Rural leaders give cabinet ministers a warmer welcome

Hoffman booed at 2016 event over phase-out of coal

There were no catcalls and only a couple of carbon tax questions Wednesday as provincial cabinet ministers faced a far friendlier rural municipality meeting than they did last fall.

In November, deputy premier Sarah Hoffman was booed as she attempted to justify her government’s planned phase-out of coal at an Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties convention in which the No. 1 topic was the impact of the carbon levy.

This time, the levy came up just twice among the 33 questions at a bear-pit session at the Shaw Conference Centre attended by most cabinet ministers, who were also asked about such issues as road repair, seniors’ lodging, crime, health care and economic development.

Leduc County Mayor John Whaley said the atmosphere was quite different than November.

“This government has got their act together now. They went through that period where they were brand-new into the game; it took them a year or two to get their feet under the table and know what’s going on, and it looks like they’re organized now,” he said.

“It’s a different mood this time, no doubt.”

Association president Al Kemmere also noticed a change, which he put down partly to delegates’ good feelings about spring planting after bad weather last fall that meant one million acres still hasn’t been harvested.

“Now … another crop will be put in the ground, another will be harvested and they’re optimistic. I think that came through here,” he said. “They still have concerns — where are we going with some of the financial packages and where are we going with the carbon levy … Those things haven’t gone away, but they’re taking a more positive approach.”

Many of his colleagues were buoyed by the announcement of continued funding for municipal construction projects in last week’s provincial budget, despite the $10.3-billion deficit, Kemmere said.

Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason said the province ensured more ministers attended the convention this time and they’ve been building relationships with municipal councillors.

The government has also gone ahead with such popular policies as supporting infrastructure construction and improving Internet links, health care and schools, he said.

“I think the fact that we’re delivering programs and projects that municipalities have been asking for for many years … is appreciated by rural leaders here today,” he said. “I think we have made great strides in our relationship with rural Alberta.”