The UCP was not wrong to cry foul over the perception of inadequate public consultation when the former NDP government had announced its proposal for the Bighorn Backcountry.
People who stand to be impacted by a freely elected, democratic government’s decisions should have a fair opportunity to ask questions and express concerns.
No major decision should be rammed through by a handful of bureaucrats in the absence of meaningful discourse and engagement with taxpayers.
Yet that is precisely what our new government intends to do with the provincial budget, which has conveniently been delayed without adequate explanation, leaving us lingering in fiscal uncertainty probably until after the federal election.
Had the previous administration pulled such a stunt, the UCP's backlash would have been fast and furious.
Albertans deserve — and should demand — better than a government that creates a budget while hiding behind closed doors without any meaningful attempt to seek input from the public.
Even Sundre’s council understands this core democratic principle.
Some people might complain that the municipality set an open house to discuss levels of service, which of course have a major impact on our budget, during the summer when many people are on vacation. But when the town had previously held wintertime meetings to get input on roundabouts, those who flock away for months at a time to escape the cold also complained about the timing.
During the fall, people would probably still complain because of how busy life’s schedule is during back to school and harvest season, and of course in the spring, it’s seeding time for our farmers. In other words, there is no ideal time of year that will accommodate everyone.
But at least our municipal council tries to engage residents.
That’s more than the UCP can say. The party seems more interested in catering to corporate interests than hearing what the average Albertan who doesn't earn a six-plus figure salary has to say.
Why public consultations were considered so critical for Bighorn but not the provincial budget, which will have far greater reaching impacts on everybody in the province, is a glaring, hypocritical inconsistency that should have us all concerned.
The UCP should practise what it preached when it was the official Opposition and immediately seek to get input from Albertans before even considering putting the budget on the table.
