Richard Froese
Already halfway into the first month in the new year and many people are wondering what the big news will be in 2025.
Not even one week into 2025, and already the biggest news came out of Ottawa on Jan. 6 when Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau announced he was resigning from both positions. He will hang on to both roles until a new Liberal leader is chosen, which could be four or five months away.
Public support for Trudeau has been plummeting in the past four years and calls from Liberal MPs has grown in the past two months for him to step down immediately for the good of the country.
Parliament has also been prorogued until March 24 meaning the MPs will not meet in the House of Commons for any parliamentary activities and the Liberals remain in power.
What a waste time and money!
Why is the government led by a person who has lost power and integrity!
It is time to move forward!
By the calendar on the wall, voters in Alberta will to go the polls twice this year. Elections for municipal councils and school boards are scheduled for Oct. 20 – set for the third Monday of October to vote for municipal councillors and school board trustees for four-year terms. Many municipalities and school divisions have already opened nominations with the deadline in September.
Some people have already expressed they intend to throw their hats into the ring as candidates.
It can inspire others to seek public office.
What local issues will be in the news in 2025?
Tourism is a major economic driver surrounding Lesser Slave Lake between High Prairie and the town of Slave Lake.
The Slave Lake Regional Tourism Society launched a plan in 2024 to expand the region in partnership with the Alberta North Central Alliance that includes municipalities and Indigenous communities in the wider region. Original members include the Town of Slave Lake, the M.D. of Lesser Slave River and Sawridge First Nation in the east. They were joined in late 2024 by the Town of High Prairie and Big Lakes County.
As support and membership grows, it will only help promote and make the region stronger and boost economic development. Northern and rural communities can survive and thrive only when they work together as a region.
On that regional note, will councils of the M.D. of Smoky River, Big Lakes and the M.D. of Greenview approve a water study in 2025 to add water resources in the Guy, Triangle and Sunset House regions? Residents in all three areas have been demanding potable water for many years.
What is the status of the provincial government’s plan to revamp regional health advisory councils, announced last April 15?
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that the government would restructure the 12 current regional health advisory councils in the province and create an Indigenous Health Advisory Council and be in place by the end of 2024.
However, it was put on hold in the fall and Albertans are still waiting for restructuring.
Two regional health councils serve local areas – Lesser Slave Lake Health Advisory Council encompassing the Slave Lake and High Prairie regions and Peace Health Advisory Council that covers the Falher, Peace River, Grande Prairie regions and north to Manning.
Alberta Health Services has committed to ensuring local people are directly contributing to better healthcare outcomes in their communities.
AHS with a provincial board definitely didn’t serve rural and northern health issues well.
We’re waiting!