Advertisement 1

MCKITRICK: Remembering the past, looking to the future

On November 11, the community came together for a very meaningful Remembrance Day Ceremony marking the 100th year since the signing of the Armistice ending World War I.

Article content

This past week was quite traumatic for our community. Thankfully, the damage and potential loss of lives was averted through the quick response from our firefighters and police forces. I happened to be near the County Hall on Tuesday night and saw firsthand how Emergency Responders worked together and how quickly St. Theresa School opened its doors to the seniors evacuated from a nearby building. This was our community at its best. Thank you to the Mayor, the RCMP and EMS for your leadership.
Remembrance Day
On November 11, the community came together for a very meaningful Remembrance Day Ceremony marking the 100th year since the signing of the Armistice ending World War I. My grandfather fought in World War I and my father, as part of the Free French Air force (under De Gaulle), during World War II. Thank you to the Canadian troops who fought to liberate my country of birth. The Strathcona County Museum currently has a very interesting exhibit focusing on the role of the UN Peacekeeping Mission and Women in Combat. I urge Sherwood Park residents to visit this exhibit and learn more about the important role that the Peacekeepers (including Canadians) hold. While observing elections in Bosnia Herzegovina, I had the opportunity to appreciate the work of Peacekeepers at first hand – once when our car was shot at, and the other time when we came across a hostile crowd.
Bill 26: An Act to Combat Poverty and Fight for Albertans with Disabilities
Bill 26: An Act to Combat Poverty and Fight for Albertans with Disabilities, which was introduced in the Assembly before our constituency break, would index social benefits like the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) with inflation. It would also recognize increases to the cost of living by providing a one-time increase to AISH and Income Support. This would mark the first increase to AISH benefits since 2012. In future years, financial assistance programs would be connected to the Consumer Price Index. The Legislation would also increase savings limits, increase the Alberta Seniors Benefit and related special needs assistance programs, and increase minimum monthly disposable income while living in lodges, long-term care and designated supportive living. I was pleased to see this Bill introduced. Thank you to all of the constituents who have approached me about this issue and have participated in discussions and advocacy efforts. This Bill, which will be debated next week, and, if passed, effective January 1, 2019, will help many who rely on income supports in our community.
Condominium Property Act
Thank you to those of you who have written our office regarding specific changes to the Condominium Property Act. Over the summer, Service Alberta released a draft version of the regulation for public input. They received over 3,000 responses regarding the draft regulation and are currently reviewing those responses. We have been sharing your concerns with the ministry as we receive them, and a final decision has still yet to be made. The ministry appreciates your taking the time to contribute to the conversation and is committed to working collaboratively to make condo living better for everyone.
Review of AGLC Casino Funding Allocation
Recently, I have received letters and phone calls from several local not-for-profit organizations expressing their concerns over how the AGLC allocates Casino funding. Right now, agencies are assigned casinos dependent upon whether they are located in a ‘rural’ or an ‘urban’ area. Since Sherwood Park, while physically close to Edmonton, is considered by the AGLC to be a rural community, and since Strathcona County does not have any local casinos, local organizations are obligated to engage in their casino fundraising activities in rural centres such as Camrose. Not only does this result in lower levels of funding, as the smaller centres typically bring in less money, it increases drive times and acts as a barrier to many volunteers. I am sharing these concerns with the Ministry in the hopes of bringing this inequity to light.
Concert Season
The season of holiday concerts has begun! This Saturday, November 17, the Josephburg Choral Society Men’s Chorus and Bells in Harmony will perform at Trinity Baptist at 7:00pm. I am looking forward to attending school and community concerts as we prepare for Hanukah and Christmas.

Annie McKitrick is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Sherwood Park Constituency. If you have any questions or comments about this column or any other provincial government issues, she would like to hear from you. Please contact McKitrick’s constituency office at 780-417-4747 or by e-mail: sherwood.park@assembly.ab.ca.

Article content
Advertisement 2
Advertisement
Article content
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Sherwood Park
      This Week in Flyers