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United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith stuck to her party’s messaging on lower taxes and tough-on crime policy while attempting to fend off attacks on her record and judgment from New Democratic Party Leader Rachel Notely at Thursday night’s Alberta leaders debate. Read More
The two leaders shared the stage in the televised event that came with less than two weeks until the May 29 election day and head of Tuesday’s opening of advanced voting.
Both leaders spent much of their energy attacking the other’s time as premier, with Smith reiterated her campaign’s focus on policies on affordability and support for those dealing with addictions.
“My commitment to each of you if re-elected is to serve you with everything I have and to the best of my ability, however imperfect that may be at times,” Smith said in her closing remarks.
“Whatever I may have said or thought in the past while I was on talk radio, Albertans are my bosses now.”
The statement followed attacks from Notley on Smith’s credibility in light of recent scandals, including two more negative developments that came to light Thursday.
“You know you can’t trust Danielle Smith,” she said. “This is just not how our province should be won.”
Earlier Thursday, that Alberta’s ethics commissioner found Smith contravened the Conflict of Interest Act over a conversation she had with her justice minister about a high-profile COVID-19 case.
Smith characterized the report as vindicating her from accusations made by the CBC and NDP that she had interfered with Crown prosecutors.
Notley didn’t directly reference Johnson in the debate, but characterized Smith’s style of governing as chaotic.
“Every day is a new drama. You don’t have to put up with this. Enough is enough,” she said.
“I’ve been in office since 2008. I have never actually breached the conflict of interest legislation. Ms. Smith cannot say the same.”
Smith accused the NDP leader and others of putting out “grainy videos” of her prior remarks as a commentator in an apparent effort to win political points.
“We had high definition when you said you want to sell our hospitals across Calgary,” Notley shot back, referring to a 2021 video where Smith suggested privatizing a number of health facilities.
There were a few fiery interactions between the two, though Smith appeared to be reluctant to make eye-contact with Notley, preferring instead to speak directly into the camera.
Questions from the debate’s three-person panel of journalists centred on affordability measures, health-care policy, education and trustworthiness, among other issues.
Smith attacked Notley’s prior time while in charge of the province, citing negative net migration, higher taxes and unemployment issues, while touting her party’s public safety policies.
“We believe that people have a right to take our transit and feel safe. They have a right to go downtown and be able to have a nice dinner or see a game and not worry that they’re going to be randomly attacked,” she said, pointing to funding boosts for police for more officers.
“I’m running on my record. Ms Notley is running away from hers.”
Notley focused her most aggressive attacks on Smith’s prior comments on health care, and Albertans potentially paying out of pocket to see a family doctor, something Smith denies she plans to do.
“You have argued passionately, in multiple settings, for your belief … of making people pay more for their health care,” Notley said.
“Why are you not being honest with Albertans?”
Smith retorted that she would not make Albertans pay to see a doctor and that her government’s overhaul of the health-care system had produced shorter surgical wait times.
“I think that’s something to celebrate and continue,” Smith said.
In a scrum with reporters after the event, Notley said the debate was “exciting” and that she hoped to have shown Albertans she warranted a second chance as premier.
“I’ve learned from my time both losing office and being in opposition,” she said.
“I’m dedicated to serving this province and think there are mistakes that I made that I can improve on.”
Afterwards, Smith defend herself against the ethics commissioner’s findings, saying she was willing to take advice on how she should get legal advice from her justice minister, and rejecting questions about instability within the party in the buildup to voting day.
“We are more unified as a caucus than we’ve ever been,” she said.
“We had a lot of really tough challenges over the past few years, and I just have the best caucus team.”
