MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – Mountain View County councillors have met with Red Deer-Mountain View Conservative MP Earl Dreeshen to discuss issues facing the region and country.
The closed-door meeting took place at council’s request after councillors approved a series of questions they planned to put to the multi-term MP.
Reeve Bruce Beattie said matters discussed included rural crime and pensions.
“We had a good discussion of a number of topics,” said Beattie. “We didn’t get any firm commitments other than to work towards trying to improve communication with Health Canada.
“He talked about what the opposition parties are pushing for in the new Parliament. We talked about rural crime and the issues we are facing with that. We need the government to recognize the issue at the national level, and they need to get that message.”
The issue of salaries for RCMP officers and “how do you retain officers when your pay scale is so much lower than some of the municipalities,” he said.
Another topic discussed was the ongoing fight against the invasive pine beetle, he said.
“It was something that was raised to us by Sundre Forest Products and we are going to send a letter in support of the forestry association to look for some federal funding, similar to what they did in Nova Scotia with the spruce bud worm.”
Meeting with MPs and MLAs gives council a chance to raise issues and continue communications, he said.
