I’ve been active in politics in one form or another since my teenage years. Over the years I’ve come to accept that for most people, politics just isn’t a priority in their everyday lives. But with what happened last week, I have to believe that people are starting to ask questions.
Here’s a few highlights/ lowlights for me:
-We have Mr. Trump showing the darker side of human nature both abroad and at home. Please, don’t confuse manipulation and predation as strength or something beneficial. Also, history has taught us appeasement doesn’t stop aggressors.
-We have our provincial government who now seems to have been caught abusing taxpayer dollars for health care contracts.
Mr. Guthrie, I haven’t been a fan of your previous lemming-like approach within the UCP caucus, but I agree with your principled actions for this situation, well done.
-We have a provincial budget that distracts taxpayers with a tax break but then money goes away with increased education taxes, and seems set to streamline selling of public health assets. So much more to talk about here!
-We then have public money going to private, for profit, seniors care without safeguards to ensure these funds were used for its intended purpose.
-Our council approved buying four new buses for the COLT system, and for a study. Isn’t this a little like buying a truck just to see if you need a truck? Why not just use one of the existing buses to set up a fixed route for a specific part of town and go from there?
-We have West Fraser continuing to clearcut without any apparent concerns for the habitat they risk destroying.
-We have a renewed proposal for a concrete plant –my answer will be no.
-We have support workers on strike. Do we want our children to have support staff that make a living wage or not?
-We have a one-time payment to assist with fire services training. NOT enough Ms. Smith!
-Then council approves a further $970,000 to create office spaces that aren’t required yet and $670,000 for an HVAC upgrade at the Ranchehouse. So how is this an emergency that couldn’t have been included in the budget?! Well done Counsellors Fedeyko and Nagel for voting against this. And I could go on!
We are scheduled to have a municipal election this year and we will likely have a federal election before that. Please get informed by credible news sources and vote! None of us can risk doing anything less.
Dan Cunin
Cochrane, AB
