I am both excited and honoured to write you my first report as our new, United Conservative MLA for Banff-Kananaskis.
What a month it has been! Our United Conservative caucus has only been sworn in to the Alberta Legislature for less than a month, but we have already gotten down to serious business. Contrary to a regular year in which the government sits for a Spring and Fall session, we have decided to additionally sit for an immediate, emergency summer session. The work required to get Alberta’s economy back on track is extensive, and we don’t have time to wait.
Our Premier and Energy Minister spent their first few days in Ottawa, testifying to the Senate against the “no-more- pipelines” Bill C-69.
Bill I of our United Conservative Government has officially been introduced as of May 22nd. As voted on and supported by so many Albertans, Bill 1 of our new United Conservative Government is the Carbon Tax Repeal Act – a bill that is projected to put $1.4 billion back into the pockets of everyday Albertans. Promise made, promise kept. Of course, once our provincial carbon tax is repealed, the federal carbon tax will inevitably kick in. At this time, we will be joining forces with Saskatchewan and our many other provincial allies across federation in their formal court challenge against the jurisdictional authority of this tax. It should also be noted that, in the meantime, this federal carbon tax that will be imposed on us is approximately 33% lower than the previous Alberta carbon tax was, which was imposed on Albertans by the previous NDP government. This means there will still be some immediate relief.
In the weeks to come, you will be seeing many more exciting, economy-boosting pieces of Legislation presented by our government. These will include the Open for Business Act and the Job Creation Tax Cut Act.
On a more local level, I am sure you heard the announcement from our Transportation Minister in regards to the Springbank Dam (SR1) project. I want to ensure you that I have written Minister McIver with my grave concerns surrounding the project, and have expressed my desire to find a solution that protects all Albertans from future flooding.
“I am writing you with regards to the Springbank Dam proposal, and Alberta’s need for proper flood mitigation.
The flood of 2013 was catastrophic – peoples’ lives were endangered, family homes were ravaged, and businesses and livelihoods were destroyed. Building proper infrastructure to protect Calgary from future flooding must be a top priority for our government, but building proper infrastructure to protect the thousands of people and businesses located in the upstream communities must also be a top priority. SR1 does not satisfy the latter.
I am writing you to request two actions for the interim while the SR1 project is stalled by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s (CEAA) ongoing review. Firstly, consultations with the affected communities of Springbank, Bragg Creek, Redwood Meadows, and Tsuu T’ina Nation must be conducted. This is something that has never been adequately done since the project was first introduced six years ago. Secondly, I implore you to take this time as we await a verdict from CEAA to research, study, and consider other flood mitigation strategies, such as MC1, that could protect all of our upstream and downstream communities, without the need for expropriation, the devastation of agricultural lands and groundwater, and the uprooting of Kamp Kiwanis.
We need to protect Albertans from future flooding, but we should not protect only a few at the expense and detriment of the others. We must ensure that all Albertans in affected flood areas are safe from harm.”
Throughout my election campaign, I promised to do my honest best to represent you in Legislature, and I hope that this letter can serve as the first step towards honouring my word.
As a final update, I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed to the Standing Committees on Public Accounts, Resource Stewardship, Environment, and Rural Crime. I hope that these four committees will give me opportunity to better serve you, and look forward to informing you of committee updates as they arise over the subsequent months.
Being granted the opportunity to represent you in Legislature for the next four years is my absolute honour. I hope to use my four years in office to represent you as best as possible.
