You have power to choose the next Alberta government. It is your right to vote and decide the next government in Alberta to take us forward. Let you vote count. Alberta Election 2019, early voting begins today. You can vote in any polling station in Alberta. Yes any polling station from this list here https://www.elections.ab.ca/current-election-information/polling-places/

Before sharing the highlights of the responses from Alberta’s New Democratic Party (NDP), and the United Conservative Party (UCP) to the issues that matter to you the most in this election, I just can’t resist sharing this fictional encounter with you last evening in the west of Edmonton.

We were going down west and I met a friend called Rachel Notley, the leader of the NDP. I asked, “how are you today, Rachel”. “Jason Kenney cheated in the leadership election of his party,” Rachel responded. “Come on Rachel, I’m not talking about Jason, I’m talking about you”. “How are you doing, Rachel,” I repeated. “Jason has so many racist candidates in his party,” Rachel replied. “Whatever the case Rachel, I’m running to a meeting,”  I ended the conversation. As I was about leaving, another friend of mine Jason Kenney, showed up. Jason is the leader of the UCP. “How is the going Jason,” I jumped in. “Rachel has ruined the Alberta economy,” he replied. “Jason where is Rachel? I’m talking to you, not Rachel”. “How’s the going man?,” I asked again. “Rachel has forged an alliance with Justin Trudeau,” he replied again. You know what Jason, I have to run. Just right then another friend of mine walked in, Stephen Mandel, Leader of the Alberta Party. “How’s life treating you Stephen?,” I asked. “I’m fine Frankline,” Stephen replied. “Are you sure you are fine, Stephen?,” I questioned. “Stephen the election is heating up and…,” I interrupted. “Ya…David Khan was smoking something that he should not be smoking…”. Immediately David Khan joined us. “How are you doing David?” “I’m fine Frankline”. “How is the election going?” “I heard Stephen saying something on the radio…”.

This paints a clear but fictional picture of what you saw in the Alberta election debate last evening. The leading parties, the NDP and the UCP are talking more about the other party than about themselves. We all have friends that we remember them only for what they say about other friends and not for what they say about themselves. We also have friends that we only think of them when we see them and hardly remember them for anything else. That is the Alberta Party and the Liberal Party of Alberta. They talk nicely about themselves but you can hardly remember what they said.

NDP’s Rachel Notley was calm, took less risk, stuck to her script, not as as free-flowing as in 2015, spoke directly to the disgruntled conservatives, to try to bring them over to NDP. Although a shrinking and aging group, the conservatives always vote. They are politically active and a save bet if you can win them over. UCP’s Jason Kenney spoke directly to his base. He kept to his lines and had an awkward handshake at the end of the debate with other other liberal lining leaders. The Alberta Party and the Liberal Party of Canada were not sure whom they were talking to. Well, like the NDP and the UCP, the Alberta Party and the Liberal Party of Alberta did not speak to you. Neither did they talk about the issues that matter to you every day such as recognition of foreign credentials, racism, and discrimination. Hopefully, in the last week of the election who will hear more from the political leaders about their platforms.

Interestingly, the NDP and the UCP responded to our questions on key issues that matters to you the most but sadly you did not hear any of those issues and their solutions in the debate yesterday evening. Read below for yourself and see that this really speaks to the core of your heart. If you decide to vote on April the  16, or early from the 9 to 13, please take along a friend, a colleague, a family member or a spouse with you such that the next time Alberta political leaders take to a province wide stage, they will be speaking to you.

Recognition of foreign credentials and hiring of foreign trained professionals

“If re-elected, the NDP commit to increase investments in the foreign qualification recognition fund to further improve the ability for newcomers to have their education and experience recognized. They will also implement a Newcomer Paths to Employment strategy to make sure newer Albertans are able to fully share in our prosperity. The strategy includes a Newcomer Advocate to work for better policies and practice within government and industry, expanded bridging programs so more professionals can get the training they need to work in their field, and a provincial government newcomer internship program to provide crucial Canadian work experience”.

