PENHOLD - The plague of rural crime was a priority issue for many Penholders and area residents at the third and final all-candidates forum for the election of a new MLA in the riding of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.
The forum on April 10 was also an opportunity for the audience of about 120 at the Penhold & District Library to hear and applaud an appeal by Danielle Klooster, a longtime Penholder and candidate for the Alberta Party, for citizens to dismiss candidates interested only in traditional partisan party politics, and instead embrace one who is committed to seize the best interests of their constituents.
"Do we need an MLA who is required to maintain as their top priority the best interests of their party?" said Klooster. "Or do we want to elect someone who's had enough of partisan government and has the integrity and freedom to be a steward of the common good? Do we need an MLA who has the will and the way to fight for a better deal for our region?"
The latest all-candidates forum, which followed one on April 4 in Sylvan Lake and another on April 8 in Innisfail, was the last before the April 16 provincial election. It featured six of the seven registered candidates for the riding, including Klooster, Independent candidate Ed Wychopen, Brian Vanderkley for the Alberta Advantage Party, Devin Dreeshen, the UCP incumbent, NDP candidate Robyn O'Brien, and Chad Miller, representing the Freedom Conservative Party. Lauren Thorsteinson of the Reform Party of Alberta, was not able to attend due to recently receiving minor surgery.
Following opening statements from each candidate, the forum, moderated by Brenda Hoskin, took written questions from the audience that dealt with a wide range of issues, from health care, Bill 6, the Bighorn Country proposal to create a mix of parks and public lands, corporate taxes, seniors housing and child care spaces.
However, it was the ongoing rural crime issue that generated the most passion from candidates. It was addressed by one specific question, and also when candidates were asked what their most important issue was, regardless of party policy.
"A lot of us are living in rural areas and a lot of us are scared about the fact that we can't defend our property and our families. The rules and the laws need to be tougher," said Miller when asked about solutions for rural crime.
Dreeshen said more pressure needs to be put on the federal government to bring in stronger legislation that stands a better chance in keeping criminals incarcerated. Dreeshen also said more court space is needed to ensure cases are not thrown out because it has taken too long to process the accused.
"We need to make sure we can process criminals and cases faster in court. And a lot of this is working with the federal government and other levels of government," said Dreeshen.
Klooster said her party would expand the role of provincial sheriffs to take the pressure off the RCMP, and allocate $10 million and lift the prosecutor wage freeze to bring in more crown lawyers.
"We just do not have enough in our justice system to address everything," said Klooster.
NDP candidate O'Brien said the Notley government implemented the Rural Crime Reduction Study and worked "tirelessly" with the RCMP, and the results showed an immediate reduction in crime, including break and enters and thefts.
"It doesn't get solved over night. It takes a lot of time. We are making real progress with this program and I want to see it continue," said O'Brien.
Vanderkley, meanwhile, said the courts need to have the "punishment fit the crime", noting the escalating numbers of repeat offenders who are not given appropriate sentences and are back on the streets too soon to commit more crimes.
Wychopen reminded the audience there is nothing in the country's constitution, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, that gives Canadians the right to own property,
"I believe we have the right to own property and the right to defend our property. I also believe we should be tougher on criminals," said Wychopen. "If you have a criminal who is out on parole or on bail and they create a new crime they should immediately go back and serve the full sentence they had for the previous crime before they even look at the next one."
The rural crime discussion was followed by the evening's final question for each candidate to answer, and it provided chuckles from the candidates and audience. They were each asked which party they would like to see as the opposition once they were in power.
"I, if the United Conservatives forms the next government, would like Ed to be the official opposition," said Dreeshen, smiling amidst hearty crowd laughter and looking at the Independent candidate. "Because all we would do is focus on fighting Trudeau. We would focus on fighting the federal government, fighting for Alberta, and I think hopefully this fall we would have a lot of fun."
