Three months after the NDP’s historic win, Mariam Ibrahim takes a look at the new government’s record.
Ninety days in, the government is performing a political balancing act, as it tries to square its desire to push ahead with major campaign promises with the practical reality of traversing the complicated world of leading government.
So what have they done?
Within weeks, Notley made good on her vows to hike personal and corporate taxes and bump up the minimum wage, along with eliminating corporate and union donations to political parties. A health levy planned by former premier Jim Prentice was scrapped before it could come into effect July 1.
But other changes have yet to appear: The carbon levy on heavy polluters was increased and emissions targets strengthened, but Albertans are no closer to seeing a completed climate change strategy than they were under the Tory government. The resource royalty review — a crucial policy piece that could make or break the NDP’s first mandate — remains clouded in questions about who will form the panel and its terms of reference. And some other promises, such as reducing school fees, restoring the Summer Temporary Employment Program and enhancing tax credits and supplements for low income families, have been put on the back burner.
There have been some major wins, chief among them Notley’s first meeting with her provincial counterparts, held in St. John’s just weeks ago. It yielded what two Alberta premiers before her couldn’t achieve: An agreement on the Canadian Energy Strategy, touted as a vital step to getting crucial energy infrastructure projects off the ground.
It is, perhaps, unfair to predict fundamental changes — good or bad — of a new government in just 90 days but when the party in power hasn’t changed in four decades, the expectations are high, the spotlight glaring and the scrutiny fierce
more
Ninety Days of Notley: A look at life after the landslide for Alberta’s premier
Ninety days in, the government is performing a political balancing act, as it tries to square its desire to push ahead with major campaign promises with the practical reality of traversing the complicated world of leading government.
So what have they done?
Within weeks, Notley made good on her vows to hike personal and corporate taxes and bump up the minimum wage, along with eliminating corporate and union donations to political parties. A health levy planned by former premier Jim Prentice was scrapped before it could come into effect July 1.
But other changes have yet to appear: The carbon levy on heavy polluters was increased and emissions targets strengthened, but Albertans are no closer to seeing a completed climate change strategy than they were under the Tory government. The resource royalty review — a crucial policy piece that could make or break the NDP’s first mandate — remains clouded in questions about who will form the panel and its terms of reference. And some other promises, such as reducing school fees, restoring the Summer Temporary Employment Program and enhancing tax credits and supplements for low income families, have been put on the back burner.
There have been some major wins, chief among them Notley’s first meeting with her provincial counterparts, held in St. John’s just weeks ago. It yielded what two Alberta premiers before her couldn’t achieve: An agreement on the Canadian Energy Strategy, touted as a vital step to getting crucial energy infrastructure projects off the ground.
It is, perhaps, unfair to predict fundamental changes — good or bad — of a new government in just 90 days but when the party in power hasn’t changed in four decades, the expectations are high, the spotlight glaring and the scrutiny fierce
more
Ninety Days of Notley: A look at life after the landslide for Alberta’s premier