Government officials are learning the importance of rural Alberta 
to the economy, says Al Kemmere, Association of Municipal 
Districts and Counties president
EDMONTON — There may have been a few stumbles, but Alberta’s NDP government and the province’s rural municipalities got through their first dance together.
It was the first time in 44 years that rural councillors have danced with anyone other than Progressive Conservative partners, and everyone was a bit tentative, said the head of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties.
“This was as much about getting to know each other than anything,” president Al Kemmere said after three days of discussions and a bear pit session with cabinet ministers.
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“This is the first time our members have been in front of the new government, and I am very proud of how our members handled themselves today in the minister’s forum.… This is a political world and some politics could come out, but they were asking questions dealing with municipal issues and not partisan issues. I was very happy the way the government responded. They tried to talk about the issues as much as possible.”
Rural councillors quizzed the ministers on rural internet, new farm safety legislation, sustainable beef production, casino fundraising, genetically modified forage rules and rural jobs.
Elaine Garrow of the Municipal District of Spirit River asked what the government will do to diversify the economy.
“How do you expect to diversify the economy through agriculture since some of our farmers had to work in the oil patch to pay the bills?” said Garrow. “All our farmers are looking for is how to make their grain trucks fly over our rural roads and bridges because they are so badly diminished.”
Municipal affairs minister Danielle Larivee reassured councillors that rural Alberta will not be forgotten.
She also promised not to take away the linear assessment, which is money to rural areas to offset industry.
“We heard loud and clear your concerns of linear assessment. We will not transfer those dollars to the two large cities,” she said.
Kemmere said government officials are learning the importance of rural Alberta to the economy.
“If they’re using the word rural, they’re using it because they understand it is important,” he said. “Ultimately, how the resulting policies lay out in the next two or three years will really show where rural sits in their future.”
He acknowledged the money that the new government put back into the budget for resource roads, bridges and rural airports.
Rural councillors are still skeptical about Larivee’s comments that the days of competition between municipalities are over.
“People aren’t sure what to make of that. It all pertains to the fear of regional government,” said Kemmere.
“If we go to regional decision making, where it’s towns and counties under one government, I am concerned that the rural voice, and the more remote people that live within the counties, may get lost by the direction taken from the more populated areas.”
Kemmere said the government needs to clearly spell out what kind of collaboration it is talking about.
Many municipalities have already come together to form regional water and waste water sites and pipelines.
“If the province says that is the kind of collaboration we are looking for, then we don’t have a lot to worry about.”
There are 69 counties, municipal districts in Alberta.
