Photo courtesy Ross Lavigne

By Regan Tate

Alberta

Premier and MLA Elect Danielle Smith promising to lower electricity rates

Nov 9, 2022 | 6:51 PM

Medicine Hat, AB–Premier and MLA Elect for Brooks-Medicine Hat Danielle Smith addressed a local crowd at a Leadership Breakfast hosted by the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce Wednesday morning.

Smith says it is her role as the local MLA to identify and elevate issues impacting residents in the riding which include the twinning of Highway 3 and upgrades to the hospital in Bassano. Smith hopes to make announcements soon on some of these issues.

When it comes to addressing the affordability crisis, Smith is promising to lower electricity rates, reduce fuel taxes temporarily, and index and lower taxes so families no longer have to make tough spending choices.

Smith also noted that Albertans are concerned about health care. She says the province has the best front-line workers in the world but the problem is that we simply don’t have enough of them. “We have too many managers and not enough front-line workers. It is time to focus our resources where they are needed, to our emergency rooms and to our EMS.”

Smith will be pushing forward with the Alberta Sovereignty Act saying the “logic behind the act is simple….cost of living, economy, healthcare; in each case the federal government has an obligation to help the people of Alberta. I do want to get along well with the federal government including Justin Trudeau, I really do but they have a track record that they have to own up to.”

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Smith says if Ottawa doesn’t change their ways then Alberta will take care of itself because self-reliance is a prairie virtue. The Premier left the event before the question and answer portion of the breakfast.

Medicine Hat Mayor Linnsie Clark also addressed the crowd. City Council has just passed the one year mark since the municipal election and Clark says a strategic plan has been developed. “We are operationalizing that through the current budget process.”

Clark was clear that Medicine Hat does have some challenges saying that the city plans plan on creating a task force to bring together people to address and advocate on some of the issues around mental health, addiction and housing. Clark also stated that a lot of energy needs to be put into an economic development strategy focused on bringing new industry to Medicine Hat.

MP Glen Motz, MLA Drew Barnes, Redcliff Mayor Dwight Kilpatrick, and the Deputy Reeve of Cypress County also spoke at the breakfast.