Following the United Conservative Party’s announcement for the new Alberta Jobs Now program starting on May 20, 2021, NDP Labour Critic Christina Gray says it’s “not a economic recovery strategy.”
Gray held a press conference shortly after Premier Jason Kenney promised to bring thousands of jobs back to Albertans, with $370 million dollars in combined funding in partnership with the Government of Canada’s Workforce Development Agreement.
It’s too little, too late
Gray commented on the new job training program by saying “It doesn’t even replace half of the jobs lost before the pandemic and it’s not even one-tenth of the $4.7 billion handed over by this Premier to CEO’s two years ago.” Gray believes the funding will barely put a dent in the “economic damage caused by the UCP government.”
Alberta currently has the second highest unemployment rate in the country of 218,000 people or 9%.
Gray called out Premier Kenney by saying he mocks the concept of paid sick days. “Despite the majority of Canada moving in this direction, he [Kenney] claims the program would be job killing because it would cost employers.” Gray reiterated the NDP has tried to put forward that there could be a cost share with the federal government.
With Legislature closed until after the May long weekend, the NDP has not been able to table a drafted bill for paid sick leave for all Alberta workers for up to ten days.
-Erika Rolling, Trending 55 Newsroom
