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Alberta NDP calls for emergency legislature session as 4th wave of COVID-19 pandemic rolls on

The Alberta NDP is calling on the house leader to recall the legislature as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the province.
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The Alberta NDP sent a letter to UCP House Leader Jason Nixon to recall the Legislative Assembly and quickly pass emergency legislation to protect Albertans through the fourth wave. (Advocate File Photo)

The Alberta NDP is calling on the house leader to recall the legislature as COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the province.

With more than 18,000 active cases, over 850 people in hospital, including 200 in the intensive care unit, the NDP authored a letter to UCP House Leader Jason Nixon to recall the Legislative Assembly and quickly pass emergency legislation to protect Albertans through the fourth wave.

“Even in this disastrous fourth wave, there are Albertans compelled to go to work sick in order to pay their rent and buy food,” said NDP House Leader and Edmonton-Mill Woods MLA Christina Gray. “And there are small businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, who are reeling from the losses created by Jason Kenney’s latest round of restrictions.

“Our caucus is ready to work — to do whatever it takes — to protect Albertans and walk a path out of this crisis.

“If the legislature were recalled this week, we would work with the government to pass this life-saving policy and any other bills necessary to protect Albertans. I believe that working collaboratively we could get these measures through the House in a single day.”

Specifically, the NDP is looking to pass legislation that will implement 10 days of paid sick leave for workers and protect struggling businesses from being evicted due to non-payment of commercial rent.

On top of their demand Wednesday, the NDP has previously asked the provincial government to implement a simple, secure and scannable vaccine passport system that is mandatory in all non-essential settings; establish an independent COVID-19 science advisory table that reports recommendations to the government and the public; support for kids in school, including a province-wide mask mandate; support for small businesses impacted by the fourth wave, including new grants of up to $25,000 and daily COVID-19 briefings.