Bell: Nenshi slams NDPer Nenshi as ‘Trudeau’s choice for Alberta’

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What?

What did the premier simply say?

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I needed to ask Premier Danielle Smith the query.

In any case, Naheed Nenshi, the previous mayor of Calgary and now an NDP management hopeful, is seen by quite a lot of on this province because the messiah who will lead the Alberta NDP again to the political promised land.

And when Nenshi kicked off his marketing campaign to be the brand new Alberta NDP numero uno he mentioned the one issues the Smith authorities knew tips on how to do whereas they had been being “incompetent” and “harmful” and “immoral” was decide fights and waste cash.

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Right here was Smith in a combat with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, not the primary one.

It’s a combat Smith says she doesn’t search however the premier factors to Trudeau because the one who’s punching Alberta within the nostril and she’s going to punch again and preserve punching again till the prime minister treats Alberta pretty.

Now, Smith is laying down the regulation and any cash offers the Trudeau authorities needs to make with cities and different native governments will want a thumbs-up from her UCP authorities.

Smith says there are agreements the place Trudeau is clearly pushing his agenda and that agenda is at odds with the Alberta authorities’s plans for the province.

In different phrases, Smith believes Trudeau ought to thoughts his personal enterprise.

Again to Nenshi.

How does Smith reply Nenshi’s cost she is choosing fights?

“Effectively, anyone who’s Trudeau’s alternative for Alberta would possibly say that,” says Smith, who doesn’t point out Nenshi by identify.

“I’m not right here to be Trudeau’s alternative for Alberta.”

Smith says her job is to see the province’s pursuits come first.

“I’m going to maintain on working to ensure I’m placing Albertans first.”

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Some within the UCP universe are already calling Nenshi “Trudeau’s alternative for Alberta.”

Looks like that is likely to be how Nenshi shall be solid by Smith’s supporters.

The sensible cash bets if Nenshi manages to win the Alberta NDP management you’ll hear the road linking him to Trudeau and the Liberals thrown round rather a lot.

In any case, the UCP suppose the previous mayor has extra baggage than a celebration crew heading to an all-inclusive getaway in Margaritaville and sufficient connections to Liberals to make the tag stick.

In equity, Nenshi was requested if he needed to answer the thought he’s Trudeau’s man however it’s mentioned he was “not fussed” by what Smith is saying.

In the meantime, it’s a totally different story within the legislature.

NDP chief Rachel Notley accuses Smith of “declaring battle towards federal {dollars} being spent right here.”

“Why does she suppose she wants to guard Albertans from their very own tax {dollars}?”

Smith is within the temper to attract extra connections to Ottawa.

“I really feel that query may have been requested by their federal chief Jagmeet Singh,” fires again the premier.

Smith says she is combating for equity.

Notley quotes out of your humble scribbler’s interview with Smith, the half the place the premier talked about Trudeau punching and her punching again.

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Notley says Smith and the UCP “don’t have anything to point out for these ongoing little political tantrums.”

“Why is she making Albertans pay the value for her failed partisan political petulant mood tantrums?” asks the NDP chief.

Smith will not be backing down.

She accuses the NDP of getting a “defeatist perspective” and laying down and accepting directions from federal NDP chief Singh whereas the premier vows to push again towards the federal “Liberal-NDP coalition.”

Earlier within the day Smith as soon as once more says all she needs is similar remedy as Quebec.

When a federal program is rolled out, Quebec “like clockwork” says they’re not going to abide by Ottawa’s guidelines and so they simply need the cash.

“They usually all the time get it,” says Smith.

“We’re simply doing what Quebec is doing.”

She says Albertans usually are not excited by “advantage signalling from Ottawa” and any {dollars} to go down that highway.

“Albertans don’t need federal funding to point out the world how virtuous we’re or to shine Canada’s halo internationally,” says Smith.

“We all know the federal authorities, on sure points, holds a diametrically opposed view to what it’s we wish to do.”

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Smith has ‘”grave issues” about any Trudeau offers “injecting ideology” like net-zero housing the place it’s led to not hooking up new properties to pure fuel or banning fuel stoves and fuel fireplaces.

Or Trudeau demanding cities rezone their neighbourhoods if they need the carrot of Ottawa {dollars}.

Or something to do with so-called secure provide of medication the place, in Smith’s phrases, nurses in B.C. are anticipated to provide crack pipes to sufferers in hospitals.

The premier says she merely needs the Trudeau authorities handy over Alberta the cash the province is entitled to get, a lot of that coin having come from Alberta taxpayers.

Final however not least, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says Smith leads “a provincial authorities with management points.”

Sure, spring is right here and the temperature goes up.

rbell@postmedia.com

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