Alberta NDP holds rally in Calgary, UCP talks about crime, mental health supports
Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley held a major rally in downtown Calgary Saturday morning, while her United Conservative rival had no public events planned this weekend after a final pitch to voters a day earlier.
Election day is Monday.
Notley told hundreds of cheering supporters, who lined up around the block to get into the event, that her party offers the best way to build a better future for Albertans.
"The Alberta NDP shares your love for this great province — the towering ambition of our cities, the wild ruggedness of our landscapes and the warmth of our people," she said Saturday.
"Albertans are compassionate and hardworking and honest and you deserve a government that lives up to those values."
Notley said many residents don't trust the UCP or its leader Danielle Smith to do so.
"She wants to go after my record. I'm proud of my record," she said to more cheers. "My record, our record is more jobs, better health care and cutting child poverty in half."
Smith said Friday she would aim to lower the level of political polarization in Alberta if her party wins what has been a tight and often bitter race.
She made the remarks during her last news conference before election day.
UCP ANNOUNCEMENT
Two Calgary UCP candidates, Nicholas Milliken and Mike Ellis, held a news conference later Saturday morning in front of a southwest Calgary playground to announce affordable mental health supports for children, youth and all Albertans.
If re-elected the UCP is promising $60 million over the next three years to build four new youth mental wellness centres to provide inpatient mental health and addiction treatment for youth under the age of 18.
It also plans to triple the number of mental health classrooms from the 20 currently under development to 60 across Alberta.
The specialized classroom teams help students with complex needs and include a nurse, social worker, educational psychologist, speech and language therapist, and occupational therapist.
"By identifying and addressing these concerns early individuals are more likely to develop healthy coping mechanisms, manage their symptoms effectively and lead fulfilling lives," said Ellis, who was the minister of public safety and emergency services when the writ was dropped.
"Early intervention can also reduce the risk of developing additional mental health and substance use disorders down the road that may lead to a life of crime or social disorder."
There was also a statement from Lethbridge UCP candidate Nathan Neudorf that his government would work to reduce crime and disorder, while supporting mental health and addiction.
Saturday was also the final day of advance polls, which close around 8 p.m.
More than 655,000 people had already voted this week as of noon local time Saturday. That's comparable to the 696,000 who voted early in the 2019 general election.
Polls will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.