Province launches ‘Alberta is calling’ talent recruitment campaign

Premier Jason Kenney kicked off a marketing campaign to lure expert staff from Toronto and Vancouver as he doubled down on his criticism of a so-called Alberta sovereignty act pitched by one of many candidates operating to switch him.

Kenney held a information convention Monday to announce the United Conservative authorities’s new program — dubbed “Alberta is Calling” — to recruit expert staff with a advertising marketing campaign touting the province’s decrease taxes, housing affordability, shorter commutes and proximity to the Rocky Mountains.

The $2.6-million effort is to incorporate adverts on social media, radio and posters in high-traffic areas.

“What did the Albertan say to the Vancouverite? You’re employed,” reads one of many shows.

“It’s mountain time someplace,” reads one geared to the Higher Toronto Space.

“Alberta is again in an enormous means, however one of many largest challenges to sustaining that tremendous progress is having sufficient people who find themselves filling the roles which are being created,” Kenney mentioned.

“So far as issues go, that’s a reasonably good one to have.”

The marketing campaign launch comes after Kenney mentioned on his weekend radio call-in present {that a} key platform promise of one of many candidates to succeed him as chief and premier was “nuts.”

Candidate Danielle Smith has mentioned if she wins the management, she would carry a invoice this fall to provide Alberta the facility to disregard federal legal guidelines and court docket rulings deemed not within the province’s curiosity. Authorized students say such a invoice could be unlawful, unenforceable and a harmful dismissal of respect for the rule of regulation.

“A authorities or legislature that may pursue this de facto plan for separatism would finish the massive financial momentum on this province in its tracks,” Kenney mentioned.

Kenney mentioned he’s sure that even when the legislature handed the regulation, the lieutenant-governor would refuse to provide it royal assent and Alberta would grow to be a “laughingstock.”

Smith chastised Kenney in a press release Sunday for “interference” within the management contest, saying his feedback have been “ill-informed and disrespectful to a big and rising majority of UCP members that assist this necessary initiative.”

Kenney mentioned Monday that he’s not interfering within the management marketing campaign, however merely restating his place on an necessary public coverage concern.

“This authorities was elected on a dedication to create jobs, develop the financial system and get pipelines constructed,” he mentioned. “This so-called sovereignty act could be a physique blow to all three of these issues.”

Kenney mentioned the proposed act runs counter to what the provincial authorities was elected to do by driving away funding and inflicting individuals to depart, in addition to hurting the marketing campaign to carry individuals in to Alberta.

“Right here we’re launching a marketing campaign for Canadians to maneuver to a different a part of Canada,” he mentioned. “If Alberta have been to resolve successfully to launch a separatist challenge, I believe that may mechanically exclude lots of Canadians.

“On the contrary, as an alternative of having the ability to entice individuals, we’d begin hemorrhaging individuals.”

He mentioned that’s not theoretical due to what occurred in Quebec in 1976 when Rene Levesque and the Parti Quebecois have been elected on a separatist platform.

“Quebec in a single day started to hemorrhage individuals, cash and funding,” Kenney mentioned.

Kenney additionally had a message to Albertans involved a couple of plan to usher in extra staff — most Albertans have come from different components of Canada or the world and new staff would profit the province.

Kenney mentioned he understands some could really feel resentful.

“I believe we’re welcoming, however typically I do hear that grievance: ‘I can’t discover a job. Why are you giving our jobs away?’ I’ll inform you, there are lots of jobs accessible in Alberta proper now.”