With the upcoming provincial election, Rocky View 2020 gave candidates running for MLA in the county an opportunity to tell residents who they are and what they stand for during the March 27 meeting in Balzac.
“This is the best chance for people to see their potential future representatives up close and personal,” Bruce McAllister said.
He added, Rocky View 2020 is a pro-businesses landowner advocacy group that tries to give investment, free enterprise and entrepreneurialism a shot, so it was very important the concerns of landowners in the county was brought up to the candidates.
“We think a little less government would be a good thing, and a little less red tape would be a good thing,” McAllister said.
Bringing the candidates to the Rocky View 2020 meeting was an opportunity for county residents to look the future representatives in the eye, find out what that they’re about, and get beyond the headlines that are written about them.
Although McAllister was disappointed that more Chestermere-Strathmore candidates did not attend the meeting, he was thankful Freedom Conservative Party (FCP), leader Derek Fildebrandt came to talk about his platform and what he stands for.
“I’m certainly glad Derek came, I do wish that some of the others would have come but they all had busy schedules,” McAllister said.
Throughout the meeting, significant issues were put on candidates’ radar such as property rights, regional planning, and local municipal autonomy.
“These things are fundamental to democracy. It’s important that our potential elected representatives know about the issues, can stand up for them, and know how to communicate intelligently,” McAllister said.
He added, “It’s my job to make sure we’re talking about things of substance.”
“Rocky View 2020 is by far the most active group advocating for the interests of the people in the area surrounding Calgary,” Fildebrandt said.
Fildebrandt added he released his platform for strong communities dealing specifically with municipal governance and decentralizing the Calgary regional board which will ensure communities within the Chestermere-Strathmore riding cannot be bullied and go head to head for economic development opportunities.
“I’m disappointed that my opponents didn’t feel the need to show up to debate, and earn the votes of the people here,” Fildebrandt said.
