MLA Garth Rowswell Re-elected For Second Term

MLA Garth Rowswell

Submitted

I am very grateful to all those who have entrusted me with a second term as their representative in the Alberta Legislative Assembly and I’m excited to get back working hard for this riding and Alberta.

The past four years presented unique challenges to the UCP government. None more so than COVID-19 which, depending upon one’s perspective, led to a confidence vote in the Premier and the emergence of Danielle Smith as leader of the UCP and Premier.

Danielle has, despite the opposition’s personal attack strategy, united the party and engaged openly and honestly with Albertans since coming into office.

Despite the challenges faced over the past four years the majority of Albertans understood which party has their backs and who can take them forward. Which is why they had the good sense to return the UCP, albeit with a decreased majority.

We hope for more favourable conditions over the coming four years because the UCP wants to continue to tackle a range of issues without distractions.

Primarily among these issues is affordability. The electorate perceived that the UCP were performing well and that our effective and realistic economic policies will ensure better outcomes for Albertans.

These policies include standing up to Ottawa and their ideological attacks on our energy industry. I am somewhat conspicuous for my views on the subject of climate change - and I don’t apologize for them.

This is one area in which I will continue to battle hard, not only in my role as MLA, but also, if I am re-appointed, as Chair of the Alberta First Policy Committee.

Last summer I was heavily involved in the work begun by Health Minister Jason Copping consulting with health workers to bring about much needed reforms in our AHS. The initial actions from this work has shown encouraging results. EMS wait are times down, ER wait times are down, we have recruited many more nurses and the increase of Doctor numbers into the province contin- ues. I am hopefully that I will be appointed to an active role taking this vital work forward.

An important lesson I learned in my first term was the need to work with municipal leaders to help bring their communities’ priorities to the attention of the provincial government and see action on them.

Over the election period I used social media and a mail shot to highlight the achievements we, working together, had achieved. I must repeat that the behind the scenes work your elected municipal officials do on your behalf is monumental.

We all dread bureaucracy, but your representatives buckle down and get grant applications and letters of entreaty into the relevant Ministries non-stop. Of course some fall on stony ground, but that is not for the want of effort.

My function is to ensure Ministers and their staff appreciate the importance and value of these applications and that they receive a fair hearing. I look forward to carrying on doing this, hopefully more adroitly, as I now have some experience under my belt.