Alberta Premier Jason Kenney wrote a letter to thank a Ontario couple after they donated to the Alberta government earlier this year.
Kanji and Susie Nakatsu, a retired couple from Kingston, say that they sent the Alberta premier’s office a cheque for $1,000 after hearing how hard Alberta was being affected by low gas prices in April.
“Yes, the Government of Alberta cashed our cheque but only after contacting us about what to do with the funds,” Kanji Nakatsu told the Whig-Standard.
“We told them that they would know best about how to use the money and that they should decide. Eventually, they gave it to a charity that would help people affected by the downturn in their economy.”
Nakatsu said the Alberta government created a program for out-of-province donations, and that the province matched their donation to the Calgary Foundation.
“We just thought they would know best as to what should be done with it,” Kanji said.
“It sounded like a good program to us.”
After the donation was sent, the Nakatsus received a hand-written letter thanking them for their donation.
“I’m truly moved that you would think to offer such a practical expression of solidarity during such a challenging time for our province,” Kenney wrote.
Kenney told the Nakatsus that he was very proud that his government donated excess personal protective equipment to Ontario while that province was struggling to manage the coronavirus pandemic.
The Alberta economy has struggled throughout 2020 as oil prices remain stubbornly low. In April global oil prices went negative, threatening the very existence of the Canadian energy sector.
At least one other Ontarian donated to Alberta around the same time.
Earlier this year, True North released an investigative documentary titled Calgary in Crisis to highlight the struggles Calgarians have had to deal with financially and socially.
The documentary contains exclusive interviews by True North founder Candice Malcolm with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, and Dragon’s Den star Brett Wilson, among others.
