Danielle Smith's time as premier of Alberta and her policies
This article is about Danielle Smith's time as premier of Alberta and her policies. For the membership of the ministry and cabinet, see Smith Ministry.
Premiership of Danielle Smith 11 October 2022[1] – present
Smith won the 2022 UCP leadership election on October 6, 2022, defeating six candidates with 53% of the UCP caucus vote. The 30thAlberta Legislature was constituted on 11 October 2022.
As promised in her election campaign as a contender for the leadership of the UCP replacing then Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, the first piece of legislation Premier Smith introduced on the first day of the fall sitting of the 4th Session of the 30th Alberta Legislature was Bill 1: Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, commonly known as the Alberta Sovereignty Act.[2] It was introduced on 29 November 2022 on the first day of the fall sitting of the 4th Session of the 30th Alberta Legislature by Premier Smith and passed on December 8, 2022. The final requirement before it passes into law is the royal assent, which is mostly viewed as ceremonial.[3][4] Lieutenant Governor Lakhani told media on 2 September, after Smith had announced her intention to introduce Bill 1, that she would be seeking legal advice before giving assent to the Act, in order to ensure she would be "do[ing] the right thing for our people and for our Constitution".[3][4]
Affordability and Utilities Minister Matt Jones introduced Bill 2: Inflation Relief Statutes Amendment Act on 7 December.[7][8] If passed, Bill 2 would provide targeted relief through monthly cash payments of $100 to some families and seniors with combined incomes of less than $180,000 following submission of applications. Opposition Shannon Phillips said that the bill as it stands reflects a "back-of-the-napkin approach" lacking critical details while neglecting many who struggle with their finances.[9]
Ministry of Health
Included in Health Minister Jason Copping's 14 November mandate letter from Premier Smith, was a reminder to consider the affordability crisis and inflation in decisions related to the eleven expectations or commitments listed in the health portfolio.[10][11] First on the list was a call to assess and reform the health care system including the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) and Alberta Health Services (AHS). This includes an immediate response to issues such as lengthy ER wait times and EMS response times.[10][11]
On January 10, 2023, Premier Smith told reporters that she had asked Nate Glubish— Minister of technology and innovation—to move forward on the creation of Health Spending Accounts, similar to those offered by some industries and professions.[12] The accounts—if implemented—would be funded with a combination of $300 seed money from the provincial government supplemented with equal payment from individuals based on a sliding-scale.[12] In a 2021 University of Calgary, School of Public Policy academic paper, Smith described the concept of user fees in the form of Health Spending Accounts as one of the solutions for Alberta's key challenges.[13] Smith's concern, at that time, was to reduce the $12 billion "structural shortfall" of expenses-versus-revenue by slowly introducing scaled-to-income user fees of $3 billion, with Health Spending Accounts as only one prong on the multi-pronged proposal.[13] Because the Health Spending Account can be spent on a wider choice of health care options—orthodontics, physiotherapists, dieticians—individuals can use the $600 on preventative healthcare that is not covered by the public system.[13] The goal is to "change the conversation on health care" and revisit the concept of "universal social programs that are 100 per cent paid by
taxpayers."[13]
Ministry of Justice
The two top priorities in the mandate letter to Minister Tyler Shandro were the Alberta Sovereignty Act and amendments to the Alberta Human Rights Act (AHRA) to protect people from losing their jobs because of COVID-19 vaccination and/or booster status.[11][14][15] An amendment to AHRA if passed, would allow complaints to be made Alberta Human Rights Commission if a denial of work, housing or other services was related to their vaccine status.[15] If the complaint were considered valid they would then advance to the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal where an assessment would be made.[15] The Tribunal may find that "vaccination was a justifiable requirement for the workplace, facility, or service in question".[15]
In a January 21, 2023 in a radio call-in show, Premier Smith announced that there would be a review of email contacts between Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) and the office of the premier's staff in response to the January 19 CBC News article questioning the way in which Crown prosecutors were handling cases related to the February 2022 blockade at the Canada-U.S. border.[16] The CBC article was based on an unnamed source about alleged correspondence the CBC staff had not read, saying that there were emails sent from the office of the premier to Crown prosecutors.[17][16][18] On January 23, the Justice Department reported that following an Alberta Public Service investigation no evidence of these allegations had been found.[16][18][19] ACPS assistant deputy minister Kimberley Goddard said in a January 23 email said that it was wrong to continue to criticize the ACPS for inappropriate and unethical behaviour based on unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations of "impropriety without evidence."[19] CBC's Head of Public Affairs said they are still questioning whether there were emails "but not on the government email system."[19] On March 29, Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski's YouTube video, since removed, entitled "January 26, 2023" of a 11-minute telephone call between Premier Smith and Pawlowski, was aired in the Alberta Legislature, raising fresh calls for an investigation into potential political interference.[20] In the conversation the premier explained to Pawlowski that she could not grant him amnesty. She said that she only has the authority to ask the Justice minister and his senior bureaucrats about the "reasonable likelihood of convictions and whether going to trial would be in the public interest".[21] Smith has been very open about her criticism of COVID-19 public health measures and was sympathetic with Pawlowski who is facing charges under the province's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act.[22] The Alberta ethics commissioner started investigating Smith in April, 2023 for her alleged interference with the administration of justice.[23] In May 2023 the ethics commissioner found that Smith had contravened the Conflict of Interest Act by discussing criminal charges against Artur Pawlowski with the justice minister Tyler Shandro and with Pawlowski himself.[24]
LGBT policy
In January 2024, Premier Smith announced major reforms releated to LGBT issues.
Plans to ban gender affirming surgeries for minors under the age of 18 and hormones and puberty blockers for minors under the age of 16.[25][26][27]
Sports
Plans to ban transgender women and girls from competing in women's sports.[25][26][27]
Passage
On December 3 2024, the Alberta legislature passed these bills. One banning doctors from treating those under 16 with puberty blockers or hormone therapy, One banning transgender athletes from competing in female sports, and another one requiring children under 16 to have parental consent if they want to change their names or pronouns at school.[28][29][30]
In November 2024, Premier Smith appointed former Prime Minister, Stephen Harper as Chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). Harper will oversee AIMCO's $160 billion which includespension funds and the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.[32] This move has been seen as a departure from the traditional Canadian pension model, which emphasizes independence and political neutrality.[33]
Smith, Danielle (September 2021). McKenzie, Kenneth; Mansell, Robert L. (eds.). "Alberta's Key Challenges and Opportunities"(PDF). The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary. Alberta's Economic and Fiscal Future. Calgary, Alberta. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
