Residents caught a glimpse of what the official opposition has to say about the embattled energy sector in Cold Lake last Monday.
Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr and four other Wildrose MLAs spent the day touring heavy oil operations in the region. During a free meet and greet in the evening they met with Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski and Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland, which was open to the public.
“It's good to know you've got MLAs out here that are looking to actually make a difference in Alberta,” said Cyr. “How do they do that? Coming up to Cold Lake and seeing what an oil sands operation is.”
The Wildrose MLAs told the audience they promise to challenge the government and champion the badly hit oil and gas sector.
“Things have changed in Alberta,” said Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter. I never thought I'd see the day in Alberta when small-c conservatism was under duress.”
He added that his party's mantra is to bring back the Alberta Advantage.
Strathmore-Brooks MLA Derek Fildebrandt highlighted the similarities between Bonnyville-Cold Lake and his constituency.
“My constituency is…very reliant upon our energy industry,” said Fildebrandt.
Fildenbrandt also attacked the government's now-annulled move to give the province's legislative officers a 7.25 percent raise and a junket to send NDP MLAs to Boston at a time when many Albertans are feeling the pinch from an economic downturn.
Following introductions, Cyr and his colleagues took questions from the public concerning the jobs and the economy.
“The royalty review and cap and trade system is fueling instability,” said Cyr. “Industries are putting off capital industries in our riding and in northern Alberta. “I can guarantee that myself and my colleagues are going to be pressing the government to get this to happen so we can get this capital running again.”
The NDP government has faced harsh criticism for launching a royalty review while the price of oil has been sitting under $50 per barrel. Additionally, the government has promised no changes to current energy rates until the end of 2016.
One audience member however presented the downside of being too reliant on the energy sector, arguing it can make everyday commodities more expensive for those not working in the oil patch.
“We can't beat oil,” Cyr countered. “We have to be more cautious when we look at the amount of growth that we do.”
He added, “If we're going to allow the growth to happen, we have to do a better job of supporting its municipalities in these areas and put more money into infrastructure because this seems to be the one thing that's constantly dogging all the northern communities is that we can't keep up.”
Hunter, who is also the Wildrose's shadow minister of energy, talked at length about his plans to combat the government's controversial $15 per hour minimum wage hike, the first part of which was implement last week. He plans on traveling across Alberta this month to show how the wage hike can hurt businesses already reeling from the hurting economy.
“We're identifying some of these sectors that are going to be hit very hard,” said Hunter. “They're already struggling.”
He added, “I believe it will help some people but it's going to hurt a lot of people as well.”
Around 25 people attended the meet and greet. The Wildrose MLAs visited Cenovus and CNRL during the day to see heavy oil operations in the region.
