#Cardston-Siksika

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

February 26, 2025

Mr. Schow: These are both called against the Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar, who was heard multiple times – and I suspect that this is the root of many points of order from some of my colleagues as well this afternoon – saying, “How much did they pay you?” when the Premier was referring to the success of chartered surgical facilities in the province, seeing the increased number of surgeries completed every year is on the up whereas the number of surgeries completed by AHS is on the decline.

To suggest that the Premier herself is getting paid something or is benefiting financially from these contracts is clearly out of line.

...

Mr. Schmidt: I’d like to just explain to the Government House Leader that I wasn’t singling out the Premier. When I said, “How much are they paying you?” I meant the entire UCP cabinet, so for that, I’m sorry. And I am sorry that we don’t know how much the UCP cabinet has made off of these chartered surgical deals.

[farcillesbian]

fellow Albertans! provincial elections are coming up! if you intend to vote, make sure you read up on the ID requirements (for example, if you were planning on bringing solely your passport as ID, please know that's NOT enough to be used as a single piece of ID, unlike a driver's license).

if you don't have the right identification to vote, make sure your address is up to date on your bank account so that you can print an account statement, or that you hold on to a copy of a utility bill sent to your address, and if you really don't have anything, now is the time to arrange for someone who can vouch for you!

if you're away from home and can't make it to advanced polls (from may 23-27th) you have until the 22nd at 6 pm to request a special ballot in the mail!

AND if you can get to one of the following communities for advanced polls or election day and could use a temporary job for a bit of extra income, you should apply for an election worker position in one of these divisions:

51-Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St.Paul: Bonnyville, Cherry Grove, Cold Lake, Elk Point, Glendon, Heinsburg, Kehewin, Saddle Lake, St.Paul

54-Cardston-Siksika: Cardston, Coalhurst, Magrath, Nobleford, Picture Butte, Vauxhall, Vulcan

55-Central Peace-Notley: Fairview, Falher, McLennan

60-Fort McMurray-Lac la Biche: Anzac, Conklin, Fort McMurray, Janvier, Lac la Biche, Plamondon, Wandering River

61-Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo: Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay, Fort McMurray

63-Grande Prairie: Grande Prairie

64-Grande Prairie-Wapiti: Beaverlodge, Clairmont, Grande Prairie, Hythe, Sexsmith, Wembley

70-Lesser Slave Lake: High Prairie, Red Earth Creek, Slave Lake, Wabasca-Desmarais

74-Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin: Ferintosh, Hay Lakes, Looma, Ma-Me-O Beach, Maskwacis, Millet, New Sarepta, Wetaskiwin

77-Peace River Fort Vermilion, Grimshaw, High Level, La Crete, Manning, Peace River, Rainbow Lake

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The RCMP has interviewed two more UCP MLAs — Joseph Schow and Jordan Walker — as part of its investigation into the party’s 2017 leadership campaign.

Schow is the deputy government whip and member for Cardston-Siksika, and Walker is the Sherwood Park MLA.

Neither of them returned Postmedia’s requests for comment, but UCP caucus executive director Robyn Henwood said they are not under investigation.

It’s the latest in a string of police interviews over alleged vote irregularities in the race won by now-Premier Jason Kenney.

Police have also questioned five cabinet ministers: Josephine Pon (seniors and housing), Prasad Panda (infrastructure), Doug Schweitzer (justice), Jason Luan (mental health and addictions) and Leela Aheer (culture, multiculturalism and status of women). All say they’re not under investigation.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @abpoli @ontarionewsnow @politicsofcanada

[occasionalpoliticalcommenta-blog]

Every eight to ten years, the Electoral Boundaries Commission redraws the electoral boundaries of this province at accommodate growing population that is generally shifting away from rural areas toward larger centres. This, of course, presents challenges. 

First, the Commission does not have the option of increasing the number of seats; the legislature is legislated to have a maximum of 87 seats representing ridings of approximately equal populations. With more people living in urban areas - particularly Calgary and Edmonton - rural seats will necessarily get larger, and consequently much harder for an MLA to actually know and therefore represent her constituents. Check out the Central Peace-Notely, Peace River, or Cardston-Siksika ridings to see how large some of these rural ridings are getting. 

In order to get approximately equal populations in each riding, the Commission has restored - in many cases - to urban-rural mixed ridings where a urban municipality is bisected and included with a large hinterland. See the two Medicine Hat ridings for an example of this. Urban and rural areas typically have differing political cultures, often returning more liberal and conservative members, respectively. The problem, then, with urban-rural ridings is the possibility that the member elected will effectively alienate around half of their constituents. While rural or urban only ridings certainly have this happen, I think it would be much more likely with these splits. 

