's time
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to bring that system out of the 1960s NDP model and into 2025, where the rest of the
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And speaking of moving away from socialist NDP policies, let's talk about freedom and
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We all know that woke ideological policies, such as the safe supply of drugs or soft-on-crime
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bail and sentencing rules, state-sponsored social engineering of children, and institutionalized
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censorship of speech are just a few examples of terrible NDP policies that have needlessly
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destroyed the lives of thousands in communities all across Canada. Albertans have had quite enough
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of watching this train wreck of left-wing ideas in action, and our government has stood firmly
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against these dangerous and destructive policies when few other governments in the Western world
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Although I'm pleased to say that that is changing a little bit more and more each day.
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And despite the continued hysterics of the NDP and their woke activists, Alberta will
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continue to march boldly forward with policies that promote freedom, save lives, and make
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This government will fund, not defund, the police.
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We will seek justice for victims, not excuses for the guilty.
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We will replace enabling continued drug use for the addicted with providing treatment
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We will lift up and support those struggling with mental health rather than giving them
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And while governments around the world seek to institutionalize the censorship of free
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speech, our government will forge an accelerated path in the opposite direction.
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That's why last week our government, inspired by the attack on Dr. Jordan Peterson, as well
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as so many other doctors and lawyers and nurses and teachers and others, introduced legislation
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containing comprehensive free speech protection so that no professional will lose their license
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to practice due to their political beliefs or for not kowtowing to DEI and other destructive
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That came from you, that was your policy you passed last AGM.
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We're calling it the Peterson Law, but we aren't stopping there.
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I'm announcing today that next week our UCP government will be introducing a new motion
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under the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act.
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will, if passed in the Legislature, instruct all provincial entities, including our municipalities
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and law enforcement agencies, to refuse to enforce or prosecute under the federal gun
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Now, the Sovereignty Act motion will also make it clear that these agencies will not
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enforce or prosecute Albertans defending their homes and families from intruders.
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I've got a little tip for low-life criminals out there.
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If you don't want to get shot, don't break into someone's house.
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We want our great men and women in law enforcement and our justice system to spend their precious
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time and effort going after criminals, not farmers, not ranchers, or sports
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shooters, nor Albertans defending their families and their homes. Imagine that,
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right? And speaking of taking a stand, how about taking a stand for our children?
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As premier, I want to assure every parent and grandparent here today that under no
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circumstances will we back down from defending Alberta's children and that
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means banning graphic sexual images from our school libraries full stop and it
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also means using the Charter's notwithstanding clause to protect our
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children by restricting puberty blockers for minors and prohibiting gender
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reassignment surgery until a child reaches adulthood.
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Of course, we will also protect women and girls in sports so they aren't forced to
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And we will make sure that parents are notified and included in the decision to change their
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Because parents are the primary caregivers and protectors of their children, and that
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is how it has been and will continue to be under a UCP government.
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Now, our UCB MLAs and I will never back down from protecting children or strengthening
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the rights and freedoms that have made our province the shining city on a hill that it
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Now you know earlier this month, we changed the motto on our provincial license plate
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Unpredictably, some on the left and in the NDP think that's too American or too aggressive
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Not only is strong and free our provincial motto, it is also part of our national anthem.
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And quite frankly, there is no better description for our province and our people.
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It is that strength and freedom Alberta's First Peoples used to survive and flourish
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through impossibly harsh winters and landscapes.
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It is that strength and freedom that allowed the first settlers to turn wilderness into
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It is that strength and freedom that forged an entrepreneurial drive so strong that it
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unlocked immeasurable oil wealth from the isolated sands of northern Alberta.
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It is that strength and freedom that inspired leaders from Lougheed to Klein and from Manning
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to Harper who have fought to preserve our freedom and independence from Ottawa as a self-governing
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It is that strength and freedom that gave our young men and women the unthinkable amount
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of courage needed to sacrifice their very lives in the defence of our nation.
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And my friends, it is that strength and freedom that empowers and emboldens us today to protect
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our families, to lead this country, to find a path to prosperity for our children and grandchildren,
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And together, my friends, we will ensure that Alberta remains forever strong and free.
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Any man of mine better be proud of me, even when I'm ugly, still better love me.
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And I can be late for a date, that's fine, but you better be on time.
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Please be advised that a hot roast beef buffet lunch is available for those who have pre-purchased
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with their registrations in Hall F on the schedule.
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For everyone else, the Expo Food Court is open to purchase lunch.
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Please remember to be back in the room at 1.30 p.m. for the policy debate and if you
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are interested in attending our youth debate our finals are take