Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces a public health guarantee in Sherwood Park, Alta., Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Smith is reversing part of her government’s new media-question restriction policy, but says she will continue to limit queries in order to provide more answers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is reversing part of her government’s new media-question restriction policy but says she will continue to limit queries in order to provide more answers.
Smith’s office says in a statement that while individual reporters can still each only ask one question with no followup at the premier’s news conferences, that rule will not apply to individual news outlets.
Smith announced over the weekend that she would accept no more than one question from any single news outlet, raising questions on which outlets would be affected as many reporters work for the same corporate employer but in different capacities and locations.
Smith’s office did not explain the reason for the reversal.
The restrictions are to be in place from now through the end of the May election campaign and apply only to questions put to Smith.
The premier says the one-question format allows her to give answers to more reporters, but Opposition NDP leader Rachel Notley says Smith is avoiding accountability by not allowing reporters to challenge her answers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023
