Delegates voted 97.8 per cent in support of Alberta Premier Rachel Notley at the NDP’s annual convention in Calgary. The three-day meeting began Friday.
Prior to the leadership review, Notley gave the keynote address at the party convention.
An election recap, policy debate and party development are also expected to be discussed.
The NDP caucus was greeted by a standing ovation and chants of “NDP, NDP!”
Ray Martin, Raj Pannu, Brian Mason and Sarah Hoffman spoke before Notley was introduced.
“You are doing an absolutely outstanding job,” Martin said. “Your father Grant and your mother Sandy would be overwhelmed with what you’re doing.”
Hoffman thanked Martin, Pannu and Mason for setting the foundation for the party.
“We do stand on the shoulders of giants,” the minister said.
She then described Notley as “the best captain anywhere in Canada,” “a woman who has been fighting for a better province her whole life…A woman who ended 44 years of Tory rule…She is a woman who told us tomorrow can be better than yesterday.”
WATCH RAW BELOW: On Saturday, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley gave the keynote address at the NDP convention in Calgary.
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The premier recounted the last election and those who doubted the NDP could become government, especially the governing PCs.
“There were so many voices who told us it was never going to happen…that change just wasn’t possible,” Notley said, adding she was often told “Alberta isn’t a NDP province.”
“Alberta isn’t a Progressive Conservative province and God knows it is not a Wildrose province,” she told a crowd of cheering members. “Our province does not belong to any political party… It belongs to the people of Alberta and only to them.”
“Every day, in every way that we can, we are working to earn the trust that Alberta placed in us when they elected us to office.”
Notley highlighted some of the accomplishments of the NDP government including Bill 1, the Alberta Child Benefit, its commitment to phase in a $15/hour minimum wage, the Essential Services Bill, the Alberta Climate Leadership Plan and the contentious Farm Safety Bill.
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The premier also praised Finance Minister Joe Ceci’s budget.
“When times get tough, you can throw people off the bus or you can have their back. We have their back.”
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She said the province refused to subscribe to “the politics of austerity” and said it is investing in jobs instead of destroying them.
“Let’s leave this convention united… passionate… proud… determined to work hard to build this party…to work hard for the people of Alberta… Let us leave this convention united, strong, passionate about change,” Notley said. “That is a promise that must be kept.”
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This is the first time in the Alberta New Democrats 84-year history that they are meeting as the province’s governing party, after winning a majority in the election a little more than a year ago.
Around 700 delegates are expected to attend.
With files from The Canadian Press
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