(Edmonton) Four days after announcing she would not answer questions about her ethics investigation, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would limit questions on all other topics.
Mme Smith announced Friday in Calgary that she would only allow reporters to ask one question at press conferences and would not allow them to ask the traditional follow-up question.
Asked about the reasons for this decision, she replied: “It is an election, that is why”.
“We are kind of in election mode, so we have a lot of people and we want to answer a lot of questions. »
The election is not officially due to begin for two weeks, and Mme Smith invoked the new rule, not at an event hosted by the United Conservative Party of Alberta (UCP), but at a government-funded press briefing to unveil a new panel tasked with address multicultural issues.
The NDP opposition reacted quickly, promising to answer all questions put to it, including follow-up questions.
“Leaders take questions — it’s part of their job,” NDP Leader Rachel Notley said on social media.
If Danielle Smith isn’t ready to come clean with Albertans, she shouldn’t be premier. Albertans deserve better.
Rachel Notley, former Prime Minister and Leader of the NDP
Former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi also spoke out on social media.
“It’s really not right,” said Mr. Nenshi. This was a government announcement, not an election announcement. »
“It’s part of the job to answer questions, even if they are difficult — that’s why I participated in question sessions almost every day. Not responding means you are hiding something or your staff are afraid of what you are going to say.”
Some political scientists believe that Mr.me Smith is making the switch to avoid accountability, especially given the recent controversy sparked by his phone call with Art Pawlowski, a street pastor from Calgary, about his upcoming trial.
The importance of the follow-up question
According to them, follow-up questions addressed to politicians are crucial, as they generally serve to clarify gaps or assumptions, or to question, if necessary, the content of the first answer.
“The follow-up question allows journalists to do two things. It allows them to either repeat (the original question) or, in some cases, challenge the prime minister or politician on inaccuracies or to clarify facts,” explained political scientist Jared Wesley, of the University of ‘Alberta.
Wesley says it will be up to voters to decide whether they are concerned about Mrs.me Smith. According to him, this is a questionable electoral strategy for Mr.me Smith and his party, the UCP, as polls indicate a tight race ahead of the May 29 ballot and voters question the reliability of Mme Smith.
“If you have a responsibility problem, the solution is not to make yourself less responsible. The answer is to make yourself more transparent. And this new policy goes against that,” Wesley continued.
According to him, this decision also opens the door for Mr.me Notley answers all questions from the media in order to restore his image as a reliable and confident leader, while being able to portray Mr. Smith as evasive.
“It feeds into the negative elements of M’s brand image.me Smith, which is that of a person who avoids accountability,” Mr. Wesley said.
Political scientist Lori Williams says follow-up questions are key to getting the answers voters need, and the new rule fits into a pattern of avoidance on the part of Ms.me Smith.
“We are witnessing the latest in a series of attempts by the Prime Minister to avoid answering questions,” said Lori Williams of Mount Royal University in Calgary.
She quoted the announcement made by Mr.me Smith earlier this week that the premier would not respond to questions about the investigation into her phone call with Pastor Pawlowski. In this call, we hear Mr.me Smith to share inside information, while offering to make applications on his behalf ahead of his trial related to a protest during the COVID-19 pandemic at the border crossing in Coutts, Alberta.
“It becomes a habit associated with this government and this Prime Minister, who have all sorts of reasons not to answer questions, and then say, paradoxically, that it is because it is an election,” said Mr.me Williams.
“It only increases doubts about trust, instead of building trust in the leader. »
Legal experts said that Mme Smith had breached the Democratic safeguard that prevents elected officials from interfering in specific court cases like the appeal with Art Pawlowski.
Mme Smith claimed she did nothing wrong because it is her job as a politician to speak to her constituents.
M’s officeme Smith announced Monday that Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler is investigating whether the call interfered with the administration of justice.