UCP needs to get to work on the big issues in province

By Lethbridge Herald on June 10, 2023.

OUR OPINION

The election is over and now it’s time for the provincial government to get back to work on the big issues facing Alberta.

Obviously quality healthcare is a top priority for everyone but the shortage of physicians in Lethbridge and the province is an issue that’s affected the entire country for a multitude of years.

Alberta has to be competitive if it wants to attract general physicians and specialists just as local police departments have to be competitive to catch the attention of recruits graduating college.

It has to be acknowledged there is competition for many qualified workers in this country. 

When it comes to healthcare, perhaps there needs to be much less red tape so physicians who have worked overseas can more easily set up practices here.

We need to see progress on the cath lab that was promised before the election for Lethbridge. Is this going ahead as promised? Let’s hear some details from the provincial government when it gets back to work.

Is the promised SCAN unit still in the works for the city? 

Will the UCP continue to guarantee Albertans won’t have to pay out of pocket for a doctor?

And what about any funding for a design study on a third bridge that has been requested? Is there any chance of that coming?

Will the UCP extend the pause on the provincial gas tax?

What about crime and homelessness? These are huge issues in Lethbridge where behaviours of some have many concerned, especially in the downtown core.

Will the province implement its “Safe Streets Action Plan?”

Will the province move ahead with its so-called compassionate intervention act which would let people with severe addictions be forced into treatment?

Public safety is paramount and we need to see the province is taking crime seriously. We need to see that the recovery-focused addictions strategy is being put into place so Lethbridge residents can have some hope.

The numbers of people hanging around in doorways and alleyways downtown is getting alarming. We’ve recently heard about gang activity going on in broad daylight with people chasing others on one occasion down alleys with bats and other weapons. People in Lethbridge should feel safe when they come downtown to work, shop or play. Many don’t and won’t until definitive action is taken to address this situation. 

Encampment season hasn’t even started yet but there are arguably more people sleeping rough downtown than ever before.

Some feel in this community that another brick-and-mortar supervised consumption site is the answer, some feel the government should be handing out “safe” supplies of free drugs to better ensure addicts aren’t getting contaminated product. 

But how can any illicit drug be considered safe? Even alcohol, the most widely used drug of all, isn’t safe as study after study about health issues shows. So cocaine, meth and fentanyl are safe if they’re pure? 

What we need is a government that acts on its words, that takes the issues of Albertans seriously and makes a concerted effort to deal with its problems.

We need solid environmental protections to make sure our water supplies aren’t contaminated by mining activity, we need infrastructure to make conversion to electric vehicles more palatable to the average consumer. 

If government wants people to protect the environment and lessen their carbon footprint, government needs to help ensure there are enough charging stations in the province to lower range anxiety of those who feel reluctant to buy an electric. People can’t be expected to use less oil when they still need to commute or travel. Infrastructure is critical for getting Albertans to go electric.

We have so many needs in this province and now that the election is over, we need action.