Premier Jason Kenney has appointed Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard as Alberta's new Minister of Municipal Affairs (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By Shaun Penner

Allard to cabinet

Tracy Allard appointed Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs

Aug 25, 2020 | 12:53 PM

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has made a shuffle amongst his cabinet, naming Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard as the new Minister of Municipal Affairs in Alberta, replacing Kaycee Madu in the role.

Madu will become the province’s new Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, with Doug Schweitzer shuffling over to a newly created ministry, taking the role of Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation.

Premier Kenney says Allard’s main job will be to challenge municipal governments in Alberta to work with the province to help create jobs and “recover from the COVID catastrophe”.

“It is critical that our municipal governments stop raising taxes, stop adding red tape that inhibits job creation, and focus, with Alberta’s government, on the overriding goal of economic growth, of job creation, of diversification and of competitiveness.”

One of Allard’s tasks will be to put together and publish a “fiscal report card” on municipalities, which will be intended to compare them to other municipalities around Canada.

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“Because we must be far more competitive, and municipal government’s must be part of the effort to bring job creating investment back to Alberta,” said Kenney. “I can’t think of anybody better tha a real job creator to lead that task.”

Kenney raved about Allard’s business experience, saying she “personifies the entrepreneurial culture of Alberta.” He adds that she reminds him of a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

“She is a very strong woman, who also, I think, has a little bit of Margaret Thatcher in her. An iron fist in a velvet glove,” said Kenney, to Allard’s approval. “And that is exactly what we need in that challenging role of municipal affairs.”

Kenney added that Allard coming from a more rural riding may serve as an advantage to rural municipalities, as he feels she will bring their concerns to the cabinet table.

Allard will now join fellow Grande Prairie-area MLA Travis Toews (the Minister of Finance) in the provincial cabinet.