Around 40 people gathered to meet Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Gary Mar at the Mallaig Unity Centre on Monday, .
Before the meeting, Mar took a ride on a combine from a local farmer and visited the Haying in the 30's grounds.
Local MP Brian Storseth attended and introduced Mar as “a good friend." Storseth said he felt it was important to bring Mar out to rural Alberta and get him to speak directly to the people. With just 72 hours notice, a meeting was organized in Mallaig.
“Gary has spent most of his adult life advocating for Alberta," said Storseth, “I see every day in Ottawa the trials and tribulations of this province … We need strong leadership."
Mar said his roots in rural Alberta are deep, as his grandparents came to the province in the early 1900s and established cafés in small communities.
He noted Alberta faces challenges, but believes they are “solvable." As a former provincial representative to the U.S. He voiced his reasoning why Albertans should be concerned about the economic stability south of the border and expanded on his knowledge of global issues and trade with other countries.
In the future, it is projected that Canada will be one of only a handful of nations in the world that will be able to produce more food than it needs.
“I'm very optimistic about the future," said Mar.
He also expressed his belief that the provincial government will have to work with the federal government to achieve certain goals.
“I believe that we do more when we work together."
Education, health care and seniors were other issues Mar touched on before opening the floor to questions, along with briefly noting how sometimes other provinces and countries attack the province of Alberta with labels such as “dirty oil."
“We can defend ourselves, but only if we stand together strong," said Mar.
With a recent electricity bill in hand, a Glendon resident questioned Mar on the increasing utilities bills Albertans are having to pay, along with the increasing prices at the gas pumps.
“We're just being screwed over, and I'm sick of it," said the man.
In response, Mar admitted that he didn't fully understand the numbers on an electricity bill either, but assured residents that as premier, he would look into the issue further.
In a related question, a local Mallaig resident asked Mar about his thoughts regarding the challenges that face organizations such as the Mallaig Minor Hockey Association. Groups like this are having troubles simply paying utilities bills for their facilities. Also noted were obstacles facing the education system.
“I believe in wrap-around services," said Mar. He said it is important to offer many necessary services at the school level and noted teachers are not trained to be counselors or doctors.
“It's not just about spending more money," said Mar.
The issue facing sport and recreation organizations are “really important." Mar even went as far as pointing out that the City of Edmonton has recently recorded its 38th homicide, and if a kid isn't playing soccer in a field or similar positive group, that child will join a gang on the streets.
County of St. Paul Coun. Alphonse Corbiere questioned Mar about municipal issues and grants. Mar explained that he didn't believe in the school tax municipalities pay, since nearly the exact same amount of money is collected through the tax as is handed back to the municipalities in the form of grants.
“To me, that is inherently inefficient," said Mar.
Around 40 people met at Pioneer Hall in St. Paul to meet with the prospective leader after the meeting in Mallaig. Addressing another question on his proposals to change municipal funding, he said he would give the education portion of property taxes to municipalities.
“I would rather have property taxes that are collected locally stay local," he said. “Let's get rid of all the administration where an administrator locally has to send an application to an administrator provincially, who then sends you a cheque back, and then the administrator locally has to then account for how that money is spent."
The administrative costs take money away from local priorities, he added.
For every $100 going to persons with developmental disabilities, $31 is required for administration, he said, as an example of administrative costs. “That's not acceptable to me."
Mar said he would ensure no municipality gets less than with the Municipal Sustainability Initiative. He would also respect the right of catholic education systems to collect property tax. He would not download more responsibilities on municipalities, he said, and would implement the changes by 2014.
In response to a question on whether he would look at implementing a provincial or harmonized sales tax if the economy gets bad enough, Mar said “not in my term of office."
The province needs to make sure it is spending the money it currently spends “wisely."
“We are the highest per capita spenders of government services anywhere in the country," he said. “You've got to be prudent with the money that you have."
Mar said he wants to be at the table when health payments from the federal government are negotiated to make sure Alberta gets “an appropriate share."
Alberta currently receives less in federal transfer payments than other provinces, but the Conservatives plan to move to a per capita system in 2013.
“It's not just the dollar amount," Mar said, after the meeting. He said he would like the federal government to look after a national drug program.
“If the federal government were to step up and say, 'We'll take responsibility for a national drug program,' that would alleviate a lot of difficulties because they already do all the approvals of what drugs are approved for use in Canada."
Former St. Paul mayor and councillor John Trefanenko said he would like to see “equitable funding" for the RCMP. Towns over 5,000 pay a “heavy tax" while towns under 5,000 get a better deal, he said.
Mar said he's never received a satisfactory answer why there is a cutoff in funding based on populations over or under 5,000.
After the meeting he said he does not have any plans to change the recently signed contract with the RCMP, but he said he would look into municipal funding for police services.
“I'll be prepared to look at it to see what the rational is for such a dramatic change, whether you're 4,999 or 5,001."
He said a graduated scale would make more sense, where larger communities would not receive funding but smaller ones would receive more to help out because of the small tax base.
Blue Quills president Patricia Makokis asked how Mar would support First Nations post-secondary institutions, saying the college, an old residential school, is “falling apart." Mar committed to working with the college to address its concerns.
