BONNYVILLE – Ben Fadeyiw, a councillor of Ward 6 for the MD of Bonnyville since 2017, has decided to run for president for the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA).
The association represents Alberta’s 69 counties and municipal districts and operates as an independent association.
“Since 1909, we have helped rural municipalities achieve strong, effective, local government. We provide advocacy and business services, including cooperative procurement through the Canoe Procurement Group of Canada and insurance through RMA Insurance,” states the RMA website.
Winning the election for RMA president would allow Fadeyiw to promote rural issues on a larger platform and grant him more opportunities to voice his concerns to the province and the federal government, while remaining a councillor with the MD of Bonnvyille.
Fadeyiw recently asked permission from MD council and received their support to run for RMA president.
“If this happens, it’s quite a time allotment, so I wanted to make sure they are behind me, and they 110 per cent are . . . It would be good for Bonnyville too. It would give us some visibility and I would be able to push for changes that could benefit our rural areas,” said Fadeyiw.
He feels it is the perfect time for him to run for RMA president, due to the breadth of experience he has gained over his career and his current life circumstances allowing him to take on the task.
“Our business is for sale and there is interest, and my kids are grown. I believe I am the right choice for time management, because I have the luxury of time to devote to RMA,” said Fadeyiw.
He says he is prepared to put in the extra hours to learn the position, and he expressed a vigour to get started.
“Being green to that position, I know I would have to at least put in 200 days minimum. I’m ready,” said Fadeyiw. “I engage the province all the time on rural issues. I can stand in front of a mic,” he adds.
Fadeyiw is keen on bringing rural issues to light throughout the province.
“We have to keep beating our drum, we have to be heard.”
Infrastructure
Fadeyiw feels that one of the biggest issues he would like to address as president of the RMA is infrastructure maintenance.
Offering an example, he states, “In the ‘80s and ‘90s the province started walking away from the bridges they built in the ‘50s and ‘60s and made municipalities the care givers of the bridges. They funded 80 per cent of the bridge infrastructure costs. Then it went down to 50 per cent, now they have been completely given to us at a time when they are all coming of age.”
He adds, “The other issue is roads - they’re falling apart in some municipalities that are not getting their money from energy companies, and now they have the added issue of replacing bridges.”
Fadeyiw continues, “We have an energy friendly province . . . but they are giving some concessions to the companies not out of provincial royalties but off the backs of municipalities.”
Rural health care
Fadeyiw feels the rural health care system is not being properly funded and sometimes the system favours the big cities.
Fadeyiw believes that there should be a rural-urban regional approach to healthcare.
“As a region, we could really work well together. Cold Lake has cardiology, St. Paul has mental health, and so on. People could be transported regionally so we don’t always have to go down to Edmonton.”
As a councillor, Fadeyiw sees how much rural health care funding has to be procured outside of what the province provides.
“It’s not the municipalities’ job to support health care. It’s one of the biggest provincial budgets. You shouldn’t have to ask for a stethoscope from the MD, these guys should not have to fundraise for that . . . I know that the province is trying, but there still needs to be push back.”
Fadeyiw says he himself has not had a family doctor in 16 years and believes the shortage of health care practitioners is a big obstacle for rural health care.
Agriculture
Fadeyiw also spoke about negotiations between the federal government and China regarding proposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum, which has impacted canola prices for Canadian farmers.
“The Federal government’s decision is affecting our producers. We were at $65 a bushel and that price plummeted. If you’re a bigger producer you might be able to offset those costs, but smaller producers could be losing a lot of money,” he explained.
Fadeyiw is also aware of shrinking profit margins, and the excessive costs of replacing farming equipment. He believes that the province is doing a good job of raising these concerns to the federal government and would aim to support their efforts.
Fate
Fadeyiw admits that he did not anticipate running for RMA president until a few weeks ago.
Amber Link, the reeve of Wheatland County, had been campaigning for two years and had Fadeyiw’s support, but he recently found out she would not be running, and Link encouraged Fadeyiw to put his name forward.
“If the opportunity presents itself, you take it. There’s going to be a lot of good candidates – no matter the outcome, the RMA will be represented correctly . . . The last president really hit the ball out of the park, and maintaining that push is critical.”
