By SALT SPRING FORUM
The Salt Spring Forum welcomes former Premier of Alberta Rachel Notley to Salt Spring to join a conversation on the state of provincial politics, and the similarities and differences between B.C. and Alberta.
As Premier of Alberta, Notley persuaded Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline. And yet, for the first time ever in Alberta, her cabinet contained an equal number of women and men, and most of her policies – on the environment, economy, health care, education and Indigenous relations – now look remarkably progressive, especially in comparison to her successors Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith.
Many in B.C. and Alberta see the two provinces as opposites, with different economies, priorities and ways of doing things.
However, the policies of the BC NDP – which moved rightward during the recent election campaign – are not that different from the Alberta NDP.
And the largest migration flows for both provinces are consistently between each other.
Is the grass really greener on this side of the mountains? Or do we have more in common with our neighbours than we realize?
Notley was a lawyer before entering politics. She focused on labour law, and advocated for the health, safety and fair compensation of workers.
She was elected as MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona in 2008 and became party leader in 2014. In 2015, the Alberta NDP won the provincial election, with Notley becoming the first non-Conservative premier of the province in 80 years.
In keeping with all Salt Spring Forum events, the main part of the evening is devoted to questions from the audience, allowing for conversations to develop and move into unexpected and intriguing areas.
Notley will be at Fulford Hall on Saturday, Nov. 16, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from saltspringforum.com or by paying cash at the door.