The last four in-person Alberta Next Panel forums are scheduled throughout September.
The first of the four will be in Lethbridge on September 11th, with Airdrie on September 15th, Grande Prairie September 17th and the final event will be in Calgary on September 29th.
When Premier Danielle Smith announced the panel earlier this year, she explained it would be a town hall where Albertans can come to discuss issues such as the Alberta Pension Plan, transitioning from the RCMP to a provincial policing service, immigration reform, how Alberta collects personal income tax and if the province should consider chasing constitutional changes.
The latest event was held in Medicine Hat on Tuesday, with reports of a heated discussion about concerns attendees had about the government’s proposal to deny certain newcomers access to social services, provoking anti-immigration sentiment. The premier’s response to these concerns is reported to have explained that her government’s immigration proposal would focus on finding people who can work in the available jobs. Reforming equalization payments and creating a provincial police force were two other topics attendees focused on.
When the panel was announced, Smith stated it was a way for Albertans to have a direct say in the province’s path forward.
“It’s time to stand up to Ottawa’s overreach and make sure decisions about Alberta’s future are made here, by the people who live and work here,” Smith said.
The premier will channel the panel, with the 13 other members made up of elected officials, business leaders, academics and community advocates. This includes Minister of Environment and Protected Areas of Alberta Rebecca Schulz, Former justice, Court of Appeal of Alberta Bruce McDonald, President of the Business Council of Alberta Adam Legge and Business and agricultural advocate Melody Garner-Skiba.
The town halls are available only to Alberta residents, and those wanting to attend an upcoming Alberta Next Panel event will need to pre-register, provide their name for the ticket and have a government-issued piece of ID to get in.
