By Canadian Press

Kenney’s 2020 priorities are the oil & gas industry and job creation

Dec 29, 2019 | 8:57 AM

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will begin his first full year in office in 2020, and says his focus will remain on creating jobs and getting pipelines built.

Kenney is confident that getting more oil out by rail, and progress on pipelines like the Line 3 project to Wisconsin, will boost Alberta’s oil and gas industry and the province as a whole.

In a year-end interview, Kenney says he knows some of his policies will bring protests.

But he says he and his government are determined to stay the course and make the province more efficient at a lower cost.

Kenney and his United Conservatives took power in 2019, defeating Rachel Notley and the N-D-P in the spring election.

The U-C-P has continued to fund health and education at current levels, with even a bit more for health.

But critics say failing to fund for population growth and inflation has led to higher school and municipal fees, along with the potential for health-care layoffs starting this year.

Kenney says his government will continue to try to get the message out that it’s critical the province reduce the deficit and debt-load that will cripple future generations if not held in check now.