NEWS FILE PHOTO
Cypress-Medicine Hat UCP MLA Drew Barnes speaks to supporters during the April 16 election. Barnes' UCP government announced last week it would follow through with a $1.1-billion program set up by the previous government to spur petrochemical investment. Barnes believes several business advantages work in favour of this region.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
The Alberta legislature resumes today after a summer break and local MLAs say the focus will be pipelines and employment.
“We’ve barely started our work of restoring the Alberta advantage and I’m glad that for the next two or three months that’s what we’ll be doing,” said Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat.
Barnes wants to focus on free enterprise, family and southeastern Alberta, tax cuts, red tape reduction and being a business-friendly government.
“(That) will eventually pay off tremendously when it comes to attraction of capital and job creation,” said Barnes, noting a need for the right climate and incentives to attract businesses and give them a “a fair chance of making a good return” on their investment.
Michaela Glasgo, MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat, says there are businesses investing and expanding in Alberta and she believes that is due to the economic incentives the government has created, including the repeal of the carbon tax
“It means more hard working people are getting jobs … We are committed to job creation and making sure that investors can be confident in their decision to invest in Alberta,” said Glasgo.
The UCP government will table its first budget on Oct. 24 and the focus will be “to bring the province’s finances back to balance,” reads a government statement.
“Budget legislation will focus on taking thoughtful action to correct Alberta’s chronic overspending problem by living within our means while protecting front-line services.”
A few days earlier on Oct. 21 Canadians will elect the next federal government.
“I think it’s incumbent on Albertans to elect a Conservative government,” said Glasgo. “We currently have a federal government that doesn’t seem to have any interest in helping Alberta get ahead. The Liberal platform doesn’t even have Alberta in it once and I think that’s very concerning.”
Barnes says the new federal government will be key in terms of the future of Alberta.
“Trudeau and the Liberals have no desire to make pipelines happen … (I) hope that Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives will make pipelines and free enterprise happen,” said Barnes.
The path forward needs to be about pipelines, free enterprise and opportunities for Alberta families and communities, said Barnes He added that after years of this region being the only area without dedicated funding HALO helicopter rescue service, that needs to be addressed as well as the twinning of Highway 3.
Barnes also wants to see Alberta using the current cheap natural gas to generate more electricity and make use of all the transmission lines that have been installed.
Glasgo says the provincial government needs to address the price of natural gas, create stability for the industry and provide opportunities for natural gas producers to thrive.
“Our friends at HALO are looking for help from our government and I’m happy to advocate for them on that.
