Smith says she'll consider changes amid concerns wildfires politicized in election
CTV
United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she will consider making changes amid questions over whether she is politicizing Alberta’s wildfire crisis by using party news conferences to deliver fire updates meant for the broader public.
United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she will consider making changes amid questions over whether she is politicizing Alberta’s wildfire crisis by using party news conferences to deliver fire updates meant for the broader public.
Smith says she is just trying to be helpful and deliver as much information as she can, but says she is open to another approach.
“I'm happy if you want me to just refuse taking your questions on wildfires,” Smith told reporters in Calgary Saturday.
“I just feel like this is information you want to know. And if you want to know it, I'm prepared to deliver it to you.”
Smith had to begin walking a fine line of political convention this week after wildfires forced thousands to flee in the midst of an election campaign, with voters going to the polls May 29.
She is expected to juggle her dual roles as premier and party leader: addressing the crisis as premier while separating it as much as possible from party matters to avoid the appearance of using the fires to boost her profile, attack the opposition or otherwise give her and her party an unfair advantage in the election campaign.
Smith kept to that convention in the early days of the blazes, taking questions as premier on May 6 and May 8 but directing they be only about the fires.
