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Alberta New Democratic Celebration Chief Rachel Notley stated Tuesday that whereas she is staying on as chief, she’s additionally contemplating her future because the celebration begins evaluating its election marketing campaign and efficiency.

Talking in Edmonton, Notley advised reporters that she needs to take time to judge her function as chief, however couldn’t give a timeline for when she would possibly announce a choice.

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“It’s good management to think about your function main as much as an election and to think about your function after an election. I did that in 2015, did it in 2019, did it main into 2023, and naturally I’m doing it now.”

She added she’ll overview “a complete vary of things” in deciding on her future.

“Will probably be fulsome. Will probably be a part of what I’ve described as a accountable choice to think about the worth I carry and the only option for the celebration and for the province.”

Notley stated her celebration’s shadow cupboard might be introduced subsequent week following a celebration caucus assembly in Calgary this Thursday the place she stated they’ll deal with well being care, training, and affordability.

“We’re not aspiring to have it totally pushed by the considerably insufficient group that Danielle Smith has recognized,” she stated, referencing the shortage of ministries of housing, labour, and local weather change within the premier’s cupboard that was unveiled final week.

She additionally took explicit challenge with the appointment of former training minister Adriana LaGrange because the province’s new minister of well being, citing LaGrange’s prior anti-abortion activism.

“I’m deeply involved that we’re going to have actual boundaries, purposeful boundaries put up with respect to girls’s entry to reproductive selection, and we might be conserving a really, very shut eye on that.”

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Smith has known as LaGrange one among her most competent ministers and stated final week that “we is not going to be altering any legal guidelines relating to a lady’s proper to decide on.”

‘Very almost overturned the federal government’

Notley’s NDP gained 38 seats on election evening, a rise of 15 that included profitable all seats in Edmonton, and a majority of Calgary’s 26 seats that additionally noticed defeats for United Conservative Celebration cupboard ministers.

She stated Tuesday that as the biggest official Opposition in Alberta’s historical past, her celebration will have the ability to affect authorities coverage, noting the NDP’s vote depend has elevated in each election since 2012.

“I sit up for being an efficient voice for the 44 per cent of Albertans who requested for us to be their voice,” she stated.

“We captured ridings we’ve by no means held earlier than. We defeated a number of excessive profile UCP ministers and albeit we very almost overturned the federal government.”

She stated the celebration will name on candidates, employees, and members “within the coming months” to overview the successes and failures of the marketing campaign.

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“An entire success would have been had we gained, however we made up an incredible quantity of floor,” she stated.

The NDP gained just one seat outdoors of city centres and, whereas its rural vote elevated general, the celebration’s presence in these areas is one thing Notley stated must be improved on.

“I’m very dedicated to accelerating and growing our conversations with people outdoors of the 2 main cities,” she stated noting pandemic well being restrictions delayed the celebration’s outreach to rural communities.

UCP candidates and executives have pointed to the leaders debate because the turning level in that celebration’s victory, saying it confirmed Albertans that they had little to worry from a Smith-led authorities.

Notley stated Tuesday her celebration’s polling confirmed it barely trailed the UCP all through the marketing campaign, and that there was no apparent change following the Could 18 debate.

“I used to be happy with my potential and alternative to take part within the debate and to speak to Albertans about our imaginative and prescient,” she stated.

“I labored very onerous to ship that message. I believe it’s honest to say that Danielle Smith is an expert communicator and, for 50 minutes, she additionally managed to ship a message.”

Different UCP sources have pointed to the NDP’s deliberate company tax hike as a present to the governing celebration, one thing Notley didn’t immediately deal with on Tuesday.

“I used to be very happy with the platform and the proposals that we put ahead to Albertans,” she stated when requested about that coverage’s influence on the marketing campaign.

Regardless of the electoral defeat, Notley insisted she is happy with the celebration’s efforts.

“Our entire marketing campaign — and by that I don’t simply imply me and our MLAs but additionally our group and the hundreds and hundreds of volunteers — simply labored in a approach that makes me so proud.”

mblack@postmedia.com

Twitter @ByMatthewBlack

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