Cutting through the red tape

By Leela Sharon Aheer Chestermere-Strathmore MLA

Hello Strathmore Times readers! This has been a very busy week, and I hope that you were able to take in the many functions and events around town this past weekend. Speaking of events, it looks like many of you enjoyed Aggie Days in Carseland this past weekend in spite of the somewhat cold and wet weather. I was really looking forward to this but was unable to attend Sunday as I had to travel to Edmonton on short notice for a swearing in ceremony. My assistant Vicki attended with my greetings and my son Akesh sang O Canada before the mutton busting and Bull-A-Rama.
In legislature news, we will be freezing Alberta’s oil well royalty structure. Along with the business tax cut and the red tape reduction plan this should help to kick-start our energy industry. The previous reviews and instability cost the industry a lot and made us uncompetitive. This will help bring certainty to the whole system. The sector does all its calculations based on this and the investment climate needs to read “open for business.”
The province of Alberta is taking the federal government to court over their carbon tax as we have had enough of the overreach into our province’s ability to create prosperity and run our own jurisdiction. The federal carbon tax is interference pure and simple, and we know that we need to defend Alberta. The cost of this case will be around $300,000.
So how do you feel about the federal government’s latest approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline while simultaneously passing into law the No More Pipelines Bill C-69 and the Oil Tankers Are OK, Except Those Carrying Alberta Oil Bill C-48? Do you sense a bit of a disconnect there? Our province will be seeing them in court over this as well.
In other news, a former liberal environment minister from B.C. says there is “no business case” for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Since it is the oil producers who have requested capacity on this project you can see what nonsense this is. Meanwhile, the B.C. government continues to oppose Trans Mountain while at the same time bemoaning high gasoline prices (Trans Mountain carries gasoline by the way). Their premier appoints a panel to look at high gasoline prices but forbids the panel from examining the role of the B.C. government. B.C. is also North America’s largest exporter of coal. What hypocrisy!
I want to speak about human trafficking. I know most people believe this is an issue that does not happen in Canada, but it does, and we have to acknowledge that this horrible and despicable crime is happening on Canadian soil. The majority of victims are young women, and some of the victims are as young as five years old. It is a difficult discussion to have, but if it remains hidden away, we can do nothing to move forward and shine a light on the atrocities right here at home. We will be bringing in the “girl next door” legislation in the following months to take on these traffickers. It is truly modern-day slavery and we will fight to protect vulnerable people. Human trafficking cases in Canada are crimes against Canadians and there has never been a more important time to bring awareness to the public. Singer and activist Paul Brandt has said “we won’t tolerate trafficking” and “bullies get nervous when you stand up to them.” I couldn’t agree more.
We have a satellite office just about up and running in Strathmore and will be opening an office in Langdon soon. Our Strathmore office hours for the summer are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 129 Second Avenue in the Strathmore Business Centre. Unfortunately, phone service will not arrive until July. Until then please contact us at 403-207-9889 or Chestermere.Strathmore@assembly.ab.ca. We offer commissioner for oaths services through my assistant Pete. This is a free service but note that he is unable to commission certain documents. Please be prepared to describe the document and give him as much notice as possible so he can check with the legislature legal staff if necessary.
As always, I love to hear from you.

(Leela Sharon Aheer is the MLA Elect for Chestermere-Strathmore, Minister of Status of Women and Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism)