EDMONTON – Rachel Notley would rather stay above the federal election fray.
But the Alberta premier, whose NDP government has been the target of pointed criticism from federal Conservative leader Stephen Harper, isn’t above wading in to “ensure the economic climate is not further made vulnerable by overstatements of what’s going on in Alberta for political purposes by certain candidates,” she said.
Alberta’s become a hotly contested election battleground as many Tory ridings may be up for grabs for the first time. Three of the federal leaders faced off in Calgary in an economy-focused debate last week.
And on the first day of the 78-day campaign, Harper has called Notley’s governance “a disaster.”
She disagrees.
“To suggest that somehow, having been in government for less than four months, we caused the drop of the price of oil and we somehow are the authors of decades of a failure to diversify is, quite frankly, make-believe.”
READ MORE: Harper takes aim at NDP government
Notley sat down with Global News for an interview with Global News as the province is battered by an economic downturn and swooning oil prices that have taken billions from Alberta’s bottom line.
She’s faced criticism for pushing back her first budget until late October, but says she will not be rushed.
“I’m not going to be pushed into making a panicked, reactive statement that has not been well considered and not well thought through,” she said.
READ MORE: Delayed Alberta budget upsets protesters at provincial legislature
In the interview she outlined her government’s top priorities, and some of the tough decisions facing her finance minister.
“Some of our campaign promises may have to be pushed out a little bit.”
WATCH: Provincial Affairs reporter Tom Vernon sits down with Premier Rachel Notley to talk about the economy.
READ MORE: Alberta government meetings in Banff prep for ‘bad news budget’: prof
But she insists she’s proud of what she’s accomplished since being elected — including replacing the province’s flat-tax system, freezing tuition and banning corporate political donations.
“We have the first ever gender-balanced cabinet in the history of this country,” she said. “And I’m very proud of that.”
(According to advocacy group Equal Voice Canada, former Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest had two consecutive gender-balanced cabinets in 2006 and 2008.)
Notley also spoke of her decision to sit out the federal election campaign, but defended her cabinet ministers rights to get involved.
READ MORE: Alberta Premier Notley aims for diplomatic approach to backing NDP in federal vote
And she has no plans to be non-partisan herself.
But “this national conversation on a daily basis, trading barbs with certain candidates, that’s a different issue. Because that can get a little bit distracting.”
Besides, “I’ve got a fairly busy day job.”
WATCH: In Part 2 of his one-on-one interview with the premier, Tom Vernon asks Rachel Notley about the federal election campaign.
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