A visit from MLA Nathan Cooper

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: October 5 2018 Strathmore Times

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Alberta MLA for Olds, Didsbury and Three Hills, Nathan Cooper, came to Wheatland County council on Sept. 18, to discuss new electoral boundaries and issues faced by Wheatland County residents and council.Cooper will be running in one of the electoral ridings of Wheatland County in the 2019 election. Scott Klassen (l-r), Jason Wilson, Amber Link, Tom Ikert, Nathan Cooper, Glenn Koester, Donna Biggar, Ben Armstrong. Sharon McLeay Photo

Alberta MLA for Olds, Didsbury and Three Hills, Nathan Cooper, came to Wheatland County council on Sept. 18, to discuss new electoral boundaries and issues faced by Wheatland County residents and council.Cooper will be running in one of the electoral ridings of Wheatland County in the 2019 election. Scott Klassen (l-r), Jason Wilson, Amber Link, Tom Ikert, Nathan Cooper, Glenn Koester, Donna Biggar, Ben Armstrong.
Sharon McLeay Photo
Nathan Cooper, a member of the United Conservative Party and MLA for Olds, Didsbury and Three Hills, presented Wheatland County council with a map of the new electoral boundaries on Sept. 18, which will be in place for the 2019 provincial election.
Cooper said he will run again in the next provincial election.
The electoral commission split Wheatland County’s population to fit in three different ridings for the next election. They are Chestermere-Strathmore, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills and Cardston-Brooks.
“I believe about two-thirds of the county will be in the new constituency of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills,” said Cooper. “It presents itself with new challenges and opportunities, and I hope to view them as opportunities as we begin a relationship together.”
He outlined to council that he currently tries to visit councils in his riding once to twice a year and if re-elected he made a promise to keep up that practise.
“I have a bit of philosophy of how to get things done in Edmonton,” said Cooper. “There is generally two ways to accomplish goals in Edmonton … one with sugar and one with vinegar. I traditionally will err on the side of sugar in the beginning, trying to build relationships in Edmonton to accomplish tasks and get things done.”
Cooper said there is a time for harder tactics but he prefers building working relationships. He said the people in the provincial government are basically good people, but he considered the direction they are taking is the wrong one.
Council provided Cooper with a snapshot of some of the issues Wheatland County deals with, including the negotiations for secondary highway maintenance, 911 dispatch issues and borderless ambulance policies, lodge and housing issues in the county, linear assessment and taxation changes.
Reeve Glenn Koester said highway discussions have come to a standstill and the discussions with Alberta Health Services are not progressing. He outlined the need for a new seniors’ lodge, adding the county hopes to partner with the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society to build a new facility, repurposing the existing lodge. Koester said there are currently 40 people on a waiting list for lodge accommodation. The linear assessments and taxation changes have meant a decrease in revenue for the county of about $687,000 per year.
When asked if he was familiar with the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board, Cooper said he has discussed some of Rocky View County’s interactions with their councillors but is interested to hear Wheatland County’s perspective.