Rachel Notley delivers campaign-style speech at Alberta NDP convention

CALGARY – Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley mocked the United Conservative Party is recent turmoil and focused on Saturday’s upcoming provincial election, but never mentioned Danielle Smith only once in his speech at his party’s convention.

“They had a whole year. I never thought I’d say that about Jason Kenney but I kinda miss him. Weird isn’t it? Said Notley.

“He may not have completed an entire term as Prime Minister, but he has lasted much longer than that head of lettuce on television in Britain. The big question is will his successor be able to say the same thing?

Notley said she expects her and the NDP to be the focus of much of the discussion at the UCP rally.

“Because we’re only a week away from Halloween and we’re scaring them. They’ll tell scary stories about sinister New Democrats and their spooky alliances.

Not once in her speech did she mention Smith by name and told reporters she had not spoken to Smith, who was elected leader of the UCP earlier this month, for three or four years, but said their relationship had always been « collegiate ».

“What we heard from Albertans is that Albertans know the current leader of the UCP, they know who she is, they know what she has to say and more and more they come to tell us ‘OK, what’s your plan?’ “Notley told reporters.

“I certainly have no ill will against her personally. I worry about the hurtful nature of some of his statements, some of his policies toward real Albertans, the consequences of those decisions.

About 1,200 people are registered for the NDP convention, which Notley said is the largest ever.

She spent much of her speech laying out campaign-style promises, including the repeal of numerous United Conservative Party cuts to family and elderly support benefits and cost containment for consumers.

“After the last election… some people were ready to write us off. They thought we were going to disappear. But thanks to you, we are taller and more confident.

Notley served as premier from 2015 to 2019. She reminded delegates that this was the party’s last rally before next year’s provincial election and promised to cap utility bill rates, freeze auto insurance rates and maintain the provincial gas tax at the pump until inflation returns to more normal levels.

She acknowledged that it looked like an election campaign launch.

“I think that’s fair enough to say. So yes, it becomes campaign for sure. It is at this stage. The -ish stadium.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 22, 2022.

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