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 concentrate on addressing property and civil rights, in accordance with 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 stated on this system Your Province. Your Premier on Saturday.
Allard, the MLA for Grande Prairie, was appointed to the place on Dec. 13.
Rebecca Polak, Smith’s press secretary, stated in a press release to CBC News that Allard will report back to Justice Minister Tyler Shandro.
Smith stated she plans on working with Allard to take a look at such areas as 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 stated.
“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 tackle whether or not the function would contain putting in protections for many who are unvaccinated.
Political report
Allard has been the 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 hung out in Hawaii on a household trip, which went in opposition to 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 in Calgary, stated there was symbolic significance in Allard being given a brand new function.
“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,” she stated.
Williams additionally stated that it could be a strategic transfer in that Allard is from Grand Prairie, given latest polling that indicated a level of uncertainty surrounding how Albertans will vote in centres outdoors of Calgary and Edmonton.
But Williams stated the appointment has the potential to backfire on the federal government relating 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,” she stated.
“I think some of the folks that are coming back into cabinet genuinely angered Albertans.”
Another strategic element 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 stated.
“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 News requested remark from Allard about her appointment however didn’t hear again by publication time.
