Many Sundre and surrounding area residents took some time last week to meet with the local MLA to exchange pleasantries as well as share concerns and ask questions.
A steady stream of about 100 people dropped by the local constituency office on Thursday, Dec. 13 to visit with Jason Nixon, UCP MLA for the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding.
“It was a great turnout,” said Nixon, adding there was throughout the day a “steady flow of people coming in and just connecting.”
Among them were some of the usual suspects while others he had not seen in a while, he said, adding he enjoys the opportunity to have conversations with people to hear what’s on their minds.
Since it was a Christmas open house, there was no shortage of conveying well wishes for the holidays, but people did not drop by solely to exchange season’s greetings, he said.
“People also had lots to talk about,” more so than in previous years, he said.
Among the primary concerns expressed were fears about the state of Canada’s energy industry, and what will be in store for 2019 as once-seemingly-certain pipeline projects like the Trans Mountain continue to face uphill legal battles, he said.
“It’s pretty clear that a lot of people are concerned that next year will be worse,” he said.
“The past year has been, for us, as a province, an extremely tough year,” he said, adding initial hopes to complete the Trans Mountain pipeline to tap more into the U.S. market were not only dashed but also that the provincial government has now announced curtailing production.
“Some people have no hope on (the) pipeline file.”
Overall, there were numerous similar conversations and questions covering topics ranging from pipelines and the energy sector to the federal government’s equalization plan that has also boiled up frustrations in people who feel unfairly treated by fellow provinces and the federal government, as well as more local issues such as the Bighorn Country proposal, he said.
“People don’t feel like they’re getting their questions answered” regarding Bighorn, which many also feel has lacked adequate public consultation, he said, adding people largely don’t seem to understand the proposal and that there is a lot of confusion over what it means.
“That shows a flaw in how the government has handled it.”
Some other matters discussed were the status of health care as well as senior care, which always remain ongoing concerns, he said.
Looking to the next year, Nixon expressed optimism for change and an opportunity to address the current state of Alberta’s energy industry.
“We feel that we have a good chance at becoming the next government in the spring,” he said.
