NDP candidate for the Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA position Gwendoline Dirk and NDP MLA for Calgary-Buffalo Joe Ceci met outside Medicine Hat's Veiner Centre on Thursday to discuss their desire to implement more affordable living policies for seniors.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com@kkingmhn
NDP candidate for the Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA seat, Gwendoline Dirk, laid out her and her party’s intention to reduce the cost of living for seniors Thursday, while heavily criticizing existing and former UCP policies affecting them.
“We’d like to make life more affordable for seniors so they can enjoy their senior years and be comfortable knowing that they can pay the bills at the end of the month,” said Dirk. “Under the UCP, life has become really difficult for seniors … specifically for seniors on fixed incomes.”
Dirk outlined several platform points she plans on pursuing if elected, including reintroduction of utility and car insurance caps, indexation of seniors’ benefits to match inflation and reinstatement of a provincial seniors’ advocate.
Dirk also spoke on the need to protect Albertans’ right to collect the Canada Pension Plan and expand on medical coverage options, like Alberta’s drug benefit Blue Cross program.
Calgary-Buffalo MLA and former finance minister Joe Ceci – who was also present Thursday – echoed Dirk’s concerns.
“The UCP has made life a lot more expensive for everyone with the cost of living building up,” Ceci said. “(And) the fact that seniors are on fixed incomes and many can’t count on their investments going up at this time, we know that life’s getting unaffordable for them.”
Ceci was more direct in his criticism of the UCP party, especially party leader and Dirk’s byelection opponent Premier Danielle Smith, who he blasted for running in a riding in which she does not live and has no personal connection.
“(Dirk) is the person to support and to get behind (in this election) and not Premier Smith,” said Ceci. “(Smith) has no connection to Medicine Hat at all and is kind of a parachute candidate (who) won’t run in her own area of High River and won’t run (or) call a byelection in Calgary-Elbow – a place that has existed without an MLA for several months.”
Ceci also called into question Smith’s ability to represent constituents whose opinions differ from her own, following several controversial comments and responses the premier has made in recent months and since taking on the role. But he says Dirk and the NDP differ in that they actively engage with voters.
“Gwen and Alberta’s NDP is going to fight for seniors and fight for all Albertans,” said Ceci. “We have a great leader in Rachel Notley and she has pushed us hard, as a caucus, to develop ways to address issues or problems that Albertans still see the need to address … We kind of lay out what the issues are and try and get people to weigh in on them and then develop good, basic research behind those and then go back to those same people and test if whether we hit the mark or not.”
Specifically regarding seniors’ concerns, Dirk says she has spoken to many in the 50-plus age range while campaigning, as well as in casual conversation, which has helped her develop platform points.
“A lot of these points I understand because I’ve participated in these consultations with Albertans,” she said. “And so many consultations on every topic; everything from internet connectivity, to broadband connectivity, to health care, to municipal affairs, and there was one on rent and affordable living.”
While Dirk and Ceci acknowledge implementation of such promises would require substantial financial investments on behalf of government, they believe it necessary for providing seniors stability throughout their golden years.
“The budget is something all governments want to see balance going forward,” said Ceci. “(But) we can’t severely cut back on health services, education, post-secondary education, etc. … So that’s the push and pull of trying to understand if government is going to be there with good programs as well as a reasonable long-term vision for revenues and expenses.”
Neither Smith nor Alberta Party Leader and former Brooks mayor Barry Morishita – who is also vying for the seat – were in attendance Thursday or have yet provided responses to Dirk’s comments, but Smith has openly discussed her desire for Alberta to withdraw from the CCP – one of the many moves she plans to make as part of her overarching promise to increase Alberta’s sovereignty.
