LES STULBERG/Independent reporter
PRAIRIE POSTCARD — The canola swaths were in full view between Big Valley and Byemoor on Sunday, with the harvest season fast approaching across the Prairies.
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VOLUME ONE HUNDRED SIX
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STETTLER, ALBERTA
August 22, 2012
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Strankman sets up shop in Stettler R ICHARD FROESE Independent reporter Just months after becoming the new MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, Rick Strankman has officially opened a satellite office in Stettler. Actually, he simply moved into the office of former MLA Jack Hayden, the Progressive Conservative cabinet minister who was unseated by the Wildrose candidate in the provincial election last April 23. “We still want to have a presence here in Stettler,” said Strankman, a farmer from Altario, just a few kilometres from the Saskatchewan border, about 200 kilometres east of Stettler. Located downtown on Stettler’s main street, the office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. Gary Wilyman will operate the Stettler office under Strankman’s constituency assistant, Patrick Turnbull. “Anyone is welcome to come in to the Stettler office,” said Strankman, who was appointed Opposition critic for tourism, parks and recreation by
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith in early May. With the main office in centrally-located Hanna, Strankman also has a branch office in Drumheller. Even in Opposition, he said he’s committed to serving the vast needs of the expansive riding. “All people and communities deserve to be represented,” Strankman said last Friday. While many residents and municipal councillors have told him that an Opposition MLA is not as effective as an MLA in the governing party, he contends his role is just as valuable. “The government can be benevolent or vindictive to people in the Wildrose constituencies,” Strankman said. “If people have a legitimate complaint or issue, there should be no bias.” Like his predecessor in Hayden, Strankman said he’s serving the constituents by taking their issues to the applicable ministries, which can respond “appropriately.” Strankman said Wildrose stands firm on balanced budgets and frugal spending and reducing a culture of fear and selfentitlement. “That’s what I hope to
RICHARD FROESE/Independent reporter
Drumheller-Stettler MLA Rick Strankman (centre) meets with constituency assistant Patrick Turnbull (left) and office representative Gary Wilyman outside the MLA’s new Stettler office on main street last Friday. represent locally and in the legislature,” he said. Town of Castor was one of the first municipalities he met with, on July 23, discussing environmental and health-care issues. “They have concerns about dead spaces with environmental issues, such as former fuel stations and potential concerns for health-care facilities for long-term sustainability,”
Strankman said. He plans to meet with other municipal councils in the Stettler area and school boards, before the legislative session resumes on Oct. 23, to hear their concerns and issues. With steps to build tourism and economic development in the entire constituency high on his agenda, he recently met with Tourism, Parks
and Recreation Minister Christine Cusanelli, who talked about funding available for tourism. “I gave her some of my ideas about involving private investment, such as a plan to create an economic corridor along Highway 12 from central Saskatchewan to central Alberta and eventually to British Columbia,” Strankman said.
“I want to see some of these things to fruition.” He also wants that economic growth to include Canadian Badlands funding for the entire Drumheller-Stettler region, not just Drumheller. Strankman can be contacted in Stettler by telephone at 403-742-4284, by fax at 403-742-4295 or by email at drumheller. stettler@assembly.ab.ca.
Hometown bull-rider caps Stettler rodeo in style JOHN MACNEIL Independent editor Chad Davidson spent most of the Stettler Steel Wheel Stampede watching
his son in the wild-pony races all three days. But the 22-year veteran bull-rider from Stettler still showed he has some kick in the rodeo ring, winning the closing program Sunday afternoon under steamy sun. Although younger competitors were bucked from the testy bulls, the 37-yearold Davidson rode a Prairie
Rodeo bull in impressive fashion — albeit during an exhibition performance. “I know the contractor, and they’ve always got re-ride bulls just in case one doesn’t buck, and they didn’t need either reride bull today, so I got on one just for exhibition,” Davidson said Sunday. “I wasn’t in the competition. It was just for my excitement
and the crowd’s excitement. It felt really good. I thought it was (the best ride). And it felt like it was probably an 82- or 83-point ride.” While most of the competitors were young guns from the Canadian Cowboys’ Association, Davidson has experience on his side. He’s been on about 2,500 bulls in his lifetime. In recent years, however,
his participation has been limited because of an ankle injury. “I crushed my (left) ankle two years ago,” he said. “June was the first (bull) I got on again. So it was a little intimidating. I was favouring my foot quite a bit. I’ve been having kind of a rough go (this season). I’ve only stayed on two out of 14 (bulls), so today was
what I needed. It wasn’t for competition, but it’s still a great feeling when you can ride one for eight (seconds), especially when you’ve been in the slump you’ve been in.” Davidson said his 10-year-old son, Weston, appreciated watching his father in action. See ‘Davidson’ on Page B1
Readers can also find the Stettler Independent at stettlerindependent.com