LAKELAND - On Sep. 5, the Cold Lake Energy Centre hosted the inaugural "Your Region, Your Voice" event, a collaboration between the Cold Lake and Bonnyville Chambers of Commerce.
The members only event aimed to foster open dialogue between the business community and elected officials, representing municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government.
The event was attended by key figures, including MP Shannon Stubbs (Lakeland), MP Laila Goodridge (Fort McMurray-Cold Lake), Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr, MD of Bonnyville Reeve Barry Kalinski, Town of Bonnyville Mayor Elisa Brosseau and City of Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland.
“We're really, really excited to host this event. This is the first kind of event in this area, Your Region, Your Voice. And we're proud to co-host this with the Bonnyville Chamber of Commerce,” said Ryan Lefebvre, president of the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, in his opening remarks. “With the strong partnership between our chambers, we saw a need for a member only event to be able to have all three levels of government here to be able to ask questions to.”
The event tackled a range of pressing issues, including homelessness, crime, immigration, cooperatives, recovery facilities, and foreign interference. Crime was a significant focus, with one attendee expressing their concerns, saying, “The degree of homelessness in our community is affecting the safety of our citizens. What can we do about it? All of us.”
Addressing crime and homelessness
Stubbs acknowledged the growing concern over crime, particularly in rural areas.
“This has been a growing issue the entire time I've been a Member of Parliament for Lakeland,” she said, referencing her efforts to bring rural crime to the national stage. She noted a 10 per cent spike in violent crime in rural Alberta, which led to her push for an increased police presence in rural municipalities.
Stubbs explained she put out a motion where a key issue was a need for more frontline officers and increased police presence in rural areas, where vast regions are often served by small detachments, leaving officers stretched thin and frequently tied up with administrative tasks.
MLA Scott Cyr echoed Stubbs' sentiments on crime, stating, “Homelessness, transportation, access to healthcare, justice, are really the concerns that are on a lot of people's minds in the area.”
He emphasized the importance of transitional housing and recovery centers, noting that these could help alleviate the pressures on the justice system.
“We’re likely not going to arrest our way out of this. The fact is, we need to put people through this recovery process.
Cyr added, “We really do have a homeless concern specifically surrounding two of my communities - Cold Lake and St. Paul seems to be where it’s focused. It doesn’t mean my other communities aren’t suffering, but not to the same extent.”
He added “I wholeheartedly agree, we need to do something. And I want to tell you, we are working on it. Unfortunately, it's not something we can solve overnight.”
Copeland discussed the challenges related to homelessness in Cold Lake, noting the efforts of a local group that established the John Howard Society. He emphasized the severe conditions faced by those in the shelter, including major addictions, and suggested that spending time there would provide a stark insight into the issues at hand.
Copeland outlined the provincial support for operating the John Howard homeless shelter and the municipal investment made in acquiring the building. He emphasized the dual approach of combining compassion with enforcement, including new bylaws and crackdowns in the Walmart and Tim Hortons area.
Despite these efforts, he likened the challenge to "a game of whack-a-mole," where addressing one issue leads to problems cropping up elsewhere.
Copeland described the situation as highly sensitive and challenging, with ongoing issues affecting both the business community and law enforcement. He recounted a particularly striking scene, a large tree fort set up by individuals on 16th Avenue near Burger King, likening it to something out of "Robin Hood," and noted the complex and dynamic nature of the current situation.
A call for addiction recovery facilities
One recurring theme throughout the event was the urgent need for addiction treatment facilities in the Lakeland region. Goodridge, who also serves as the addictions critic for the Conservative Party of Canada, did not hold back in her criticism of federal drug policies.
“What we've experienced in the last nine years... are the most insane, wacko drug policy changes our country has ever seen,” she said, criticizing the Liberal government's approach.
“It is easier for you to get a crack pipe than a plastic straw.”
Copeland added his voice to the call for a detox facility, stressing the importance of locating such a center where staff could be easily recruited – such as in Cold Lake.
"We’re a big believer in having a detox mental health addiction facility either in Cold Lake or somewhere in our area,” Copeland said. “It’s going to take the province and the feds to put serious horsepower in our communities.”
Immigration and economic development
Immigration was another hot topic, with attendees expressing concerns about the broken state of the system.
“Right now, I’m running into a lot of immigrants who are fearing that they’re going to be ejected from the country because of the challenges that they have with the immigration system,” Cyr noted.
MP Laila Goodridge didn’t mince words when asked about the immigration system, stating, “It’s broken.”
Jason Leslie, moderator and President and CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, highlighted the importance of continued advocacy for immigration reform. He expressed optimism that a change in government could present an opportunity to address these issues.
Cooperatives and local economic solutions
The event emphasized the cooperative model for local economic growth, with an attendee stating, "As we look at economic development in our region, I think there’s a lot of opportunities." She noted the absence of new co-ops in the Lakeland region, despite Lakeland Co-op's recent 40-year milestone, and highlighted the need for "made in Alberta, made in Canada solutions by Canadians for Canadians," to prioritize community interests and keep wealth local.
Goodridge admitted that understanding the co-op model was a learning experience for her.
"The best thing a politician can be aware of is where they don't know... I didn’t really understand the concept of co-ops until I became the MLA for Fort McMurray, and what an opportunity to see the real impact co-ops play in communities and how they support the communities around them."
Goodridge shared her enthusiasm for the recent opening of a co-op near her home in Fort McMurray, expressing her support for cooperatives and their positive impact on the community.
Confronting foreign interference
The issue of foreign interference in Canadian elections was a key concern also brought up.
Bob Buckle, a former councillor for the City of Cold Lake, raised the topic, asking for assurances that Ottawa would protect future votes from foreign meddling.
Goodridge acknowledged that while foreign interference did not impact the overall outcome of the last federal election, it did affect certain ridings. She noted that interference is not limited to Beijing but also involves Russia and other countries.
While a bill was passed to tackle foreign interference, Goodridge stressed that more needs to be done, adding, "It's a good step in the right direction." She emphasized the need for individuals and politicians to remain vigilant and aware of potential risks.
Stubbs expressed concern about the broader lack of awareness among Canadians regarding foreign intervention, stating, "The vast majority of Canadians don't necessarily know... how real foreign intervention is from hostile, despotic regimes."
She criticized the federal government's handling of the issue, suggesting it wasn't being taken seriously enough.
