Alberta election campaign continues with competing promises for women's shelters
Alberta's two main political parties offered competing visions Wednesday for women's shelters and sexual assault counselling centres as the second week of Alberta's election campaign continued.
Voters go to the polls on May 29.
The week has been dominated by United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith's past comments comparing those who were vaccinated for COVID-19 to Nazi supporters.
Smith didn't make any public appearances Wednesday, but some UCP candidates promised to increase support for women's shelters and sexual assault counselling centres if their party is re-elected.
"We know that women and children are disproportionately impacted by violence and in particular domestic violence," Tanya Fir, one of the Calgary candidates, said during a news conference.
"To help support women and children who are at risk, a re-elected United Conservative government will provide $20 million (over four years) for women's shelters and for sexual assault counselling."
Fir said $10 million of that money would go to counselling centres across Alberta, while the other $10 million would go to women's shelters.
"Albertans are looking for a government with a credible plan to address increasing crime in our communities while protecting survivors," she said.
The candidates couldn't say when that money would be provided to the shelters and centres.
Earlier in the day, the NDP released a statement that it would ensure women's shelters and sexual assault services have the resources needed if the party is elected as government.
Janis Irwin, who's the Opposition critic for women's issues and a candidate in Edmonton, said the UCP has failed to support the centres, failed to support survivors and then falsely claimed they turned down extra funding.
"This is unacceptable," she said in the statement Wednesday.
"Women's shelters and sexual assault centres deserve better, and they deserve a government that will ensure they have the resources that they need to support survivors. We will provide them with immediate funding and then work with them to develop long-term stable funding based on demand and outcomes."
Irwin said an NDP government would provide $9 million in the first year for sexual assault service providers to reduce wait times, expand counselling and ensure service providers can pay adequate wages.
She said it would provide another $8 million to domestic violence shelters to address inflation and allow those shelters to address any shortfalls in operations and increase wages appropriately.
The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters said in a statement Wednesday that there are immediate funding needs, but that the sector would also like to see legislative updates to two provincial laws.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley also had no public events Wednesday, but some of her colleagues held a news conference to raise concerns about a newly uncovered video from October 2021 showing Smith proposing to sell off hospitals to private operators.
"These are extreme views and they are part of a defined pattern of extreme views held by Danielle Smith," said Kathleen Ganley, an NDP candidate in Calgary.
"Earlier this week, a video emerged in which she compared the vast majority of Albertans who were vaccinated against COVID-19 to followers of Adolf Hitler. She said she would no longer wear a poppy because of the public health measures."
On Tuesday, Smith declined to discuss comments she made in 2021, saying it was time to move on from the "dark days" of the pandemic.
She also declined to answer why she was allowed to stay on as a UCP candidate while the party last year barred a candidate from running in part for making similar comments.
The UCP said in a statement Wednesday that the NDP are "doubling down on fear and smear tactics, because they have no real plan for anything."
It added that Smith has signed a public health guarantee to ensure no Albertans will pay to see their doctor or for medically necessary services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Man throws flaming liquid on New York City subway, burns fellow rider
A man set a cup of liquid on fire and tossed it at fellow subway rider in New York City, setting the victim's shirt ablaze and injuring him.
At least 9 dead in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after severe weather roars across region
Powerful storms killed at least nine people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
As Canada warms, infectious disease risks spread north
Cases of Lyme disease have now increased more than 1,000 per cent in a decade as the warming climate pushes the boundaries of a range of pathogens and risk factors northward.
12 people injured after Qatar Airways plane hits turbulence on way to Dublin
Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin on Sunday hit turbulence, airport authorities said.