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Re: Smith defends refusal to permit followup questions from journalists, April 15
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Danielle Smith is taking a web page from the Stephen Harper playbook. In the course of the 2015 federal election marketing campaign, at every occasion Stephen Harper solely allowed three questions in English, one query in French, and no followups.
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Harper misplaced.
What does authorities have to cover?
Within the 4 years of the UCP reign, I’ve written a big variety of letters to premiers Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith and our UCP MLA on a variety of matters. I obtain acknowledgment that my letters have been obtained, however to date I haven’t obtained any solutions to my questions.
The media is my solely outlet to get solutions and it is just via questions at information conferences that we now have been in a position to get previous the glib one-liners and nearer to the reality.
The “you possibly can solely ask one query” stance displays Smith’s disregard for the residents of this province. We’d like a free and open relationship between the federal government and the residents.
Why does Smith have a lot to cover? Rob Anderson’s tweet signifies he believes in an authoritarian strategy to freedom of the media as to who can and can’t query the premier.
Guess she doesn’t actually need the job. I nearly assume that I would like to rent a lobbyist to get a response from this authorities, or maybe I ought to type a foyer group for “Calgary disenfranchised voters.”
Premier not dodging accountability
For anybody to insinuate that Danielle Smith’s cause for limiting media questions is to dodge accountability is nonsense.
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Smith is in regards to the enterprise of managing Alberta in a fiscally accountable manner whereas concurrently standing as much as federal authorities overreach, nevertheless, this strategy solely resonates with 50 per cent of the inhabitants.
The 50 per cent that may relate to her message are usually older, self-made, hard-working Albertans who see every little thing they’ve labored for being devalued because of poor federal insurance policies.
Ask Smith about coverage, taxes, well being care and the way her authorities will cope with them. Don’t ask her a couple of remark made on her radio speak present three years in the past whereas making an attempt to stimulate listener suggestions.
Rachel Notley says she is going to reply all questions; begin asking her the exhausting ones and lay some accountability in her lap. Extra authorities and extra taxes is her realm. We’re within the place we’re because of leftist tax and spend insurance policies by the Liberal/NDP alliance in Ottawa, and an NDP authorities in Alberta will do extra of the identical.
Ask each candidates the identical exhausting questions and print their responses with out twisting phrases or placing a woke spin on every little thing.
Ought to we keep or go?
One query for Danielle Smith: Sure or no, do you favour the separation of Alberta from Canada?
Larry Mackillop, Nanton