Drumheller residents were able to hear first hand the visions candidates have for the future as the province moves closer to election day.
The Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce and the Local Alberta Teachers Association held its all candidates forum at the Badlands Community Facility Monday night. All five candidates running in the Drumheller-Stettler Riding were invited to the forum.
Andrew Berdahl of the Alberta Party, Jack Hayden of the Progressive Conservative Party, and Rick Strankman of the Wildrose Party faced audience questions. There was a strong turnout as more than 200 packed into the conference room to hear them speak.
Each were given a chance to make an opening statement before written questions were brought forward. Each had a different vision of the province. Questions about health care, seniors, education and fiscal issues dominated the floor.
On fiscal matters Strankman focused on balancing the budget.
“Recently the existing party has posted five deficit budgets. The Wildrose plan would be for a balanced budget. We know that will be challenging, and we know the idea of letting somebody who is potentially inexperienced take a stab at it is a serious responsibility, but it has happened before in this province. I don’t know many homeowners in this room at that level would run that many deficit budgets except under extreme duress,” said Strankman.
Hayden said if the conservative party remains in power it would have a balanced budget by next year.
“As we went through the global economic collapse we saw prices dramatically decrease for a number of things. Our government made a conscious decision not to stop spending on schools, health care facilities and senior’s lodges. At the time we were able to put them up for about 20 per cent less than what it would cost us when the oil industry was booming. I will never apologise for taking the money we set aside in tough times, and investing it back in Albertans… we have one more year and we are back in a surplus situation,” said Hayden.
Berdahl said while deficits are sometimes necessary, it is optimal to have a balanced budget.
“Deficits are to be avoided, but we understand when there are conditions when they actually make some sense,” said Berdahl. “The issue isn’t just that, it is about prudent budgeting and how we talk about our money. As much as it was pleasing to say were able to spend the money in a tough time, it would have been just as easy to say we could have saved more in the good times and not necessarily gone into a deficit at all.”
Each was asked about their vision of the province for the future.
Berdahl would like to see a well functioning democracy.
“My vision is where our entire democracy is effective, fair and that everybody who has the right to vote – votes, that our government shares information freely… pertinent information and that each of us takes the time to consider it so we are informed,” said Berdahl.
Hayden’s vision takes into account fiscal responsibility and taking care of those in need.
“I want to see a province where we have conservative values where it comes to spending so we get very good value for the dollars we spend. But my progressive side of me does not want to see us forget about the vulnerable in our society. We have many children who need to be taken care of education-wise, seniors who require and deserve to retire with dignity in their own home and we have people who have disabilities that require our assistance all the way through,” said Hayden.
Strankman's vision focuses on property rights.
“Wildrose stands for free enterprise, less government, increased personal freedom and democracy. There has been argument amongst our organization of what would be the first bill passed if we were to ever make government and I believe and would fight vehemently for the passing of the Property Rights Preservation Act and the enshrinement thereof. It is the basis of a free democratic society. It is what people died for and what I stand for.”
