UCP MLA Tracy Allard appointed parliamentary secretary for ‘civil liberties’ by Alberta government | 24CA News
MLA Tracy Allard has been appointed parliamentary secretary for civil liberties by the Alberta authorities and can give attention to addressing property and civil rights, in response to feedback made by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her weekly Corus radio discuss present.
“As we went through the fall session, it seemed to us that there were a number of different areas that we needed to look at to address property and civil rights,” Smith mentioned on this system Your Province. Your Premier on Saturday.
The Grande Prairie MLA was appointed to the place on Dec. 13.
Rebecca Polak, Smith’s press secretary, mentioned in a press release to CBC that Allard will report back to Justice Minister Tyler Shandro.
Smith mentioned she plans on working with Allard to take a look at areas like additional defending personal property rights, campus free speech, proposed reforms to the Police Act and Ottawa’s proposed amendments to Bill C-21, which the province has repeatedly opposed.
“It seemed to me having a parliamentary secretary focused on property and civil rights would allow for [Allard] to give us some advice on how we might be able to address these in legislation,” Smith mentioned.
“If there are bills that we’re passing, just having somebody with the lens of saying, ‘is this making sure that we’re protecting all of the rights that are protected in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.'”
Smith didn’t deal with whether or not the position would contain putting in protections for many who are unvaccinated.
Political document
Allard has been MLA for Grande Prairie since 2019.
She additionally served as minister of municipal affairs however stepped down in January 2021 after it was discovered that she frolicked in Hawaii on a household trip, which went towards federal and provincial COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to keep away from non-essential journey on the time.
Lori Williams, affiliate professor of coverage research at Mount Royal University, mentioned there was symbolic significance in Allard being given a brand new position.
“I think the fact that Tracy Allard is associated with somebody who suffered some kind of job consequences as a result of violating COVID rules, I think that symbolism is fairly obvious,” Williams mentioned.
Williams additionally mentioned that it might be a strategic transfer supplied that Allard is from Grand Prairie given current polling which indicated a level of uncertainty surrounding how Albertans will vote in centres exterior of Calgary and Edmonton.
But Williams mentioned the appointment has the potential to backfire on the federal government in relation to public notion.
“It’s the hypocrisy of Tracy Allard doing something that the government regulations prevented, so I’m not sure bringing her into cabinet sends the kind of message that ideally, the government would want to send,” Williams mentioned.
“I think some of the folks that are coming back into cabinet genuinely angered Albertans.”
Another strategic part of Allard’s appointment is leveraging any enlargement of cupboard which could possibly be used when votes are wanted in favour of presidency laws.
“Parliamentary secretaries or cabinet ministers, for that matter, have as much or as little influence as the premier and her inner circle give to them,” Williams mentioned.
“It’s possible for premiers and prime ministers to offer posts like this as a reward … for certain members of their caucus to toe the party line and support the premier or the government, but also giving them … the threat of tossing them from cabinet and losing both prestige associated with that profile and the money associated.”
CBC requested remark from Allard relating to the appointment however didn’t hear again by publication time.
