Two of the main political parties in Alberta held their separate conferences on Saturday in an effort to intensify support and unofficially launch their campaigns ahead of the general election next spring. United Conservative Party leader and newly elected Premier Danielle Smith met with hundreds of supporters and party gathering members in Edmonton, while New Democratic Party leader Rachel Notley sought to win more votes in Calgary. Both parties also presented different solutions to issues facing Alberta residents, including affordability, healthcare, and education. Danielle Smith addressed UCP members and the party gathering during a conference at River Cree Casino and Resort in Edmonton. She began her speech by focusing on what her party had been like over the past ten days and highlighting her transition to power amid several attacks launched against her by the NDP. Smith also promoted her recent ministerial decisions and doubled down on her apology for previous comments she made about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, the leader of the United Conservative Party in Alberta and newly elected Premier Danielle Smith met with hundreds of her supporters and party gathering members in Edmonton, while New Democratic Party leader Rachel Notley sought to gain more votes in Calgary. Smith continued to talk about a recent retreat for party associations where she played Paintball with several UCP MLAs. She described the gathering as a "team-building" opportunity, saying: "There were four main themes that came out of that discussion, first: affordability and the inflation crisis caused by the NDP-Liberal coalition in Ottawa. Second: jobs and the economy during this time of global economic uncertainty. Third: urgent improvement of healthcare; and fourth: standing up to the NDP-Liberal coalition government in Ottawa." In the same context, the newly elected Premier continued to speak about Rachel Notley as a person focused on anti-energy policies and a "300 percent increase in carbon taxes," framing her political views as similar to Jagmeet Singh and Justin Trudeau. Smith said, "As a government, we cannot solve the inflation crisis alone - but we can certainly keep our books balanced and ensure that Alberta residents and their families are better able to weather this storm." Smith also pledged to help address emergency room waitlists and fix what she calls the "emergency medical services crisis" in Alberta. Rachel Notley, leader of the NDP, pledged to focus on affordability, economic diversification, and more positive changes in both healthcare and education systems. In a speech before more than 1,400 party members at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Calgary, she promoted an economic platform that includes a cap on utility rates, freezing car insurance, deferring gas tax collection, and capping post-secondary education fees. If elected, the NDP also plans to build hundreds of schools across the province and will move forward with what it calls an "aggressive" affordable housing building program. Plans are also underway to increase support for seniors and low-income families alongside reversing cuts to child and family benefits. The NDP agreement in Calgary also included many policy motions put forward for discussion.