Danielle Smith continues to dole out minister mandate letters

Premier Danielle Smith is continuing to outline the direction of her cabinet, issuing more mandate letters to ministers handpicked by the leader following the May election.

The two UCP members to most recently receive orders are Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, and Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz.

The latter of which has already received stark criticism from experts, with some saying that the 13-priority letter is missing crucial pieces, specifically relating to climate change.

“The letter lacks a clear commitment to reduce emissions in the short term,” Simon Dyer from the clean energy think tank, the Pembina Institute, told The Canadian Press. “It’s impossible to be an energy and environmental leader without a clear plan to reduce emissions and Alberta doesn’t have one.”

Read more: 

• Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean gets mandate letter

• Critics say Alberta environment minister’s mandate letter lacks specifics on climate

In providing her direction to Schulz, Smith called Alberta “the most responsible energy producer and exporter on Earth.”

Additionally, the premier outlines expectations for the minister to do several projects, including the development of rules to release oilsands tailings into the environment and a climate plan.

Schulz has also been directed to look over instructions to open up water licensing, streamline industrial reclamation and oppose federal environmental regulations.

Dreeshen also had a 13-directive letter sent his way, with large projects including expanding and improving major highways in greater Edmonton and Calgary areas, including Anthony Henday Drive and Deerfoot Trail, and exploring solutions that better connect the city’s downtowns to their airports.

Smith has also asked the minister to look at the feasibility of a commuter rail service from Airdrie to Okotoks on the existing Canadian Pacific (CP) rail line.

So far, mandate letters have been released for agriculture and irrigation, energy and minerals, jobs, economy, and trade, environment and protected areas and transportation and economic corridors.