2012 – A year of highlights for Strathmore-Brooks MLA Jason Hale

Times Contributor

 

“People have asked me what the best part of the job is,” said new Strathmore-Brooks MLA Jason Hale. “I have to say meeting all the good people in our area. We have some very good industry, we’ve got the hospitals, we have some great schools. It’s actually a great experience and a great place to represent.”

His family’s presence at his swearing-in, and setting up constituency offices were 2012 highlights for Hale. Then he had a busy fall session, responding to the government’s proposed bills.

As Energy Critic, he suggested thirteen amendments to the Responsible Energy Development Act, and he’s pleased that some amendments, targeted to protect property owners’ rights, passed, along with Bill 8, which removed Cabinet’s power to decide locations of power transmission lines. 

“We’ve definitely had some positive impact,” he said.

He’s also glad they were able to pass a revised Education Act. 

“I made quite a few calls to the local school boards, and everybody, and the Catholic school board to see if they were pleased with the new act,” he said. “They were, so I supported it.”

He’s also pleased hospitals are replacing pre-packaged meals with home-cooked food. 

“We’d been advocating for that for the past year,” said Hale.

Outside the legislature, Hale worked hard to re-open the XL Foods plant. 

“That was a huge issue for our area,” he says. “The cattle producers were really getting hit hard also, not having … a place to sell their beef to … plus … it was a very tough time for the 2,200 workers in Brooks.”

He was impressed by the community’s response. 

“The schools were providing breakfasts and lunches for the students,” said Hale. “And the community got behind the food bank, and other…clothing drives.” 

He was also impressed that many people joined forces to resolve the issue, as he hosted meetings with federal, provincial and community leaders. 

“We spent countless hours working to help the workers and the beef producers to get that plant back going,” Hale said. “We talked … about the cattle industry and what we need to do … and how we can make sure the issue hopefully never happens again.”

On a lighter side, Hale had some fun with Movember. 

“I’ve never had a moustache before, so it wasn’t too enjoyable, but it was for a good cause,” admitted Hale.

He and other MLA’s raised several thousand dollars for prostate cancer research.

For spring session, Hale looks forward to “bringing forward an alternative budget, showing how to balance a budget by cutting the wasteful spending.” 

He and other Wildrose MLA’s want “to show when you spend wisely, that you can still get the money needed to the front-line workers, and the priority infrastructure needs, schools and hospitals.”

Hale says Strathmore Hospital specifically, with one of the busiest rural emergency rooms in Alberta, needs better facilities. 

“There definitely has to be some upgrading done to the emergency department there,” said Hale. “We have such a great staff. It just makes it tough working under those conditions.”

In 2013, Hale’s family life will change a little as his oldest son graduates from high school and his younger son finishes Grade 8. But his goal as MLA remains “to continue serving our communities and … do the best I can for my family and everyone else’s.” 

His priority is “insuring their voices are heard. The constituents are the ones that voted me in. I’m here to work for them. I look forward to serving them in the government.”

Hale encourages constituents to contact him any time at Strathmore.brooks@assembly.ab.ca or 403-934-4400.