“…A United Conservative government will implement a Fairness for Newcomers Action Plan to work with trade and professional licensing bodies to streamline, simplify, and accelerate foreign credentials recognition. The goal is that applicants for licensure will have a clear answer in six months or less. A United Conservative government will create a Fairness for Newcomers Office to ensure that credentials are assessed with transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness. Push for faster action on the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, which is an effort to get regulatory bodies across Canada to harmonize their credentialing procedures…”

Racism and inclusion everywhere in Alberta

“…Going forward the NDP will continue to implement the provincial anti-racism strategy, including the creation of a Hate Crimes Unit, more resources for community groups combating racism and reforming government hiring practices to eliminate bias. They will create a Ministry of Multiculturalism to educate and promote diversity, inclusion and mutual respect among all Albertans. And they will work with communities that have experienced hate crimes at their places of worship to increase security and to restore a sense of safety…”

“…As part of the UCP platform we have announced a UCP government would create a Security Infrastructure Program to protect minority communities that are targeted by hate inspired violence and vandalism. The program, which will be modelled after a similar program Jason Kenney helped establish at the federal level will support religious and ethno-cultural groups at risk of being victimized by hate-motivated crime. They will be eligible for matching grants of up to $100,000 for the purchase of:

• Alarm systems
• Fences
• Gates
• Lighting
• Security Film for windows
• Closed-circuit television systems
• Exterior cameras
• Anti-graffiti sealant
• Motion detectors”

Unedited NDP Responses to issues that matter to you

Jobs

Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP know that Alberta is emerging from one of the worst economic downturns in generations. During the downturn she made the decision to protect Albertans’ services and jobs by sustaining funding to health care and education. Rather than throw teachers and nurses out of work, they kept serving Albertans. And now Rachel Notley is turning her attention to creating new jobs for Albertans. And she knows that the future of Alberta’s economy lies in embracing new technologies, emerging industries and global opportunities. Rachel wants to embrace those opportunities to create a new Alberta economy for the 21^st century. While energy remains an anchor for our province, we need to diversify our economy. In doing so, we can take advantage of the possibilities that emerge when we successfully attract new entrepreneurs, burgeoning start-ups and cutting edge global leaders in new industries. The Alberta NDP will work with industry to unlock $75 billion in new investment and 70,000 new jobs through a major expansion of refining, upgrading and petrochemical production capacity. They will also invest to attract high-tech companies to build on Alberta’s growing reputation.

Recognition of foreign credentials and hiring of foreign trained Professionals

Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP recognize that one of the biggest frustrations for newcomers who settle in Alberta is being able to have their credentials recognized by Alberta professional bodies. Rachel Notley does not want artificial barriers to get in the way of newcomers succeeding here. Coming out of the Anti-Racism report, the Notley government started a foreign qualification recognition fund. Through the fund the government will work with regulatory bodies to develop new tools that measure skills and experience and not credentials alone, and make sure newcomers know about these changes to help them better prepare for work in Alberta.

If re-elected, the NDP commit to increase investments in the foreign qualification recognition fund to further improve the ability for newcomers to have their education and experience recognized. They will also implement a Newcomer Paths to Employment strategy to make sure newer Albertans are able to fully share in our prosperity. The strategy includes a Newcomer Advocate to work for better policies and practice within government and industry, expanded bridging programs so more professionals can get the training they need to work in their field, and a provincial government newcomer internship program to provide crucial Canadian work experience.