I understand that this is beyond the mandate of the Electoral Boundaries Commission, but the most effective way to address these and other issues would be the adoption of a mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system to replace our antiquated single member or first past the post (FPTP) system. I’ll write on why I think this is a better solution in the future. 

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

November 28, 2024

Mr. Schmidt: In fact, it’s incredibly concerning to me that my friend from Calgary-Acadia proposed an amendment to at least clarify that child care providers are required to follow some basic hygiene protocols to make sure that kids aren’t eating each other’s poop in daycare again but, apparently, the UCP has no problem with kids eating poop and is not at all interested – yes. The Minister for Tourism and Sport is incredibly predictable, and I suspect he has something to say.

Mr. Schow: Point of order.

Point of Order Language Creating Disorder

Mr. Schow: I was actually trying to stop myself from laughing because of how outrageous it is that I have to actually call this point of order. But it’s obvious that the UCP is not interested in kids eating poop, Madam Speaker.

...

The Deputy Speaker: There are words I don’t want to say in response to this point of order, but most certainly this is a point of order. Saying things like “the UCP doesn’t care if kids eat poop” is not helpful for decorum in this House and the level of debate in which these important matters deserve respect, so I’ll ask the hon. member to apologize and withdraw and carry on with his remarks.

Mr. Schmidt: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am truly sorry that the UCP doesn’t care that kids are eating poop in daycare and won’t do anything about it, so I withdraw the remarks.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

March 24, 2025

Mr. Ip: Given that PragerU spreads racist rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and hate, including Islamophobic videos like one titled There Is No Such Thing as Islamophobia and another that dismisses Islamophobia as a buzzword, does the Premier not understand that she is using public money to actively fund raise for an organization that spreads hate? What kind of message does this send to Muslim Albertans? Will she do the right thing and cancel the trip?

Mr. Schow: No, Mr. Speaker, the Premier will not cancel the trip. She will do nothing of the sort.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

March 27, 2025

Mr. Schow: I’m not sure if this microphone is on, if the members opposite can hear me, but I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again. This government and, I hope, all members of this Chamber, I suspect, completely and unequivocally condone racism or discrimination of any . . . [interjections]

An Hon. Member: Condemn.

Mr. Schow: Condemn. Condemn, Mr. Speaker. I apologize. I retract that. Of course, the members opposite would love to find humour in mistakes. We condemn – absolutely condemn – racism or discrimination. [interjections]

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

March 11, 2025

Ms Goehring: Mr. Speaker, given that I recently spoke with a constituent and former AHS employee who said that she would not have even considered going for a coffee with an individual who sells medical devices or is otherwise involved in a procurement process, even for appearances’ sake, given that the Premier recently stated that she and her cabinet are not involved in procurement, why is it that this government is so comfortable publicly meeting with and developing relationships with those who are?

Mr. Schow: Mr. Speaker, I’ll start my answer by calling a point of order. Those questions are certainly not relevant.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

February 26, 2025

Mr. Schow: If I’m looking at my sheet here, in past rulings you have ruled on this specific issue against this specific member one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight times. Eight times. Now, I know repetition is the mother of learning, so maybe this is another lesson learned for the Member for Edmonton-Glenora, but to suggest the Premier is deliberately misleading the public with misinformation or that she is lying or using any form of that, doing indirectly what you cannot do directly, that is by my understanding a point of order. It shouldn’t be accepted in this Chamber, and I’d ask the member to apologize and withdraw.

Ms Hoffman: I will say that I didn’t say the word deliberately. That doesn’t mean that what I said was within the rules of the House. Saying that the Premier spread disinformation is what I said and what I wrote down, and in the moment I wrote it down, I was going based off fact and not on the rules of the House. So for speaking truth to truth and not following the rules, I certainly do apologize and withdraw. [interjections]

The Speaker: Listen, hon. members have benefited from the rules of the Assembly on numerous occasions. The Deputy Government House Leader can disagree. He can sit there, he can shake his hand, he can make head gestures at me. It doesn’t change the fact that members of the government have benefited from the rule.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

November 26, 2024

Mr. Schow: You cannot continue to misattribute members in this Chamber and then post it on social media or X or whatever social media platform the member is using these days. Who knows?

An Hon. Member: Bluesky.

