The Alberta government’s focus will be on jobs and the economy for the fall session of the legislature, starting Monday

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The Alberta government says it plans to focus on jobs and diversify the economy while monitoring its response to COVID-19, as the fall session of the legislature begins Monday.

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House of Government leader Jason Nixon said Friday that the chamber will focus on strengthening Alberta’s workforce, saying the province is beginning to see a worker shortage.

“Overall, the theme will be protecting lives and livelihoods and continuing to ensure that we can pass legislation that strengthens Alberta and ensures that we remain in the best position to take advantage of the great economic recovery that we see coming. Nixon said in an interview.

There are between 18 and 20 bills the government hopes to pass before Christmas, including one that focuses on infrastructure construction and environmental legislation aimed at conservation and recreation.

NDP House Leader Christina Gray told reporters in the legislature on Friday that the Opposition would hold the government accountable for the health care crisis.

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“This fall session of the legislature will focus on getting answers from the UCP on why Albertans have so miserably failed to handle the devastating fourth wave of the COVID 19 pandemic,” said Gray, who pointed to the more than 85,000 Albertans who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since mid-July, and the more than 700 who have died.

Alberta’s hospitals and healthcare workers have been affected by the increase in cases in the fourth wave, with thousands of surgeries canceled or postponed, additional beds due to the increase in intensive care patients and the support deployed in the province. of the Canadian Red Cross. , Canadian Armed Forces, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Gray plans to table a motion to establish an all-party committee on Monday to review the government’s response to COVID-19, something Prime Minister Jason Kenney and Nixon have said will eventually happen, but now is not the time.

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No notice of legislation related to COVID-19, but the government is ‘ready’

Nixon is ready to file a motion to hold a debate dedicated to COVID-19 no later than Nov. 4, according to the legislature. ask for paper . Although there are no COVID-19-related bills on paper, Nixon said the legislature is ready to pass whatever is necessary to be able to deal with the pandemic.

“We will be ready to do that at any time,” Nixon said.

Gray reiterated that the legislature needs an all-party committee to examine the response to the pandemic.

“We’ve had those debates about COVID-19 and yet we see this government fail in the fourth wave,” Gray said, adding that the NDP will push for the government to reinstate the commercial eviction ban that was first introduced. time at the beginning of a pandemic, and to provide 10 days of paid sick leave to those in quarantine.

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“There doesn’t seem to be anything new on the agenda. Not fighting COVID, not creating jobs, not supporting Albertans when they need it most, nothing to make life more affordable for families, ”Gray said.

Since it is a continuation of a session that began in 2020, there will be no speech on the throne, and bills from private members are still on the table, including one from NDP leader Rachel Notley, who is proposing to curb the development of coal in some environmentally sensitive areas; and a bill by Muhammad Yaseen, a former MP now in cabinet, that would declare rodeo the official sport of the province.

Nixon said the government aims to deliver a new speech on the throne, traditionally outlining new directions and goals, in the spring of 2022.

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“Right now, our province and our health officials are dealing with the fourth wave very effectively; I would not want to provide unnecessary distractions or ceremonial processes such as a speech at the throne, ”he said.

Nixon added that the legislature will aim to return to a “more normal” procedure, with members appearing in person rather than voting virtually. The NDP has said that all members and staff of its caucus are vaccinated against COVID-19, and Nixon confirmed that all but one of the UCP caucus members, who should provide negative rapid test results, had received vaccines.

Kenney has also said he will file a motion to ratify a constitutional amendment request after the official results of the province’s Alberta referendum on the federal leveling program are declared Tuesday.

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