Wheatland County is moving forward with implementing a new Municipal Development Plan (MDP).
    The third reading of the new MDP has been scheduled for the Wheatland County Council meeting on Tuesday, October 15. The second reading was passed in late September and included a number of revisions from the first draft.
    “There were changes that were requested. It’s not uncommon.  There were a few council agreed with, so they’ll reappear for the third reading at the next meeting,” said Alan Parkin, CAO of Wheatland County. “Council endorsed a few changes, but not all.”

Wheatland County is planning for the future through a new Municipal Development Plan (MDP). The County Council will consider third reading of the MDP at their meeting on October 15.

    Some of the changes include what communities are recognized under the MDP, such as villages and hamlets. Some also felt Hutterite colonies should be listed, noting their absence in the MDP.
    “We were talking about hamlets and whether Hutterite colonies should be considered communities,” said Parkin.
    However, some Wheatland County residents are objecting to the new MDP. Cheryl Marshman, a resident of Rockyford, felt the process was being rushed.
    “Not only was there no publication of the revised draft before the meeting, what was even more disturbing was many of the councillors had not read a copy of the new draft,” said Marshman in a letter to The Drumheller Mail.
    She also charges public feedback was screened prior to reaching council.
    “It is impossible to ignore a very important document, one that will guide Wheatland County in water conservation, road infrastructure, land use, and environmental pressure has been edited, and presented to the council for approval, by staff without prior consultation,” said Marshman.
    Marshman also argued Hutterite colonies, given their size and economic impact, should be recognized under the new MDP and should be required to submit an Area Structure Plan for new developments.
    Beginning in May, Wheatland County began the public consultation portion of the MDP process. The MDP was last updated in 2006 and since that time, the county has seen a number of changes. Public consultation closed last month.
    “The public engagement portion has been completed. We did a number of meetings and input from the public was open until mid-September,” said Parkin.
    The third reading is scheduled for October 15 at the Wheatland County council chambers.

    While it has been only a few months since Crowfoot Constituency MP Kevin Sorenson was brought into Stephen Harper’s cabinet as Minister of State for Finance, he has already travelled half-way around the world to represent Canada on the international stage.

Honourable Kevin Sorenson...
MP Crowfoot and Minister of State (Finance).

    The Mail brought readers word that Sorenson had been appointed in July. Already in September he took part in an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) finance ministers' meeting in Indonesia.
    “It has been good, it has been a steep learning curve,” said Sorenson.
    This is a far cry from just four months ago. In fact just a few months ago he was at home out of commission.
    “Last spring I had some shoulder surgery and I had missed the last week of parliament with this rotator cuff. All of the sudden the PMO (Prime Ministers Office) called and asked how I was doing and if I minded if they did a security check,” Sorenson told The Mail last week while he was through town.
    He knew there was going to be a shuffle, but didn't expect he would be put in cabinet. It wasn’t even a thought.
  “I really had no aspirations of going into cabinet,” said Sorenson, explaining he had not had any recent conversations with the prime minister about such a position. “All I wanted to do was work hard wherever he put me. I chaired committees on foreign affairs, Afghanistan and public safety and national security.”
    A short time later the prime minister called Sorenson asking for a meeting in Calgary. At the meeting he asked for Sorenson to serve in cabinet.
    Finance was a completely new portfolio for Sorenson, but he says the department is professional and very thorough.
    “It is an honour to work with Jim Flaherty. He comes in, we have coffee together, we are briefed together on occasion. He has been so welcoming. The department is very professional and helpful with any level of briefing. These are the most capable people in finance in Canada.”
    It has been a very busy summer for Sorenson. Although Parliament was not sitting he has been in Ottawa fulltime. This fall he was through Shanghai and then on to Bali for the APEC meeting.
    “There I represented the country with other finance ministers from the Asia Pacific Region,” said Sorenson. “I was there to sit at the table and I was asked to speak on a few items, the main one on Canadian Infrastructure and the use of P3’s (public-private partnerships)."
    He likes the new position.
    “I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a challenge and good for me personally and reinvigorated me working in Ottawa,” said Sorenson. “Let’s face it, the constituency is still the best part of the job, this is where I get my most satisfaction. Rubbing shoulders with people involved in projects, learning of their frustrations, but also sharing in their successes.”
    He sees Canada is still pulling back into financial health.
    “This government is committed to job creation, to building this economy.  We are living in a time where the global threats are still very real. It is tenuous at best in Europe and what we are seeing in the United States has consequences in Canada,” he said.
    “We are still very confident we will have a balanced budget in 2015, unless there are extraordinary circumstances.”