Recognizing Only Two Genders, Cutting Income Tax Among Policy Aims Adopted by Alberta UCP Members

UCP members debate policy resolutions at the party's annual meeting in Red Deer, Alta., on Nov. 2, 2024. Omid Ghoreishi/The Epoch Times

RED DEER, Alta.—Merit-based hiring, reducing income tax, and recognizing on government documents that there are only two biological sexes are among the policy resolutions adopted by Alberta UCP members on Nov. 2.

The passed resolutions serve as an indication of the wish of the party supporters, but are not binding for the UCP (United Conservative Party) government to adopt.

All 35 policy resolutions tabled at the two-day party convention, which drew a record 6,085 members, were adopted.

Most resolutions passed with overwhelming support.

These included upholding merit-based hiring, saying provincial employees shouldn’t be hired based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles.

“The use of public funds for DEI must stop,” said one member.

Parental Rights, Female-Only Spaces

Members also voted to keep female-only spaces such as washrooms and change rooms limited to biological female, and prohibit exposure of minors to publicly funded “sexually explicit performances” in public venues.

“The presence of males in those spaces presents a safety issue and a danger to women and girls. Men are currently being permitted into these spaces, solely on the basis of their self-declaration or identification as the opposite sex,” policy proponents said in their proposal.

Members also voted to acknowledge that there are “only two biological sexes,” and that all government documents should only list male and female as options for selection.

“It is crucial to prioritize truth over transient societal preferences, ensuring that our policies are rooted in factual accuracy,” proponents of the policy said in their tabled text.

They also asked that taxpayer funds not be used for gender-alteration surgeries.

Members voted to adopt a bill of parental rights, which, among others, ensures,"the ultimate responsibility for a legally defined minor child’s health, education, and welfare lies with the parents or legal guardians by legislating to regulate the practice of subjectively ascribing children ‘Mature Minor’ status.”

No Carbon Tax

Among the policy items that got the most overwhelming support was to prohibit the province from ever adopting a carbon tax. Alberta is currently subject to the federal carbon tax, since it doesn’t have a provincial one.

“Axe the Tax, On everything, for everyone,” says the policy text, repeating the Federal Conservatives’ catchphrase.

Members also voted to recognize “the importance of CO2 to life and Alberta’s prosperity,” and abandon net-zero targets. Currently, the UCP government has committed to having net-zero emissions by 2050.

UCP members attend the party's annual general meeting at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alta., on Nov. 2, 2024. Omid Ghoreishi/The Epoch Times

Digital IDs

One adopted resolution asked that the government always provide a non-digital form of government ID be made available.

“We don’t want the government to be able to force us to have to use government apps from which they can then track our moments and actions in order to access services,” supporters of the policy said in their proposal.

Another passed resolution asked that the Alberta Human Rights Commission be held accountable, noting that “bias, prejudice and diversity, equity and inclusion models have crept into the system,” and that membership in the Alberta Teachers’ Association be made optional rather than mandatory for teachers.

Members also asked for freedom of speech and assembly be upheld in universities and colleges.

More Doctors

Members asked that enrolment numbers in medical schools be increased so that there could be more doctors in the province.

They also asked for the provincial government to build more reservoirs for water storage. They said they wanted more forest management to prevent wildfires, as well as more equipment and personnel to be ready for such natural disasters.

Members asked to reduce administrative and local access fees for utilities, and require all of those lobbying or protesting to influence the government to declare their sources of funding.

They asked for strengthening conflict-of-interest laws, and that retention bonuses for bureaucrats be removed.

Provincial Jurisdiction

Other resolutions asked for the province to oppose international pacts that were deemed infringing on provincial jurisdictions, including the WHO pandemic treaty and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Persons.

They also voted for the provincial government to “distance itself from the federal government in as many facets as possible,” and said they wanted the province to have more say on immigration.

One resolution that had closer “yes” and “no” votes was on lowering income tax, which asked for cutting the income tax rate for middle-income Albertans to 8 percent, and for those with higher income to 10 percent. Current provincial tax brackets range from 10 to 15 percent.

Opposition to the resolution came from those asking for a flat tax.

Alberta Premier and UCP Leader Danielle Smith said at a press conference earlier in the day that the policy resolutions serve as “guidance and direction,” and that the government needs to do further consultation on them to see if they are suitable for the general population.

Among the policy resolutions that made their way into legislation since previous years’ meeting are amendments to the provincial Bill of Rights and banning gender transition for minors.

This year’s convention featured an Accountability Session hosted by Smith, her Deputy Premier Mike Ellis and House Leader Joseph Schow, who went through previous years’ adopted UCP policy resolutions, sharing updates on whether they were adopted into legislation.