Setting the facts

By Leela Sharon Aheer Chestermere-Strathmore MLA

I want first to congratulate John Kittler and the UCP Chestermere-Strathmore board for winning their arbitration and being reinstated as your board. 

This has been a very difficult and trying couple of months for these amazing volunteers who are professionals and have busy lives and have dedicated their time to all of us in the riding.

I am so grateful for their faith in me and for the incredible work they do. 

We have seen incorrect statements suggesting that our board was at fault for a technicality regarding the announcement of the Jan. 8 Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

Here are the facts: the UCP party executive director Dustin Van Vugt is responsible for verifying the date of our AGM and the advance notification required by our bylaws in section 6.2 in our governance. 

The issues of membership fraud were never brought to the discussion because the arbitration panel decided that the technicality was all that was required to reset the AGM – which at the end of the day, was all that John Kittler’s board wanted. 

Thank you to Tom Kent and the arbitration panel for their excellent work. This situation could have been resolved within days of the Jan. 8 date, but the Party decided to drag this out for months. Thank you to John’s board for their resilience and commitment to our riding. We can now get back to work and focus on our upcoming nomination race.

It was such an honour to sing the national anthem to kick off the start of an attempt at a world record for the world’s longest hockey game, all in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. These amazing warriors will be playing non-stop hockey for 261 hours. Please come and cheer them on at the Chestermere Recreation Centre.

Thank you so much to the Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Society for their incredible performance in Strathmore last Sunday. The folks from our riding came out by the hundreds to support Susan at Dobre Foods and the Town of Strathmore to raise money for our Ukrainian sisters and brothers.

Thank you to Pat Fule, Mayor of Strathmore, Reverend Kern from the Anglican church in Strathmore for the peace prayer, Ukrainian choir, Ukrainian dancers and magician Malcolm Russell.

Vendors included were Rocky Roadz Ice Cream and Mini Donuts, the Nut Man Company, Comforting Souls Birdie Abodes, Grandma Num Num’ Baking, Essential oils, Thirty-one, Color Street Nails, Deborah’s Tickle Trunk of Treasures, Soul Healing Reiki & Gemstone Jewelry, Fifth Avenue Jewelry Kraft Creations, the Lions Club, Girl Guide Cookies, Parachutes for Pets and Custom Apparels.

Corporate sponsors provided face painting and balloons, Easter egg painting, a coloring contest, cookie decorating and private session with a magician.

Finally, thank you to all the volunteers. It was such a privilege to participate with all of you! 

As always, we love to hear from you.

(Leela Sharon Aheer is the MLA Elect for Chestermere-Strathmore)