Media question restrictions apply only to Alberta premier, cabinet ministers say
CBC
Three Alberta cabinet ministers say the government's new question restriction policy for media applies only to Premier Danielle Smith.
Kaycee Madu, Adriana LaGrange and Demetrios Nicolaides took multiple questions at news conferences Monday and said the limits apply only to queries made of the premier.
The trio defended Smith's decision to begin limiting questions from reporters and news outlets from now through the May election campaign. They said they agree with Smith that it's a busy period and they want to make sure more news outlets get a chance to ask the premier questions.
They said it's not about Smith trying to evade accountability.
"I don't believe that to be true at all," said LaGrange, the education minister, speaking to reporters in Calgary. "I've seen the premier answer many questions and very difficult questions.
"The premier simply is wanting to reach as many outlets and as many reporters and interviewers.
"As the election ramps up, that's going to be more and more."
The election begins with a writ drop in two weeks, followed by polling day May 29.
Smith rolled out the policy Friday minutes before a government news conference. She announced she would take one question from each reporter to answer more questions. She took six questions and other reporters were left standing in the question queue and on the phone line.
Journalists are traditionally given two questions or sometimes more if necessary to drill down and fill gaps or clarify positions.
Smith broadened the restriction Saturday, saying she will not take more than one question at a news conference from any single news outlet.
Smith's office did not respond Monday to questions about how the policy will work and if news outlets would be defined by their corporate parents or as subgroups, such as national versus regional news bureaus, bureaus within the same company in different cities or those that serve different linguistic groups, such as English and French services for CBC.
Reporters from larger news outlets often have more than one reporter call in or attend Smith's news conferences to ask questions on diverse topics unique to their beats or to stories they are working on.
Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said the United Conservative Party premier's plan to limit questions to elicit more answers is nonsensical.
