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Central Alberta MLA appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Legislature

Oct 30, 2017 | 3:41 PM

EDMONTON — A central Alberta MLA has been appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Legislature and  Opposition House Leader by newly elected United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney.

Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon was appointed to the role today, along with other newly appointed UCP Caucus members. Officials say Nixon will be responsible for leading the efforts of the UCP Caucus in the Legislature until Kenney is able to enter the Legislature following an upcoming by-election.

Other members of the UCP Leadership team announced today include Chestermere-Rocky View MLA Leela Aheer as Deputy Leader, Calgary – Hays MLA Ric McIver as Chief Whip, Calgary – Greenway MLA Prab Gill as Deputy Whip and Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt as Deputy House Leader.

In a release, UCP Leader Jason Kenney says their Caucus is ready to stand up for Albertans.

“While the NDP refuses to stand up and fight for our province against the Trudeau Government, Albertans can rest assured our United Conservative Party Caucus will fight for them each and every day,” he says.

“This talented leadership team and our strong, united Caucus will focus on jobs and economic growth. We will be the voice of common sense in the Legislature.”

Party officials say the UCP Caucus will soon be seeking unanimous consent to introduce a motion calling on the NDP to immediately respond to the federal government’s use of the National Energy Board to kill pipeline projects like TransCanada’s Energy East, through regulatory overburden.

That motion will read: “Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly urge the Government to immediately demand that the Government of Canada introduce Amendments to the National Energy Board Act that would prohibit the Board from considering upstream and downstream emissions in pipeline approval assessments.”