Maria Fitzpatrick

One lesson we can take from last night's election down south is that people are tired of governments punching down rather than lifting people up. People are tired of anger and division politics. They want politicians focused on making life better. Albertans want a government that will reduce the cost of living, fix health care, and create good jobs. These are the priorities of the Alberta NDP.

The new electoral maps proposed by the UCP-majority panel are a clear attempt to gerrymander Alberta and give Danielle Smith an advantage in the next election by diluting the votes of urban ridings. The UCP is trying to cheat to win the next election. Albertans deserve fair elections. We are fighting for fair elections.

The UCP’s attempt to rig the next election is now public for all to see. Their map carves Lethbridge into four ridings and wildly expands Calgary ridings beyond city boundaries, watering down the voices and votes of Albertans. These maps aren't good for rural or urban Albertans. They're only good for Danielle Smith and her desperate quest to cling to power.

We’ve just wrapped up the first week of the fall session in the Alberta Legislature. The Alberta NDP is focused on what matters most to you: improving public healthcare, education, and affordability. Meanwhile, Danielle Smith and the UCP are focused on culture wars, while separatists continue to have a place within their party. One thing is certain: the Alberta NDP will continue to stand up for Albertans, defend our democracy, and fight for a better future for everyone in this province.

For immediate release: "For months, the Alberta NDP Caucus has been warning against UCP attempts to violate the democratic rights of Albertans and bring in election maps only meant to deliver a win for the UCP in the next election no matter what voters want. "Elections Alberta warned Danielle Smith months ago that they need 12 to 18 months to implement new maps under perfect conditions. Instead, the UCP repeatedly changed the law to help themselves, denied Elections Alberta the resources it requested, and put all Albertans through a wasteful and incredibly costly referendum. Now Elections Alberta says they just don’t have enough time to implement the UCP’s rigged map in time for the October 27 fixed election date — a date already extended by Danielle Smith to give herself six more months in power. "Danielle Smith and the UCP should have implemented the independent commission’s report six months ago and they could still do it now. Albertans deserve to vote in free, fair and timely elections. The UCP should stop cheating and do the right thing."

In Canada, we don’t allow rigged elections. But the UCP keeps breaking democratic norms by giving themselves the power to redraw Alberta's new election maps. It's a blatant attempt to cheat in the next election. We will always fight for fair elections.

Instead of focusing on things that could actually unite Albertans—like improving health care, education, and affordability—Danielle Smith has decided to double down on division and anger. Thumping defeats in her separation referendum and in Calgary-Shaw should have been a wake-up call for the UCP, but instead, they are choosing to reignite culture wars on things like flags and DEI. Albertans are smart. We can all see that the UCP is trying to distract from their failed record, and we're all fed up with it.

Albertans have lost confidence in Danielle Smith and the UCP. Albertans overwhelmingly rejected separatism, and voted down the UCP's proposed constitutional changes. Yet Danielle Smith continues to waste taxpayers' money fighting First Nations in court while refusing to accept the message Albertans have sent her. Albertans deserve a government focused on fixing health care, improving education, and lowering the cost of living. But the premier is spending her time and our money fighting political battles instead of fighting for the real priorities of Alberta families.

Together we saved Canada! But there is another threat brewing, and again it's coming from within the UCP. Danielle Smith wants to gerrymander our riding maps because she's terrified she will lose. She wants politicians to pick their voters. No way, premier. In Alberta, voters pick their politicians.

A special thank you to the First Nation, Métis and Inuit people who showed up in record numbers to help save Canada! We are all so deeply grateful for Indigenous communities and the extraordinary contributions they bring to our province and country.

Over the past several months, more than 15,000 Alberta NDP volunteers have engaged with Albertans, and the response could not have been clearer: people are ready for change. Albertans deserve a government that puts them first, and the Alberta NDP is ready to deliver. Together we saved Canada, now it's time to save Alberta!