Danielle Smith Presents Plan for Albertans; Rachel Notley Runs From Record

(May 18, 2023) — At tonight’s debate, UCP Leader Danielle Smith confidently outlined the successes of the UCP government and put forward a positive vision for Alberta’s future, while NDP Leader Rachel Notley used every opportunity to run away from her record and failed to articulate a plan for a better Alberta.

In a message to all Albertans, Smith clearly and confidently laid out her plan for stability, job growth, economic diversification, safe streets, and keeping life affordable for all Albertans.

“Alberta’s opportunities are endless. And I know our best days are still ahead,” said Smith. “My commitment to each of you – if re-elected – is to serve you with everything I have and to the best of my ability, however imperfect that may be at times. I will continue to focus on growing and diversifying our amazing economy, making life more affordable and our communities safer, and improving health care for all Albertans.”

The debate reinforced what Albertans already know: Smith and the UCP have a solid, stable, forward-looking plan that Albertans can rely on. A plan that ensures stability for job creators as well as jobs and opportunities for every Albertan, whether they have been here for decades, or if they are one of the tens of thousands who have chosen this province as their home in the past year.

It also reinforced that Rachel Notley has nothing to offer Albertans other than fear, negativity, misinformation, and an aversion to face the reality of the NDP government’s term. Throughout the entire hour, Notley refused to accept her role in the devastation of Alberta’s economy and failed to put forward ideas that would improve life for Albertans. She had no rebuttal to her plan to increase Albertans’ electricity bills by 40 per cent and no rationale for her plan to increase taxes on Alberta job creators by 38 per cent – a plan criticized by well-respected economists.

Over the past four years, the UCP government balanced the budget twice, paid off $13.4 billion of the record NDP debt, contributed $1.8 billion into the Heritage Savings Trust Fund for the first time since Premier Ralph Klein, and attracted billions of dollars of investment, creating of tens of thousands of new jobs for Albertans across a growing number of industries.

“This election, Albertans have a choice between a UCP government that has lowered taxes, balanced the budget and returned Alberta to its place as the economic powerhouse of Canada,” Smith concluded. “Or we can choose to go backwards to the same failed NDP policies that hiked taxes, drove out jobs and investment, and almost bankrupted our province.”

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