Jeff Burgar
South Peace News
The June 19 United Conservative Party rally with Premier Danielle Smith was, by all measures, a roaring success for the Lesser Slave Lake UCP party.
Just under 150 people from all corners of the constituency turned out to listen to Smith and four of her Peace Country MLAs talk about good things happening in Alberta.
Local UCP president Mike Skrynyk, of Kinuso, said before the meeting the short notice given would likely mean a low turnout. It turned out it certainly was no disappointment when the Peavine Inn & Suites upstairs conference room was almost filled.
Besides Smith, also attending for the government were: Dan Williams, MLA for Peace River and new minister of Municipal Affairs; Ron Wiebe, MLA for Grande Prairie -Wapiti; Todd Loewen, MLA for Central Peace – Notley, and minister of Forestry and Parks; and Nolan Dyck, MLA for Grande Prairie.
All, including the premier, took the opportunity to speak. Over the course of the two-hour rally, questions and comments from the audience were fielded by the five.
Points mentioned, in no particular order, started with the MLAs.
Williams said he could not think of a skyscraper, offices, road, bridge or hospital in Ontario that does not owe something to Alberta.
“It’s our resources that fuel all that,” he said.
Williams later said as minister of Municipal Affairs he will be talking to all 330 municipal councils in Alberta.
Wiebe said when he was in business in 1993 in Alberta, it was the land of opportunity.
“I still see opportunities here everywhere I look.”
Dyck echoed his sentiment.
“There are opportunities in the north. Our communities are strong. Our community and families is strong.”
Both Dyck and Wiebe mentioned later the government is working to bring back health care decision making to the local level. They also want to see hospitals doing surgical work.
Lowen mentioned federal minister Steven Guibeault, who had his name booed and hissed by many audience members.
Smith received a standing ovation from the crowd. She said her government had introduced or was working on 19 pieces of important legislation.
In no order of importance, she said there was no intention of bringing in “safe supply of drugs.” This got several claps from the audience.
She said the government is working on ordering “people to care” in severe cases to help them overcome addictions. There are many health care reforms coming, she added.
There was a small bit of clapping when election reform was mentioned. Smith said there were personal income tax cuts coming.
“We think you can spend money better than us.”
Northern roads are on her government’s list for attention. Municipal grants, which have been eroded by previous governments, are slowly being restored.
“Ottawa is a problem,” she said. We are working at keeping energy security and food security, she said. It was a major topic at the G7 conference in Kananaskis.
“Alberta needs a partner in Ottawa. Not an adversary. Alberta needs access to tidewater for exports. We need to work on equal transfers,” Smith said.
“No matter what Ottawa tries to do, we will defend the interests of Alberta. We are ready to lead. We are ready to build,” she added.
Audience member and former High Prairie mayor George Keay put in a plug for what is now known as the Peavine and Clearwater oil plays.
“We are sitting on a huge pool of oil that is one of the least talked about plays these days. What is your government doing about it?” he asked.
Williams responded by saying helping business investment is a priority. Loewen added the government is working to cut red tape as quickly as they can.
Smith added that, “Business is giving up on Canada. It takes action on the part of Ottawa. My job is to do as much as we can to help business, including a new pipeline.”
An audience question on Alberta’s debt was answered by Smith.
“We have a two-pronged approach. When we have a surplus, half will be used to pay down debt and half will be saved in the Heritage Trust Fund. It should be mentioned, in real terms Alberta net debt is eight per cent of GDP. Ontario is 40 per cent.”
Williams observed that debt is actually what he called “delayed taxation.” Every time we borrow, if we don’t earn money to pay debt, future generations pay out of their pocket, he said.
More topics from audience included crime and business.
Data centers and solar power were asked about.
Smith said privacy intrusion issues in the United States had some companies there concerned. She added Canada has advantages. Cooler temperatures. Natural gas power. No requirement any power has to be connected to existing grids.
She added Alberta is facing inquiries totally 17,000 Megawatts of power.
One audience member said recently, his community had an active shooter incident. There was no response from the RCMP. He added the Crown is actually throwing cases away.
“If something isn’t done, we will take it in our own hands,” he said.
“We are taking this seriously,” said Smith, adding the Province is looking at new detachments as one option.
Dyck said the Grande Prairie choice of a city police force had good results so far. There were 200 resumes received for the 110 jobs open in the new force.
“We think it’s going to be better and cheaper.”
As for the ‘right to defend,’ said “If Ontario is for it, we have a chance.”
