By rdnewsNOW staff

rookie camp

Alberta’s 47 legislature newbies meet for orientation day

Apr 24, 2019 | 7:45 PM

EDMONTON – As Alberta’s 47 legislature newbies gathered under the dome for orientation day, Speaker Bob Wanner urged them to respect history and embrace responsibility, while adding in a dollop of advice for the modern age.

“Use social media at your peril,” Wanner told the newly-elected politicians as they sat in the main legislature debate chamber Wednesday.

“If your grandmother would not like to read your comments on the front page of the newspaper the next day, then I suggest you pause before you push send,” Wanner said.

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“You will not be eating healthy nor regularly,” Wanner added.

“You will miss many hockey games, graduations and birthdays. You will have an unpredictable and ever-changing and evolving schedule that is managed by others.”

Most new members are with the United Conservatives, who won a majority government in last week’s election, including Jason Stephan in Red Deer-South and Adriana LaGrange in Red Deer-North.

Three newcomers will join Rachel Notley’s NDP on the Opposition benches when the house resumes sitting next month.

Incoming premier Jason Kenney and his cabinet members are to be sworn in Tuesday.

Kenney’s UCP captured 63 seats in the 87-seat legislature, with the NDP taking the remaining 24.

History will be made when UCP newbie Jeremy Nixon joins his brother, fellow UCP member Jason Nixon, in the house. Legislature library records show there have been four pairs of brothers in the Alberta legislature, but never at the same time.

Jeremy Nixon, who won Calgary-Klein, said he’ll get along just fine in caucus with his brother, who was the party’s house leader at dissolution and won again in Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.

“We’re pretty tight. We shared a room for 16 years,” said Jeremy Nixon. “There were six boys and we were the oldest two. So we were kind of the ringleaders together, in cahoots most of the time.

However, he added, “Last time we wrestled, I won. Last time we arm-wrestled, I won as well.”

UCP member-elect Sonya Savage said that after knocking on thousands of doors during the campaign, it’s time to carry forward the views and concerns of her Calgary-North West constituents.

“It’s kind of surreal. When you walk into the chamber, it’s happening. It hits you really, really hard that this is months and months, a full year of work, paid off,” she said.

When the UCP takes the reins, it will face a knowledgeable, battle-tested Opposition bench led by 12 former NDP cabinet members.

“I’m excited about our role,” said NDP newcomer Rakhi Pancholi, a labour lawyer representing Edmonton-Whitemud.

“We’ve got great experience in our group, in our caucus. I’m excited to be a part of it.”Janis Irwin, representing the NDP in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, said one of her priorities will be minority rights.

“I am, I believe, the only openly LGBTQ member of the legislative assembly,” said Irwin.

“It’s a huge responsibility, but I also know that I will be surrounded by a heck of a lot of strong allies.”

The first task of the new assembly will be selecting a replacement for Wanner, who did not run in the election.

UCP veteran Nathan Cooper has been touted for the job, which is voted on by all members.

“As some people around this place like to say, I’m a bit of a procedural nerd,” said Cooper. “I really like, and am passionate about, our system of democracy.

“If I was asked to serve by my colleagues, I would be honoured to do so.”

(Dean Bennett – The Canadian Press)