Alberta Premier Danielle Smith insisted this week that she had “no idea” her government quietly altered expense rules to cover more perks for senior staff, chalking the whole affair up to a case of being “lost in translation.” Critics noted that the changes, written in plain English and posted on the government’s own website, apparently slipped past the Premier’s radar.
“I thought it was just a memo about travel snacks,” Smith told reporters, before admitting she rarely reads the fine print unless it involves carbon taxes or Ottawa.
Opposition members pounced, accusing the Premier of either willful ignorance or Olympic-level gaslighting. “This isn’t a language barrier,” one MLA quipped. “It’s an accountability barrier.”
Meanwhile, Albertans learned their leaders can now expense items like private club memberships. One taxpayer deadpanned on social media: “Good thing the government can understand receipts, even if they can’t understand English.”
