Caps, Courts and COVID

The Friday Focus is a weekly blog post from Interim Leader John Roggeveen. It covers some of the pressing political issues of the week.

Finding Balance on Emission Caps

The federal government is asking for feedback on plans to reduce carbon pollution emissions by 40% in the oil and gas sector. I’m glad to see Canada is committed to being a global leader in the fight against climate change. 

Climate change threatens Alberta’s water supply, our agriculture and forestry industries, and our way of life. As Europe faces unprecedented heat waves and wildfires burning across Canada, the need to address rising global temperatures has never been more apparent.

However, our environmental efforts need to be smart and targeted to ensure we don’t hurt our prosperity. We can have a strong economy and a healthy environment. Demonstrating environmental leadership makes our energy products more marketable.

As consultations have just begun, nothing is set in stone. I’m hopeful the federal government will settle on a plan that works for the environment and industry. On this issue, the Alberta Liberals will continue to advocate for the best interests of Albertans and the world. In our increasingly interconnected world, those two things are inextricably linked. 

Effective and Compassionate Courts

The UCP announced this week that the Victims Services Fund will now be used solely to support victims of crime. More funding to support victims of crime is good news. However, as there usually is with the UCP, there is a catch. 

Before this change, part of the funding went towards drug treatment courts. These specialized courts can assist offenders with addictions to get the help they need and turn their lives around. This is proven to not only help offenders but reduce crime as well. 

Supporting victims of crime and stopping the cycle of crime created by addiction are not mutually exclusive goals. If the UCP is truly committed to law and order, it should prioritize both. 

Good News

And now for some good news: For weeks, the Alberta Liberals have been calling for fourth shots to be made widely available to Albertans to combat the coming wave of COVID. Finally, this week the UCP announced they would be doing just that. 

Achievements such as this are why our party needs to continue to grow and keep fighting for a better Alberta. If you want to see more political wins like this, please help us achieve our July fundraising goal and make a $50 donation today. Thank you!