Municipal leaders outline election issues – Mountain View Gazette

With the 2019 federal election now underway, local municipal government elected officials have outlined some of the issues and concerns they would like to see the candidates in the Red Deer-Mountain View riding discuss during the campaign.

The riding has more than 86,000 residents, and covers Mountain View County and a large portion of Red Deer County.

The incumbent MP is Conservative Earl Dreeshen, winning 74 per cent of the votes in 2015.

Didsbury mayor Rhonda Hunter says there are a number of issues she would like to see candidates address.

I believe we are really looking for the commitment to funding, programs and services that benefit rural communities, said Hunter.

Navigating the federal system is complex and can be frustrating, and a rural perspective when I say rural, I mean both urban rural and county rural is needed in all federal systems to ensure the issues of all Canadians needs are addressed.

Rural communities need to have access to all emerging opportunities. A fifth of Canadians are urban rural/rural, an important point of fact that all federal parties need to keep in mind.

She said she would like candidates to outline their respective plans for the federal gas tax fund (GTF).

The GTF is an important funding source for our municipalities that supports much-needed infrastructure funding, she said. The government doubled the GTF this year, and continuing with that formula makes sense going forward.

We do realize it is an election year, but definitely hope that the successful party commits to that doubling going forward.

She said she would also like to see the candidates outline their respective plans for providing affordable housing in rural communities, and for promoting and supporting the oil and gas industry.

Mountain View County reeve Bruce Beattie said he hopes the candidates will discuss their respective plans for supporting agriculture.

There are concerns about rural mail delivery by Canada Post. What are the positions of the parties relative to decisions that Canada Post is going to make, said Beattie.

The future of the federal gas tax fund is also of interest to the county, he said.

Weve had our payment this year and we certainly hope that will be continued. It is one of the programs that affects us.

Although he would like to see candidates discuss agriculture, he isnt convinced it will be a major issue.

In the last number of elections agriculture is rarely mentioned and I think that is unfortunate, he said. Agriculture seems to fall off the map because the vast majority of Canadians live in urban centres and thats where politicians seem to focus their efforts. I certainly dont see a change happening in that this time around.

Beattie says a minority government might not be bad news for Canada, he said.

They can be effective because obviously the governing party has to evaluate before they go ahead, he said. People want to see strong leadership.

Al Kemmere, the president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, says he would like to see the candidates in Red Deer-Mountain View outline their respective plans for addressing key issues facing rural communities.

One thing we keep on talking about with the feds is that whole conductivity piece, the need to have reasonable broadband access for the rural and remote communities, said Kemmere, who is also a Mountain View County councillor.

Its becoming a staple of life for businesses and for families. Thats a big focus.

Rural communities need the federal government to support key infrastructure, he said.

Another big thing for rural communities is infrastructure funding, for roads and bridges, he said. We want to make sure roads and bridges are not forgotten because thats a high level priority for the rural communities.

Its all part of our being able to provide our services, whether its agriculture or oil and gas or forestry or whatever it is that the resource sector provides. We need to make sure theres adequate funding to maintain the roads and bridges.

Federal disaster mitigation and funding for emergencies is also a big issue for rural communities, he said.

Weve seen more and more floods and fires and we need to know that when those events take place that the federal government is going to be helping municipalities out in those situations, he said.

Rural economic development needs to involve all levels of government, including the next federal government, he said.

We need to have more effort put in that, especially in Alberta where we have seen the challenges with oil and gas and the pressures on agriculture, he said.

Rural economic development is going to be a key piece to stabilize our tax base in the future. We need to keep working with the feds to create more opportunities in the rural communities.

Carstairs mayor Lance Colby says there are several issues he would like the candidates discuss.

I think the biggest thing to me in the election is honesty in the government, said Colby. Which government will uphold the rule of law and not skirt around it. I think thats the biggest issues honesty, integrity in the government itself. That theyre trustworthy. And we dont have to worry about stuff.

Another big issue is making sure the West is well represented, he said.

I think thats very important for Alberta because we are an oil-based economy right now and in the future, he said. Its not like oil is going to die from all the projections the amount of oil is going to increase.

We need to get our oil out to water so we can export it, not just to the States. I think that is one of the big things for Alberta that I think communities here would look at.

To me it cant be so focused on the East. If you look at all the stuff coming out, its when Ontario loses jobs its a big deal but when Alberta loses thousands of jobs its just the way it is.

Canada needs a government that is going to look across Canada from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island. We have to look after everyone not just one section because thats where the votes are.

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Municipal leaders outline election issues - Mountain View Gazette