Alberta election debate between Smith and Notley sees criticism over leadership and health care

EDMONTON—Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley and UCP leader Danielle Smith squared off in a head-to-head election debate Thursday night filled with political jabs over health care and leadership.

Aside from a few well-landed shots, both leaders appeared to emerge relatively unscathed from the much-anticipated debate.

Health care, affordability and the economy were central themes during the debate and are priority issues for Albertans. Voters are set to go to the polls on May 29 in an election that has been close. The two leaders are perhaps the first in Alberta to appear without at least one other party leader on stage with them during a provincial debate.

On Thursday, trust also became a point of tension between the two leaders and thus came one of Notley’s most notable comments midway: “I’ve been in office since 2008, I’ve never violated conflict of law laws.” interests. Ms. Smith cannot say the same.”

Notley was referring to a report published just hours before the debate. The province’s ethics commissioner found Smith violated the Conflicts of Interest Act when he had an inappropriate conversation with the attorney general and violated a “fundamental pillar” of democracy by speaking to an alleged criminal about his case.

Smith responded that one of Notley’s MLAs had violated privacy law after hacking into a government COVID-19 vaccine portal.

Notley asked if Smith wanted to continue comparing members of their respective parties: “Seriously, I don’t think you’re going to win that one,” he said.

It had been a day of crisis management for the UCP. Smith was forced to issue a statement saying that if Jennifer Johnson, a United Conservative candidate who compared transgender children in schools to feces in cookies, is elected, she will not sit as a caucus member in the legislature.

Smith has faced the unearthing of many controversial comments that she herself made, some of which she had to apologize for.

But during the debate, Smith said the NDP wanted to show “grainy” videos of “things I said while I was on the radio” as a way of deviating from the party’s previous record in government.

Well, Notley said, “actually, we had high definition 18 months ago when those videos of you arguing to get people to pay for their health care came out.”

For his part, Smith spent time attacking Notley’s previous record in government.

“I am running on my record. Ms. Notley is running away from hers,” Smith said.

Smith said Notley was afraid to run on his NDP government’s record from 2015 to 2019 because Albertans were not happy with him, especially when it came to the carbon tax and the economic downturn.

The UCP leader also criticized Notley for not including a carbon tax in his 2015 election platform: “Speaking of hoax, remember he ran on a carbon tax in the last election? Certainly not, and that increased the cost of everything.”

Notley responded that Smith was not to be trusted due to his past musings over the years about other private options in Alberta.

“Why don’t you just go with what you believe?” Notley said.

“Why aren’t you being honest with Albertans? Why don’t you argue that you think you want them to pay more? Because he’s said it on video, in documents, on speaking tours, in the legislature, for more than a decade.”

Smith has been committed to upholding the Canada Health Act and protecting public healthcare, despite his years of advocating for private payment options.

Meanwhile, Smith went after the NDP’s plan to raise the province’s corporate tax by three points, from eight to 11 percent, to pay for the platform’s promises. Smith said that would scare corporations and hurt jobs.

“Under our plan, we will still have lower corporate taxes than (Saskatchewan Premier) Scott Moe, than (Ontario Premier) Doug Ford,” Notley said in response. “But what we will also have is the money to invest in our education system, something that has been horribly starved under the UCP.”

Smith and the UCP also say the NDP wants to introduce an emissions cap on oil and gas that would hamper production. Smith said the NDP wants to get to net zero emissions by 2035 in a way that would hurt the economy.

Smith’s party promised a more careful approach to getting to net zero by 2050 and vowed not to let Ottawa’s net zero plan harm Alberta’s economy.

Smith accused Notley of not standing up to Ottawa: “If we want to have a realistic plan, a practical plan, we have to fight Ottawa. This, this candidate will not do it.

“I know that, Ms. Smith, you are interested in fighting,” Notley replied. “You want to fight Ottawa, you want to fight the media, you want to fight, frankly, yourself. In fact, it’s quite tiring.”

In their closing remarks, both admitted to being imperfect leaders and asked Albertans to give them their vote.

Smith went first: “My commitment to each of you, if re-elected, is to serve you with everything I have and to the best of my ability, imperfect as I may be at times.”

It seemed to be a nod to controversial statements that have surfaced during the campaign.

“I am listening carefully to you and my UCP caucus, because whatever I have said or thought in the past while speaking on the radio, Albertans are now my bosses.”

Notley followed up with his own closing remarks, asking, “Who do you trust to build a better future?”

When it comes to Smith, “every day is a new drama,” Notley said. “You just don’t need to put up with this.”

“You may not always agree with me, and I may not have always gotten it right, but I say what I mean and I mean what I say.”

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