How do Kenney’s cuts affect you?

Spike in Alberta utility bills hit hard, UCP removed cap

Leah Hall — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 13:55:00 -0700

For many Alberta residents, gas bills have doubled due to a commodity boom and the UCP government eliminated a legislated price cap designed to protect those who pay the floating regulated retail rate.

AB's public health care isn’t broken; it’s being dismantled

Leah Hall — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 13:53:00 -0700

The UCP government is using COVID-19 as cover for funding cuts and privatization of Alberta’s public health care. They are intentionally “breaking” it to justify their agenda: further privatization.

Parents, AFL, seek injunction for student mask mandate end

Leah Hall — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:49:00 -0700

The injunction application asks that the mask mandate remain in place in schools until March 1, and argues the sudden end of the mandate infringes on the charter rights of immunocompromised children.

UofA public health calls UCP COVID-19 plan ‘reckless’

Leah Hall — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 13:45:00 -0700

Faculty members from UAlberta School of Public Health, saying it could prolong the pandemic, are voicing strong opposition to the UCP's rapid relaxation of COVID-19 health measures in the province.

Now is not the time: Drs on COVID-19 lifting restrictions

Leah Hall — Sun, 06 Feb 2022 13:42:00 -0700

Some doctors are urging the province not to remove measures prematurely as Premier Jason Kenney said that Albertans can expect to see an announcement this week that will scrap some restrictions.

Kenney and UCP cut health care spending during the pandemic

Leah Hall — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:39:00 -0700

Data shows Kenney and the UCP cut health care spending, on a per-person basis, in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, although they try to justify these cuts with sham panels and false statistics.

All Albertans stand to lose from DynaLife lab takeover

Leah Hall — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:44:00 -0700

Instead of a modern, sustainable lab system designed for Albertans, the DynaLife deal offers false economies, menial savings, and a smaller and demoralized workforce, says Parkland researcher.

UCP sells off public community lab services to DynaLIFE labs

Beth Grieve — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 13:48:00 -0700

DynaLife Medical Labs is set to take over the delivery of public community lab services across Alberta starting July 1, part of the Kenney UCP government's move toward privatization.

Patients treated in hallways as paramedics go to 911 calls

Leah Hall — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:22:00 -0700

Calgary's ambulances and hospitals are so stressed this week that patients normally cared for by paramedics were handed off to hospital staff in the hallways, so EMS crews could get back to 911 calls.

UCP defunds parent council organization to silence critics

Leah Hall — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:18:00 -0700

The UCP cut nearly $650K grant funding to the Alberta School Councils' Association (ASCA) after the organization criticized the new draft curriculum, education funding and COVID-19 school management.

AHS axes frontline health-care positions to privatize jobs

Leah Hall — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:44:00 -0700

"Alberta Health Services (AHS) is laying off 334 laundry workers at hospitals across Alberta and replacing them with a privatized service, part of the UCP plan to cut 11,000 health-care jobs."

Victims of crime benefits delayed, temp program inadequate

Leah Hall — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 13:39:00 -0700

Advocates and victims are waiting for the UCP government to unveil a new program to help victims of violent crimes. It was supposed to launch last year after the UCP combined and cut social programs.

UCP’s brutal funding cuts spark fear in UofL’s Music Dept

Leah Hall — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 10:11:00 -0700

Faculty and students in the University of Lethbridge Music Department are fearful of the impact of a “drastic restructuring” of programs brought about by the Kenney government’s brutal funding cuts.

Many Albertans feel abandoned as K-12 kids return to school

Leah Hall — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 10:05:00 -0700

Many parents concerned and frustrated about unclear instructions from the Alberta government on how it plans to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections in classrooms caused by the Omicron variant.

Remember when the UCP shut down Alberta Distance Learning?

Leah Hall — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 13:37:00 -0700

"With this pandemic disrupting education in Alberta, if only we’d had an institution that supported at home learning. We did. The UCP shut down the Alberta Distance Learning Centre in 2020."

AB spends less per post-secondary student than other provinces

Leah Hall — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 10:02:00 -0700

More recent and accurate data, than in the MacKinnon report, used to justify cuts, shows Alberta spends less per student on instruction, at the university level, than comparator provinces.

Online learning inevitable with UCP’s back to school plan

Leah Hall — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 13:35:00 -0700

Students will return to in-person learning on Monday without all shipments of rapid tests and only medical-grade masks. No HEPA filters. No N95 masks. No carbon dioxide monitors. No contact tracing.

UCP government planning to eliminate traffic court

Leah Hall — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:32:00 -0700

In a UCP plan, traffic court will be eliminated, tickets will be emailed and disputing fines could cost $150. Critics say new plan demolishes due process and deters citizens from fighting unfair fines

UCP cuts isolation requirement to five days

Leah Hall — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 13:27:00 -0700

The UCP is shortening the isolation period to 5 days for some individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and a loophole will allow workers to return to their jobs even if they are still infectious.

UCP host large Christmas party despite gathering restrictions

Leah Hall — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 13:24:00 -0700

The UCP hosted a large Christmas party at restaurant hours after Kenney called on Albertans to limit gatherings in response to Omicron variant.