Open discussion takes place between MP and Wheatland County council

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An opportunity for open discussion and questions took place between Wheatland County council and Bow River MP, David Bexte for the first time since either election.

During the Feb. 17 meeting of council, Bexte took to the floor to formally introduce himself to the county, as well as to briefly summarize his agenda since taking over his seat from Martin Shields. 

He described three particular themes he has begun to pursue since the start of his tenure, being agriculture, energy, and liberty.

“Family farms, the agriculture industry, it needs strong advocates and I have several other colleagues in Ottawa that are in the same thread and are very, very powerful advocates,” he said.

“From the energy side, there are a lot of things underway that with the MOU in Alberta between Alberta and Ottawa and potentially that may or may not manifest into something good, but is something to pay close attention to and is definitely going to need a lot of work because the form of that, how that ultimately comes about could make a big difference.”

On the topic of “liberty,” as he described, specifically was in reference to freedom of speech and individual property rights.

He indicated maintaining a vigilant stance against “innumerable opportunities for the state” to encroach upon an individual’s property rights, and such potential being something to pay strict heed.

Coun. Glenn Koester took the opportunity to bring the ongoing Wheatland Lodge project to Bexte’s attention and inquire about how to proceed with potentially acquiring federal funding.

“There is no CMHC, and the new Canada Homes thing does not have anything out there (about) borrowing or anything. And if we are successful, we can’t move on without a mortgage, or it’s hard. We are in limbo now, we can’t prepare anything,” said Koester. “We don’t know what we need or support, or continuum. I know the province is very reluctant to have the feds come down and give us money and build their own thing. They want to have their input into it too.”

Bexte acknowledged the Province of Alberta being hesitant to relinquish any authority or control over a project, particularly the implications of such that would come with allowing external – in this case federal, funding sources. However, he added, if the province is not willing to provide the required funding, they must live with the consequences.

He suggested the WHMB send a letter to his office outlining specific details, application dates and times, and the current status of the project in order to potentially direct further actions.

Coun. Rick Laursen inquiring directly to Bexte’s wheelhouse as a member of the committee on environment and sustainable development, asked for clarification regarding the government’s movements towards emphasizing electric vehicles, and phasing out fossil fuels.

“I think a large part of the pressure and the impetus to push on EVs and, certainly over the last 10 years in the Trudeau era to reduce fossil fuel use and production and consumption, was an abject disbelief for not understanding the connection between economic prosperity and how powerful of an economic driver that was,” said Bexte.

Bexte cited a difficulty in understanding the thought process of the liberal government, as well as a notion that the caucus is not unified in their opinions regarding the use of fossil fuels.