 Education

Albertans expect their government to prepare Alberta’s kids for the future by properly funding our public education system. Investing in our schools and students is one of the most important investments we can make in our province’s future. Before the last election, investment in education was falling behind. Kids were having to learn in outdated and overcrowded schools with crumbling infrastructure. That’s why Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP promised to improve classroom conditions for all students and to build new schools. And that’s exactly what they did. Going forward we commit to fund enrolment so our schools can keep up with Alberta’s growing population. They will continue to build new schools, with a focus on much needed high schools. They will put more resources into the classroom to ensure every child has the best possible learning environment. And they will expand on our success at creating new language programs in Alberta schools, including creating new provincial Filipino, Punjabi, Somali and Cantonese offerings.

Racism and inclusion everywhere in Alberta

In today’s world, it’s more important than ever that we stand up for the rights of all Albertans, and work towards ending racism and discrimination. Rachel Notley is committed to an inclusive and diverse Alberta, where all Albertans feel safe, welcome, and can thrive. It is clear that Albertans share that commitment. Through hundreds of community conversations, we overwhelmingly heard Albertans reject racism and discrimination in all its forms. That’s why Rachel Notley has taken strong action to support new Albertans, to embrace diversity, and to right the wrongs of the past. Going forward the NDP will continue to implement the provincial anti-racism strategy, including the creation of a Hate Crimes Unit, more resources for community groups combating racism and reforming government hiring practices to eliminate bias.

They will create a Ministry of Multiculturalism to educate and promote diversity, inclusion and mutual respect among all Albertans. And they will work with communities that have experienced hate crimes at their places of worship to increase security and to restore a sense of safety.

Childcare

Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP know that for too long, the needs of parents and families for child care have been ignored. Even today, too many parents in Alberta struggle to find high-quality affordable child care. Over the past 4 years the Notley government have taken action to expand child care options for families. Rachel Notley knows that investing in child care is no waste of money – it is an investment in working parents today, an investment in a brighter future for our children and a significant economic development initiative.

Rachel Notley has committed to develop a comprehensive Alberta Affordable Child Care Program that will improve quality, accessibility and affordability of child care in the province. This will include expanding $25/day child care to all child care and family day home spots, creating 13,000 new spaces to meet increasing demand and initiatives to create innovative care such as care tailored to cultural communities, evening and weekend care and flexible care.

Grants to non-profits and universities

Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP believe higher education and advanced skills training are increasingly necessary to succeed in the modern economy. A highly skilled workforce is essential in every part of our economy, from energy to farming to research and development. Albertans deserve a government that believes every Albertan who wants to get an education should be able to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Over the last four years they insured stable, consistent funding for post-secondary.

Going forward Rachel Notley commits to continued stable funding for colleges and universities. They will also eliminate tuition fees for high school upgrading and English Language Learning programs, so every Albertan can acquire the skills they need to participate in today’s economy.

Systemic discrimination at all levels

Rachel Notley knows that racism can take many forms. In the work on the Anti-Racism Report, the NDP government heard directly from communities how racism affects them. Sometimes it is overt and ugly. Other times it is embedded into the structures of organizations and communities. To tackle racism, multiple approaches are needed. Rachel Notley is committed to establishing a Hate Crimes Unit and to assist communities with security at their places of worship. But more than that is needed. She and the Alberta NDP will work to tackle systemic aspects of racism. They will implement a Newcomers Paths to Employment strategy to help break through barriers to employment. They will implement reforms to the Alberta public service hiring process to ensure a more “blind” process when determining the right candidate. And they will work with communities themselves to identify other ways to break down the systemic elements of racism that mar our society.

Seniors care

As hardworking Albertans age, they deserve a government that supports them when they need it. Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP believe seniors shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll be able to get the care they need as they age. That’s why Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP made seniors a priority and took action to protect pensions, help them remain in their homes, and to ensure they get the care they need as they age. If re-elected a Rachel Notley government will continue to ensure Alberta’s seniors are a priority.

They will save the average senior $200 per year by removing all prescription drug co-payments for seniors who earn less than $75,000 per year. And they will build 2,000 new long term and dementia care beds in five years.