Mr. Schow: Oh, Bluesky, which is a whole other thing.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

November 20, 2023

Mr. Schow: When the Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar was speaking in his second supplemental, with reference to the Premier and changes to the conflicts of interest, he said – and I have the benefit of the Blues: “the minister wouldn’t have his job if the Premier had been up front about her plan to line her own pockets during the campaign.” The Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar is clearly making an accusation that the Premier is taking bribes and lining her own pockets.

The Speaker: Order. That is an absolutely unacceptable gesture directed to the Government House Leader, for which you can return to your seat and apologize.

Mr. McIver: Jackass.

The Speaker: Order. The hon. Member for Calgary-Hays will rise to his feet and apologize.

Mr. McIver: I do apologize, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Schmidt: I apologize that the House leader is so sensitive and had to rise on that point.

The Speaker: No. You don’t apologize for that. You apologize for making an inappropriate gesture at the doorway to the Chamber. You will do so, or you will be named and you will leave the Chamber until a committee deals with it.

Mr. Schmidt: I have offered my apology, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker: You will be well served that the Speaker spoke last week about not judging the quality of an apology. You behaved like my 12-year-old, slowly waltzing across this Chamber after being spoken to directly. It’s absolutely unacceptable and unbecoming of a member of this Assembly.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 24, 2024

Mr. Shepherd: We have seen this as a repeated pattern with this Premier. She has an obsession with going for the fringe. That is all well and good, Mr. Speaker. If that is her personal interest, that is fine.

Mr. Schow: Point of order.

Point of Order Relevance

Mr. Schow: The member opposite said during his speech: the Premier has a tendency or likes to gravitate towards the fringe. It was part of an extensive ramble from that member that I felt was – I think it’s even worthy of saying – not on topic for the bill. I’m not sure what the obsession is with the Premier. But I will say that the member opposite certainly is using language that would create disorder in this Chamber, especially when talking about gravitating towards the fringe. That member would love to define what the fringe is. I can tell you that on this side of the House we are in government. It means we won the majority of the seats in the province. It means we have the majority of votes in the province. So I would hate for the member opposite to be suggesting that the people who voted for us are the fringe.

Now, it is not uncommon for that member or others to call into question the nature of the people who elected us, but the reality is that they did in fact elect us to be government. They elected us to form government, elected the hon. Premier to be the Premier and to lead the government. I’m not sure why the member continues to obsess about that. Rather, maybe he should focus on the content of the bill instead of going on long, meaningless diatribes.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 8, 2024

Mr. Schow: I mean, I’m not the one here typing up op-eds for the Calgary Herald and then tabling them in the Chamber because no one else read them. I mean, I find that actually about as pathetic as the campaign from the Member for Edmonton-Whitemud.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

April 16, 2024

Mr. Schow: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember growing up with four brothers and a sister, and I would say what my brother said, and then he would say what I said. It was clearly a matter of debate, and my mother would be the arbitrator of that. This is very similar. The hon. minister of service Alberta is clearly suggesting that what the member opposite is saying is not true. They are not calling them liars. That would be what, I suggest or suspect, the opposition deputy House leader is insinuating. At no time was that word used. I don’t think this is a point of order. I think it’s a matter of debate, which is our job in this Chamber, to debate.

The Speaker: I am prepared to rule. I do have one question for the hon. the Government House Leader: in this situation am I your mother, and are you both brothers, and teamwork makes the dream work?

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

February 29, 2024

Member Tejada: Given that Albertans are struggling with a health care crisis, affordability crisis, and so much more and that this Premier is choosing to spend her time to divide Albertans and spread misinformation and given that her position has been loudly cheered on by Take Back Alberta, who is now taking credit for the policy, and given that the Premier has a leadership review this fall, can she admit that she is securing the leadership needs by putting trans kids and their families in harm’s way?

Mr. Schow: Mr. Speaker, this is not a time to be talking about party politics; rather, about government business. I do find the insinuation outright repulsive. I find that repulsive that the member opposite would insinuate such matters.

[the-quotable-alberta-hansard]

February 28, 2024

Mr. Schow: I rise on a point of order through 23(h), (i), and (j), particularly (j). When the Leader of the Opposition was asking her question at the time noted, she said, to the best of my knowledge: “It is dangerous living in a province where the government pushes everything but the facts . . . It is her misinformation, her extremist views that are causing parents to worry.” I believe that suggesting that the Premier is an extremist or has extremist views would be, certainly, language that would rise to the threshold of a point of order given that it would cause disorder within this Chamber.