Premier and MLA Danielle Smith spoke to CHAT News in Calgary for a year-end interview. (CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder, Dan Reynish

Premier Danielle Smith talks spending time in her riding, learning the ropes and more in 2023 year-end interview

Dec 30, 2023 | 12:35 PM

Since securing a mandate from Albertans in May, Premier and Medicine Hat-Brooks MLA Danielle Smith has been focusing on her vision for Alberta.

That vision is not without some controversy.

From a proposed creation of an Alberta pension plan, fighting with Ottawa over Canada’s net zero goals and restructuring the provincial health care system, Smith and her United Conservative government wasted no time putting their mark on the politics of this province.

Anchor Dan Reynish met Smith for a year-end interview in Calgary.

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Here are the big takeaways.

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Smith addressed the time spent in her riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat.

“First of all, the job is in Edmonton because we’re there in the legislature pretty intensely for about five months of the year,” she said.

“Secondly, I also have obligations in the rest of the province.”

Smith, speaking from United Conservative Party offices in Calgary, said she does make time for the citizens who elected her.

CHAT News anchor Dan Reynish spoke to Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary. (CHAT News)

“I come down for a couple of days every month and make sure that I’m doing high value events and lots of meetings [and] lots of tours so that I know what the issues are in the riding,” Smith said.

The premier also keeps tabs on the Medicine Hat and Brooks communities by receiving updates from her constituency office.

“So, I feel very connected to the community.”

CRACK HOW-TO PAMPHLETS AT HAT HIGH

Premier Smith told anchor Reynish her government is investigating SafeLink Alberta, a harm reduction organization that recently came under fire for displaying pamphlets at a Medicine Hat High School wellness fair showing how to prepare substance consumption devices like cocaine pipes for use.

“There’s nothing safe about smoking meth, there’s nothing safe about crack, and to have that available to kids as young as 14, I mean somebody’s radar was off,” she said.

“So, we’re doing an investigation about our support for that organization.”

LEARNING THE ROPES

It is not always as straightforward as it looks to get things done in government.

That’s according to Smith, who talked to Reynish about the complexity that sometimes isn’t seen from the outside.

“There’s a lot more process between our different committees, such as the Treasury Board,” she said.

But working internally as well as with international partners, for example, helps bring tangible positives to Albertans, the premier said.

“It’s really about selling the mission values of what we envision for Alberta.”