Our youths overburden with a mountain of student debt, lack of identity and jobs

Whether it is to upgrade to a high school diploma, take English Language classes, obtain a trades ticket or get a Bachelor’s degree, cost and a lack of available spaces should not be a barrier to someone maximizing their potential. Post-secondary education should not just be for those from wealthy families. And young people looking to get started in life shouldn’t be saddled with debt when they finish their training. Before the last election, these are exactly the types of situations Albertans found themselves facing. That’s why Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP made post secondary education more affordable and accessible for students across the province. They reversed the cuts proposed by the previous government and have invested in our colleges and universities.  They implemented a 5-year freeze on tuition fees, saving students and their families up to $2000 over the course of their program and legislated a cap on the amount tuition fees can go up in the future. They are also focused on making life more affordable for young families. The new Attainable Homes Alberta program will provide down payment and mortgage assistance to modest income families looking to buy their first home.

Health care

Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP believe one of the most important things a government can deliver is access to high-quality public healthcare when Alberta families need it. Whether it’s seeing the family doctor, getting timely access to an important procedure or being seen quickly in an emergency room, Albertans deserve a well functioning health care system. That’s why Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP made investing in hospitals and health care a top priority. They stabilized a health care system that had been lurching from crisis to crisis by offering stable, consistent funding. They added 1,200 doctors and 1,200 nurses across the province to address the needs of a growing population. And they addressed mental health care by almost doubling funding. Going forward they commit to continue to fund the pressures of our growing population. Freezing or cutting health care funding will mean longer wait lists and fewer services for Albertans in need. Rachel Notley will make sure Albertans get the health care they need when they need it.

Unedited UCP Responses to Issues that Matter to you in Alberta Election 2019

Jobs

The top priority for a United Conservative government is getting Albertans back to work. Nearly 160,000 Albertans are unemployed, 30,000 more than when the NDP took office.

The top priority of a United Conservative government will be creating jobs and getting Albertans back to work. As a key part of our job-creation strategy, a United Conservative government would introduce an Open for Business Act.

The Open for Business Act would reverse the massive new costs on businesses imposed by the NDP that have forced employers to lay people off. We will protect the rights of hard-working Albertans and reduce the red tape on those who create jobs.

Recognition of foreign credentials and hiring of foreign trained professionals

Many immigrants arrive in Canada with great hopes and skills only to be trapped in survival jobs because it can take years for business and professional licensing bodies to recognize the credentials they earned elsewhere. Recognizing the foreign credentials of talented new Albertans in a speedy fashion will be a key part of our plan to reignite the economy and get Albertans back to work.

A United Conservative government will implement a Fairness for Newcomers Action Plan to work with trade and professional licensing bodies to streamline, simplify, and accelerate foreign credentials recognition. The goal is that applicants for licensure will have a clear answer in six months or less.

A United Conservative government will create a Fairness for Newcomers Office to ensure that credentials are assessed with transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness.

Push for faster action on the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, which is an effort to get regulatory bodies across Canada to harmonize their credentialing procedures.

Education

A United Conservative government will reset the curriculum rewrite, restore fundamentals to math and affirm the primary role of parents in choosing how their children are taught. It’s time to bring common sense to education.

Under the NDP, class sizes have continued to increase, with decreasing scores in critical areas such as math and literacy. Due to the carbon tax and other damaging policies, valuable resources have been redirected away from classrooms and toward administration.

Alberta’s children deserve an excellent, world-class education that will equip them intellectually, socially, and with jobs-ready skills for life.

To ensure that education is a key advantage for Alberta, a United Conservative government would work with parents, teachers, and principals to once again make Alberta’s schools the choice-based, excellent classrooms that all Albertans desire and deserve.

The United Conservative model recognizes that every child is unique and that parents, not politicians, know what is best for their children.

Racism and inclusion everywhere in Alberta

The United Conservative Party rejects unequivocally all voices of hatred and bigotry. The United Conservative Party is the largest provincial political party in Canada with over 150,000 members.

