The moderator of the province’s Alberta Next panel has publicly apologized for a remark Premier Danielle Smith has called offensive, but Smith says she now considers the matter closed.
“I always take the view that we have to engage with people respectfully. That’s my expectation of my staff and I have asked him to do better next time,” said Smith, who chairs the Alberta Next panel.
Bruce McAllister, executive director of the premier’s office and moderator of the panel, made the comment at a town hall in Calgary on Monday evening.
It’s caused an uproar on social media.
“I know you’d love some chaos but your parents should turn you over your knee,” said McAllister.
Moderator of Smith’s Alberta Next panel apologizes for spanking quip
He made that remark to 17-year-old Evan Li, who raised his voice to continue asking about the province’s spending on private schools after his microphone was cut off mid-question.
On Tuesday morning, McAllister apologized on X.
“Last night, while moderating the AB Next panel, I made an inappropriate remark to a participant. I regret saying it and I apologize. I’m committed to ensuring these conversations remain respectful and constructive,” wrote McAllister.
Last night, while moderating the AB Next panel, I made an inappropriate remark to a participant. I regret saying it and I apologize. I’m committed to ensuring these conversations remain respectful and constructive.
In an interview with CBC News, Li said McAllister’s online apology isn’t good enough.
Instead, he wants a direct, in-person apology. He’s also calling on McAllister to step down.
“There is nothing that can be solved with a simple Twitter post, and his actions — it was just completely unacceptable,” said Li, a Grade 12 student at Sir Winston Churchill High School.
“[With] the way it came so natural to him, I am concerned about what these standards are within this government and why this was so acceptable to say. And no one at the panel spoke out against him, either.”
Li said he wanted to attend the town hall after hearing concerns from teachers and other students about the teachers’ strike. The same night, it was announced that Alberta teachers overwhelmingly rejected a tentative offer for the province, and a strike is likely to happen on Oct. 6.
Given concerns around classroom size and complexity in the public school system, Li said he was going to ask about why the province allocates so much funding to private schools.
“It wasn’t to demean the panel or accuse them of lining the pockets of rich people. It was just more, what is their reasoning for this? Does it save the province money and how does it work?”
Government budget estimates show that private schools, excluding early childhood services, are slated to receive nearly $295 million to operate in Budget 2025, which would be a nearly 16 per cent increase in funding from the previous year — and a 42 per cent funding increase since 2023-24.
Smith said McAllister can be strict about ensuring all questions asked are on topic.
“None of us are perfect and it’s a very stressful environment to be in, to be moderating events like that. And he made an offensive comment and apologized for it this morning.”
At the town halls, question and answer periods are broken into different sections on topics like equalization, an Alberta Pension Plan and a provincial police force.
Li’s question came during a section about a provincial police force. He wasn’t the only one whose question was cut off on Monday night for being off topic or too long.
The leader of the opposition NDP is calling on the premier to fire McAllister. He said Smith should also issue her own apology to Li.
“That was a disgusting thing to say to a citizen, especially a young citizen who’s brave enough to ask a question,” said Naheed Nenshi in an interview with CBC News.
McAllister earns a biweekly base salary of $7,088.13, according to the province, which works out to more than $180,000 a year.
The Alberta Next panel has been on a cross-province tour since July. It has one final online town hall left on Wednesday evening.
