Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley issued the following message to mark the start of 2023:
“Friends, here we are 2023.
Each year, as we ring in the New Year, we celebrate with joy and hope in our hearts that this year will truly be better than the last.
But this year is also different.
This year, we have the opportunity to choose better.
Albertans are facing a choice like never before, a decision that will forever change the future of our province.
Two very different visions for what Alberta is — and what it can be.
Today, I speak directly to you and every single Albertan who is concerned about the choice they have in the coming election.
On one hand, I know many of you are frustrated by the unstable — and sometimes outlandish — behavior of the current government.
It’s exhausting and dividing the province when we can least afford it.
On the other, I know that many of you are looking at me and the Alberta NDP and asking yourselves if we learned from our time in government, and if we have what it takes to lead Alberta into the future.
Fair questions.
I say this: Our vision for Alberta is a province that is hopeful, hard-working and has your back.
I know it’s not enough to be better than this current government. Frankly, that’s a low bar.
In 2019, you told us to do better. To work harder to create an economic plan that builds on everything that makes Alberta so great.
And that’s exactly what we did.
In opposition, we reached out to hundreds of thousands of Albertans through AlbertasFuture.ca to talk about their ideas for tomorrow.
And today? We have well-researched and comprehensive plans to:
Bring high-speed internet to every corner of Alberta.
Expand affordable child care and save families more.
And fight racism in our communities.
We will revitalize downtown Calgary, and reshape our post-secondary institutions to train Albertans for the jobs of tomorrow.
We will expand our foothold in agriculture and agri-foods, grow the tech sector, increase private investment, and support more small businesses.
Because, most importantly, our plan will create tens of thousands of good, mortgage-paying jobs in the private sector.
We will keep our proud legacy in oil and gas and expand that expertise into new forms of energy, like hydrogen and geothermal.
We wrote these plans with you because, unlike the other guys, we’re listening.
And in the coming months, as we get closer to this election, you will hear how Alberta’s NDP will tackle the issues facing your family today.
Very soon, we will share our plan for REAL healthcare reform, not band-aid solutions or board firings but an ambitious expansion of family medicine that will put healthcare in your communities, available when you need it.
Instead of free money and one-off cheques, you will see a plan to fight inflation for the long term, lowering your costs and putting more money in your pocket.
And you will see a plan to support the most vulnerable, ending the cycle of drug poisonings and poverty that is hurting our communities and taking the lives of our friends and loved ones.
I want Albertans to look at our policies, and then look at the team we’ve put together to achieve them.
I have assembled some of the most talented Albertans.
Not just the experienced members of my current team, but also new candidates from all walks of life.
Teachers and economists.
Social workers and cattle ranchers.
Doctors and small business owners.
Lawyers and paramedics.
Community volunteers and municipal leaders.
People who are taking their lived experience in the province they love and putting themselves out there to serve you, to listen and to act.
And this plan? The one where we grow the economy while improving public services?
It’s part of a larger commitment.
One I make to you and to all Albertans — that if I am privileged enough to earn your support once again, I will lead a stable, “no surprises” government that is focused on the things that matter to you.
After the chaos and instability of these past four years under the UCP, we can’t afford four more.
Instead, we will steward an economy with a resilient private sector, where, together, we can create jobs and prosperity for the long term.
An energy sector that leads the world.
Strong public health care where and when you need it.
World-class education from pre-school right through to post-secondary.
A better Alberta that is more united, more prosperous and more confident.
The Alberta we love.
The Alberta we aspire to be.
Let me end by saying this: I know in times of struggle that these challenges sometimes feel overwhelming.
But I wake up every day, I walk out my front door, and I join with all Albertans giving everything they have to build a better life on the prairies.
When faced with great trials and tribulations, Albertans do not back down.
In this province, we are strongest when we stand shoulder to shoulder, and when we have each other’s backs.
When we work harder.
When we dream bigger.
When we achieve greater – TOGETHER.
Happy New Year, Alberta!”
