MLA Report Dec 31

Hello Chestermere! As you read this I am taking a few days off to just hang out with my family. Well, it’s been an eventful year I am sure you agree. The sustained collapse in oil prices has caused massive economic stress, serious job losses, and a ripple effect that is starting to be seen in real estate prices, car sales, and everything else. The indicators for 2016 are pointing to more of the same, unfortunately. We also elected a new provincial government that is driven more by ideology than practicality, and seems to think it has all the answers, no matter what ordinary Albertans think as we have recently seen. They seem to feel they can tax and borrow their way to prosperity. It doesn’t work and we have started to see the consequences with the recent downgrade in the Province’s credit rating. With a lower credit rating comes higher interest costs which means as the debt rises more and more money will be spent paying bankers and less and less will be available for programs Albertans depend on. Their forecasts look more like fantasy every day. Make no mistake, they are blowing our children’s inheritance with their reckless disregard for the current economic reality. We await the Royalty Review in the New Year and will be fighting against anything that further erodes our industry’s competitive position.
On the municipal front, Chestermere has submitted an annexation proposal to the Province and we are getting a lot of questions from residents in Chestermere and Rocky View County. We have also seen provincial announcements of $9MM in DRP funding for Chestermere and Langdon, and potential improvements to the Highway 1 and 791 intersection. We are following all these issues closely. Please give us your input and remember that we are here to help.
Those of you who know me know that support for autistic and other challenged people is near and dear to my heart. To that end we are organizing a fundraising event for World Autism Awareness Day, April 3, 2016. The event is “Light It Up Blue in Delacour” and as you have probably guessed it will be held at the beautiful Delacour Hall in Delacour, a short drive north of Chestermere. The theme of the event is employment for these very ABLE people and all proceeds will be split evenly between Autism Canada and Inclusion Alberta in support of this worthy cause. To that end we will be contacting employers in the constituency and asking them for their support. Studies have shown that our autistic friends make great, productive employees given the appropriate support. Our featured event will be a chili cookoff. Think you make good chili? Prove it! We are looking for up to 20 teams from around the constituency to enter the competition. Team buy in will be $150.00 and $20.00 will let you taste and vote for the best chili along with a panel of celebrity judges. Along with bragging rights we will have great prizes. There will also be a silent auction (thanks to Betty Tanner for our first donation: a beautiful hand sewn blanket!), entertainment, and other fun events. Watch Facebook.com/LightItUpBlueInDelacour for more details in the near future. You may also contact my office at Chestermere.Rockyview@assembly.ab.ca or Facebook.com/ChestermereRockyview. Volunteers are needed and warmly welcomed.
In spite of our challenges I feel blessed to live in Alberta and Canada, the greatest country in the world. Please spare a thought and a donation for the less fortunate among us and may you all have a Happy New Year. It is an honour and a privilege to represent you.
Leela Sharon Aheer, MLA