Hello Chestermere-Strathmore readers.
This week, Alberta’s government announced the membership of the newly established Alberta Parole Board. The announcement is part of a broader set of concrete actions designed to get a fair deal for Albertans by ending the agreement with the Parole Board of Canada. The Alberta Parole Board will oversee parole hearings for inmates serving sentences for fewer than two years in provincial correctional institutions, and allow Alberta to continue to assert its jurisdictional authority and create a more responsive justice system that reflects the needs of our province’s communities. The new, independent Alberta Parole Board will provide a fairer, faster, more responsive and responsible justice system that better protects Albertans, their loved ones and their property from repeat offenders. A provincial parole board will help end the “revolving” door of the justice system that often enables repeat offenders to target Albertans, particularly those living in rural areas.
The provincial parole board is comprised solely of Albertans from across the province. Chairing the board will be former chief of the Calgary Police Service and former Chief Superintendent of the RCMP K Division, Rick Hanson. The remaining members include Northland School Board trustee Randy Anderson, ALTIA-ABM Inc. vice-president Paul M. Bourassa, former Central Alberta Mental Health Review Board Chair Craig Paterson, Alberta Health Services project manager Shelly Takacs, lawyer Angela Tripathy and Mackenzie County councillor Lisa Wardley. This week’s announcement follows legislation that Alberta’s government passed last summer to respond to the needs of its citizens, especially rural Albertans who have been victimized by repeat offenders for property crimes. I have heard from many of my constituents regarding rural crime, and this is a step in the right direction in protecting Albertans.
In other good news, Alberta has received its second positive grade for red tape reduction from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business – an A. We are glad to see that Alberta is the most improved province in Canada when it comes to red tape reduction – a strategy that, when done right, saves Albertans both time and money. Cutting red tape is a key factor in our strategy to help businesses recover following the current COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any ideas about how Alberta can further reduce red tape, please share them at CutRedTape.Alberta.ca.
Earlier this week, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced that Alberta children suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) may now be eligible to receive funding for gene replacement treatment. SMA is a rare genetic disease that affects a small number of children and adults in Canada. Accessing this treatment will mean a world of difference for these few brave children and their families. Zolgensma was approved by Health Canada in December 2020. I was so happy to be able to participate in some fundraising for Mighty Max, the young boy from Fairview, Alberta who is currently suffering from this terrible disease.
Jan. 27 marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. On that day in 1945, the survivors of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau were liberated, bringing an end to the Holocaust of the Jewish People. We remember the Holocaust and the murder of 6 million Jews by the Nazis and their allies. We honour those taken by standing together to build a better future free from hate for all Albertans. I remember the many mothers, father, brothers, sisters, family and friends whose lives were forever altered by this grave atrocity. The past must never be forgotten. On Jan. 27, we honoured those Holocaust survivors who continue to share their stories and we rededicated ourselves to the critical ongoing work of Holocaust education and commemoration.
Finally, Alberta’s government is working with the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation to make crop insurance more affordable for farmers by providing a 20 per cent discount this year. I know this is very important to many constituents across the Chestermere-Strathmore riding. By cutting crop insurance premiums by 20 per cent, Alberta’s government will save farmers $55 million in insurance costs. This reduction will help farmers mitigate the impacts of the looming 500 per cent increase to the federal carbon tax, a misguided Clean Fuel Standard and an impending punitive fertilizer limit imposed by the federal government. I am so grateful to our farmers who work so hard to put food on our tables!
It’s no secret that many Albertans are going through a difficult time. We just passed Bell Let’s Talk Day which acknowledges that we must speak up bravely about mental health especially as we cope with COVID-19. Many people are struggling with loneliness, isolation, addiction, and lost savings, businesses and jobs. You don’t have to be alone and silence will not have the final word. I encourage you to take a peek at www.alberta.ca/mentalhealth for additional support.
As always, I love to hear from you!
