Alberta Minute: Lethbridge Events, Infrastructure Projects, and an End Equalization Petition

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

This Week In Alberta:

• Albertans will be unable to access some federal government services as workers from the Public Service Alliance of Canada are still on strike. The union is demanding a 13.5% raise over the next three years, rejecting the 9% on offer from the federal Treasury Board. Canada Revenue Agency workers are part of the strike, which may hinder some Albertans’ ability to file taxes - the federal government has said they will not extend the filing deadline.
  
  
• Tonight, the Alberta Institute and Alberta Proud are holding the next event on the “Can’t Stop Alberta Tour” in Lethbridge. Two expert panels will discuss the economy, affordability, inflation, jobs, and our energy industry, as well as municipal governance, downtown safety, and the future of our cities. Mayor Blaine Hyggen and Ronnie DeGagne from Common Sense Lethbridge will be speaking on the second panel. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by clicking here. If you’re not in Lethbridge, don’t worry - we’ll be coming to many other cities soon!
  
  
• There is another interesting event in Lethbridge this week too. On Saturday, April 29th, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Lethbridge Public Library, the Alberta Parents’ Union team will be hosting a discussion about school choice and other pressing issues in education. They will be dispelling some school choice myths and speaking about the changes needed to protect and strengthen school choice. The event is free, but RSVPs are required due to capacity limits. Click here to register.

Last Week In Alberta:

• The federal government buried plans to lock in the equalization formula in an omnibus budget motion. The Liberals want to extend the formula for another five years, without consulting the provinces. The Alberta government released a position paper calling for reforms to the formula, with Premier Danielle Smith saying it's well past time to put an end to the gravy train. Our friends at Project Confederation are calling for an end to the program as a whole - just like 62% of Albertans voted for in 2021. If you agree, sign their petition.
  
  
• The Province announced grants for municipalities and Indigenous communities to explore launching their own police services. The government is providing $6 million over two years and interested communities could receive up to $30,000 for an independent study to determine if a local police service would better serve their needs. Thirteen communities have applied for the grants.
  
  
• The provincial government has committed funding to 122 infrastructure projects throughout Alberta, including 53 water and wastewater projects in small and rural communities. Notable projects include extending a regional waterline from the village of Donalda to the village of Rosalind, upgrading the Wainwright sanitary trunk main, repairing the runway and replacing airfield lighting at the Westlock Regional Airport, and replacing the Banff Avenue bridge over the Bow River in Banff.

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