Alberta’s United Conservative Party will host its annual meeting this weekend to vote on 20 policy resolutions, including challenges to anti-racism education initiatives and a review of utility bills.
It will be the first meeting for the party to be led by Prime Minister Daniel Smith. Voter groups and the party’s policy and governance committee have drafted a resolution that will be heard on Saturday, according to UCP.
Once drafted, each policy proposal was reviewed by individual party members using the party’s online ranking tool.
“Thousands of members participated and told us what they liked and what they didn’t like,” said Joe Friesenhan, UCP’s vice president of policy and governance, in the policy handbook.
“The policy resolutions you see come directly from that list of priorities,” Friesenhan added.
The fact that these resolutions may be passed by members of the party present at the AGM does not guarantee that they will become propositions to be debated in Congress.
Below are some of the policy resolutions and what you need to know.
anti racism
The Edmonton West Henday Constituency Association is proposing to UCP to “suspend the practice” that students are taught to have privileges based on their “ethnic heritage.”
The resolution adds that there should be no discriminatory treatment of students because of their ethnic heritage, and aims to ban the teaching of some concepts…or another name. ”
Concepts should not include that “society as a whole is a racist system” or that some parts of the population are “historically guilty because of their ethnic heritage.”
That rationale points to an incident last year when an Edmonton public school district reported a “hateful” Instagram account called the “Scona White Student Alliance” to police.
One post from that account read in part, “White lives matter,” while another also said, “Society is ruled by victimhood and anti-white racism.” .
At the time, the school’s principal condemned the account, saying that posts that make students feel “unsafe” or “unwelcome” at school are absolutely unacceptable.
“Public education systems should not be ideological in their outlook and should not focus on promoting political messages to impress students,” the resolution’s rationale adds.
“The purpose of our education system should focus on teaching literacy, numeracy, and building on skills and knowledge.”
Expansion of commodity exports
Resolution 1 proposes creating a transportation utility corridor from Alberta to the Hudson Bay port of Churchill, Manitoba, to facilitate the transportation of oil and gas.
The policy proposal, drafted by the Edmonton Center constituency, says the government will liaise with Saskatchewan and Manitoba to secure “major national construction projects.”
“Modern navigational technology allows ships to cross Hudson Bay in first year ice,” the rationale reads.
“Alberta must do its part to help European countries cut their dependence on Russian oil and gas.”
Protecting agribusiness
A second resolution, proposed by the Cardston Siksika constituency association, calls on the state to protect agribusinesses from “harmful” federal regulation.
“Alberta is a world leader in agribusiness and efficient farming practices,” says the rationale. “The federal government is threatening agribusiness capacity by cutting fertilizers and other modern farming practices under the guise of climate change.”
It argues that modern agricultural practices have evolved to balance production and safety, and harmful changes threaten the world’s food supply.
Electricity charges and surcharges
Another resolution would require UCP to overhaul its electricity tariffs to reduce transmission and distribution costs.
“We need to focus on ensuring that the new generation is trustworthy and affordable for Albertans,” said its rationale.
“The cost of moving new generations into the distribution system should be limited as much as possible.”
The Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright Constituency Association drafted the policy proposal.
AHS bureaucracy reduction
The Calgary Fish Creek Constituency Association drafted a resolution calling for increased funding for preventive health care and removing barriers to health care by reducing the number of Alberta Health Service managers.
According to the resolution, the Sunshine list of AHS executives earning more than $140,000 a year should be cut from over 900 to about 200.
“Alberta has one of the most costly and inefficient systems in Canada and one of the worst universal health care systems in the developed world,” said the rationale, adding that managers and bureaucrats He added that it contributes “little” to sex.
Another resolution made by the St. Albert Constituency Association calls on states to ensure that the licenses and qualifications of health care workers are reviewed “easily and efficiently” within “a specified period of time.” .
The rationale states that this helps newcomers to Alberta facilitate their ability to practice medicine.
