Residents from across the Foothills were given a chance to weigh in on the future of Alberta on Tuesday, Feb. 4th.

A "Fair Deal Panel" was held at the Crescent Point Field House in Aldersyde, to discuss many aspects of Alberta's future, including the possible withdrawal from the Canada Pension Plan, the possible formation of a provincial police force, and continuing talks over equalization payments.

Panel members included Oryssia Lennie, the former Deputy Minister of Western Economic Diversification Canada, former Calgary MLA, Donna Kennedy-Glans, Banff-Kananaskis MLA Miranda Rosin, Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Tany Yao, Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson, and Livingstone McLeod MLA Roger Reid.

A common thread in many of the query's from residents was other province's perception of Alberta, with many attendees suggesting ways in which those perceptions could be changed for the better.

Foothills resident Steve Morgan says he feels Albertans as a whole have taken on a negative mindset, and attended the meeting in hopes of introducing a more optimistic tone to the conversations.

"We aren't just an oil and gas industry, and that's where I make my money, is in the oil and gas industry for years and years and years, but there are ways of diversifying and changing your markets in order to adapt. I don't think we've really done that yet. We've kind of fallen on the sword of 'look what they've done to us,' as opposed to 'look what we can do.'"

Morgan's view, though contrary to many in the room, was one of  how to shift Alberta's image, including an imaging campaign from Alberta's Energy War Room, and more serious talks about separation.

Don Larson, President of the Foothills Rural Crime Watch Association says despite some contrary viewpoints, residents and panelists seemed to share common goals for the province.

"I think you're always going to have a situation where we don't necessarily agree with everything that's said, but I think the spirit of what people were trying to convey in there was one hundred percent aligned."

Larson says he attended the panel in order to suggest an earlier date for an equalization referendum.

He says he feels the event was productive, and was pleased with the panel's format.

"I thought it was wide open. Everybody was made to feel comfortable, that they could speak their mind on these issues. There didn't seem to be any holding back, the panel seemed very amenable to accepting everybody's ideas. I think it's valuable to have these kind of forums."

The panel will submit its final recommendations report by Tuesday, March 31.

 

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