Election fact-checker: Kickoff to the Alberta campaign trail

The leaders of the two major political parties in Alberta have kicked off their provincial election campaigns in different parts of the province.

The NDP's Rachel Notley in Calgary and UCP's Jason Kenney in Leduc took jabs at each other as they cited various policies and figures in their initial announcements on Tuesday.

As part of an ongoing effort to hold Alberta's political leaders accountable, CBC News will fact-check comments from leaders at various times along the campaign trail.

Comments made by politicians during their public events will be ranked as true, false or muddy in all future CBC News fact-checker articles.

Here's what the two leaders had to say during their speeches on Tuesday.

Quotes from Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley in Calgary, March 19

Claim #1: "Now if you are a woman, let me speak to you directly. As we can tell from his many remarks, Jason Kenney isn't always comfortable with strong women. For example, he doesn't think that we're very good at what he calls 'tactical politics,'"Notley said.

Ranking: Muddy.

Here's why: Notley is referencing a news conference during which Kenney responded to a question from a reporter. The question was on how the UCP has tried to attract more women candidates. Here's how he responded, on March 7:

"Very typically, women candidates for nominations are running for the first time and often running against guys, who have been in politics for years or decades and have a network — and understand tactical politics a little bit better than women, who've been doing usually more useful things like professions and running businesses and helping with families."

Videos of his remarks were posted online, and Kenney was widely criticized for suggesting men understand political tactics better than women.

On March 8, Kenney denied saying men understand tactics better than women. He acknowledged how experienced women politicians and groups, such as Equal Voice, can help level the playing field for new female candidates through mentorship and training.

He said on Tuesday his party has a diverse roster of candidates.

Claim #2: "We are building new schools, more than 40 here in Calgary, and we are making sure there is a teacher to greet our kids and our grandkids at the door. We are building the Green Line and expanding the Deerfoot Trail," Notley said.

Ranking: Muddy.

Here's why: Notley was correct in saying new construction is happening (and in various stages) in Calgary and the area. However, according to the provincial website link provided by government of Alberta officials, there are not 40 ongoing school construction projects in the Calgary area.

There are 18 projects in Calgary in various phases of construction, according to the website.

CBC Calgary reported in December there were 40 Calgary public schools where enrolment is over capacity.

Investments in Calgary's transportation was a true statement. The NDP government committed to expand the Deerfoot Trail, with more lanes, improved interchanges and 21 kilometres of new northbound and southbound lanes.

Also, part of the NDP's investment in transportation includes the Green Line LRT, which will receive $1.53 billion in funding over eight years.

Claim #3: "His plan for health care? Privatize it. His plan for education? Cut it. His plan for new infrastructure? Toll it," Notley said.

Ranking: Muddy.

Here's why: The NDP leader accused her main opponent of wanting to make major changes to key government sectors in her campaign launch speech.

For health care, Kenney said at a campaign event on Feb. 20 that he was open to competition in the system and would allow private companies to perform publicly funded procedures including surgery in order to reduce wait times.

He has said his party would maintain public health-care funding and commission a performance review of Alberta Health Services (AHS) within 30 days of taking office.

If elected, Kenney would also cancel the so-called AHS "superlab" planned for Edmonton and northern Alberta. He said a UCP government would issue a request for proposals to find a company to do the review.

The UCP's education platform includes expanding school choice, a return to "tested teaching methods" and an end to the government's current revamp of the school curriculum, Kenney has said.

And for one of the most controversial policies, a UCP spokesperson previously told CBC News that Kenney suggested incorporating tolls on new industrial infrastructure, but that existing public infrastructure would not see a usage fee.

"[The] UCP has never suggested applying tolls to existing public infrastructure," party spokesperson Christine Myatt previously told CBC.

Watch Rachel Notley's full speech from Tuesday

Quotes from Alberta UCP Leader Jason Kenney in Leduc, March 19

Claim #1: "People are paying more just to heat their homes and drive to work because of the NDP and carbon tax," Kenney said.

Ranking: True.

Here's why: It is true that homeowners are paying more on their monthly heating bills because of the carbon tax. In 2018, the carbon tax on gasoline increased from 4.49 cents per litre to 6.73 cents per litre. On natural gas, the most common home heating fuel in Alberta, the tax will increase by about 50 cents per gigajoule.

However, it is important to note that offsetting the tax increase is the carbon tax rebate. Rebates provided to lower and middle-income Albertans are designed to cover the average cost of the carbon tax.

Claim #2: "We cannot afford the NDP's planned 67 per cent increase in that carbon tax," Kenney said.

Ranking: Muddy.

Here's why: The 67 per cent would have been true had Notley not pulled Alberta out of the federal government's climate plan in protest of the Trans Mountain pipeline delay.

In reality, the NDP government has only raised the carbon tax by 50 per cent so far.

Claim #3: "After she became premier, Rachel Notley said that she was tired of Alberta being 'the embarrassing cousin that no one wants to talk about,'" Kenney said.

Ranking: True.

Here's why: Less than a year in office, Notley called Alberta's handling of the environment an "embarrassing cousin no one wants to talk about."

She claimed at the time that she was referencing the record of previous governments on environmental issues.

Watch Kenney's full speech from Tuesday

What is a fact: Albertans will head to the polls on April 16.