During his time as the federal multiculturalism minister, Jason Kenney was a champion of Canada’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

As part of the UCP platform we have announced a UCP government would create a Security Infrastructure Program to protect minority communities that are targeted by hate inspired violence and vandalism. The program, which will be modelled after a similar program Jason Kenney helped establish at the federal level will support religious and ethno-cultural groups at risk of being victimized by hate-motivated crime. They will be eligible for matching grants of up to $100,000 for the purchase of:

• Alarm systems
• Fences
• Gates
• Lighting
• Security Film for windows
• Closed-circuit television systems
• Exterior cameras
• Anti-graffiti sealant
• Motion detectors

Childcare

Because of the NDP’s fiscal mismanagement, this $1.5 billion in new spending will come from increasing the province’s deficit, dragging us deeper into the NDP’s $100 billion debt hole.

United Conservatives are focused on jobs, the economy, and pipelines. We cannot afford massive new spending programs while our economy shrinks, and people are out of work.  In fact, even the NDP’s Minister Irfan Sabir has admitted that the NDP’s current child care pilot project is undersubscribed because so many Albertans are unemployed.

A United Conservative government will grow the economy and balance the budget through prudent spending; we will be able to consider additional support for child care in the future, when Albertans can afford it.

When we do so, our focus will be on supporting all choices made by parents equally, not just institutional nine to five child care, which excludes rural families, shift workers, parents who work at home, and those who prefer less formal kinds of child care.

A United Conservative government will maintain current supports in place for child care. Our platform will include measures to create more child care spaces at no cost to the taxpayer, by cutting unnecessary red tape on child care operators while not jeopardizing safety.

Grants to nonprofits and universities

Post-secondary education will be supported as critical to both Alberta’s future economy and to a vibrant Alberta.

A United Conservative government would recognize that there is as much worth and dignity in a trade certificate as there is a university degree. In fact, A United Conservative government would establish a new $1 million Trades Scholarship for 1,000 graduating secondary students who show promise in the trades in high school.

A United Conservative government recognizes the power of civil society and will work to empower organizations that are doing important work in our communities. A United Conservative government will introduce a Freedom to Care Act,  that will allow charitable and non-profit groups to apply for a “common sense exemption” on regulations that are designed primarily for commercial application.

Further, A United Conservative government would create a $20 million Civil Society Fund supported by the Alberta Lotteries Fund to support innovative cost-shared programs delivered by community groups.

Systemic discrimination at all levels

The United Conservative Party rejects unequivocally all voices of hatred and bigotry. The United Conservative Party, the largest provincial political party in Canada with over 130,000 members, was founded on the principles of respect for all.

In his nine years as the federal multiculturalism minister, Jason Kenney was a champion of Canada’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

Seniors care

Seniors should be the most cherished citizens in any community, having served their families, friends and co-workers for a lifetime, and having built Alberta into what it is today.

We will Make Life Better for Seniors and their families by using the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative (ASLI) to build the long-term care beds we need, encourage more home care options, and maintain existing seniors’ benefits.

Our youths are overburdened with a mountain of student debt, lack of identity and jobs

A United Conservative government would ensure that our economy is strong, and that students have opportunities to find well-paying jobs and get ahead here in Alberta.

Health care

A United Conservative government would ensure patients are at the centre of our healthcare system. Currently, Albertans pay some of the highest costs for their health care system

A United Conservative government would maintain or increase health spending over four years. We will seek to identify and address areas in the health care system where efficiencies can be found. To inform our approach, a United Conservative government would commission an administration performance review of Alberta Health Services (AHS), which will evaluate the performance of the organization and determine where efficiencies may be found. While we will seek to find efficiencies wherever possible, patients will remain at the center of any United Conservative decisions about health care service delivery in the province.

A United Conservative government will also appoint an Associate Minister of Health and Addictions to help manage the health care file broadly, as well as the opioid crisis.