Few PC rural MLAs | Premier Alison Redford has few MLAs to choose from with ag experience
Who will be Alberta’s next agriculture minister?
That’s the question many rural Albertan’s are asking after the April 23 election in which much of rural Alberta voted for the Wildrose party.
All but two of the 17 Wildrose candidates are from rural areas of central and southern Alberta.
The Progressive Conservative government normally has many of its cabinet members from rural Alberta. This time, premier Alison Redford has only a few members to choose from that have both agriculture and political experience, said Bob Barss, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties.
Read Also
Increasing farmland prices blamed on investors
a major tax and financial services firm says investors are driving up the value of farmland, preventing young farmers from entering the business. Robert Andjelic said that is bullshit.
“She has got lot of MLAs to choose from, but how many have ag experience?” he said.
“Half of rural Alberta walked away from her party. Hopefully it doesn’t have an impact on how we’re dealt with. We’re really hoping to get three or four ministers out of rural Alberta.”
Barss would like to have Doug Horner as agriculture minister, but believes Horner will likely be given a high profile portfolio. Before the election was called, Horner was deputy premier and president of the Treasury Board and Enterprise.
“When you look at (Redford’s) cabinet, Doug’s expertise may be needed elsewhere,” he said. “He’s very senior and very experienced and is probably not going to be in ag.”
Shirley McClellan served as deputy premier and agriculture minister under former premier Ralph Klein, but Barss doesn’t know if agriculture is given the same level of importance anymore.
He pointed to northern Alberta MLA Hector Goudreau as a possible replacement, saying the former minister of municipal affairs worked well with the AAMD&C. Goudreau has a good understanding of agriculture as a former district agriculturist, he added.
However, Barss said Goudreau may be passed over because he was forced to resign from a legislative committee just before the election was called for sending a letter to a northern Alberta school board suggesting that criticism of the government may hinder its chances of a new school.
Barss said the premier might have to look at newly elected MLAs to fill the portfolio. He pointed to Everett McDonald of Grande Prairie and Maureen Kubinec of Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock as possibilities.
McDonald, a farmer, was reeve of the County of Grande Prairie and spent 19 years on county council.
Maureen Kubinec, a farmer, was school trustee and Westlock County councillor and has plenty of good leadership quality, said Barss.
With much of the rural and agricultural area represented by members not in government, Barss said his organization will need to work closely with both government and opposition members to bring rural issues to the forefront.
“Wildrose doesn’t represent government, but they still understand rural issues.”
Matt Sawyer, chair of the Alberta Barley Commission, also wonders if Horner will be given back his agriculture portfolio.
“I don’t suppose Doug Horner would be back. He was certainly great, wasn’t he?”
Sawyer said he’s looking for a strong agriculture minister at a time when a new open grain market is about to go into effect and more international trade and trans pacific partnerships are being developed,.
“I sure hope they choose the right person. I hope they do choose someone that has experience.”
Rich Smith, general manager of Alberta Beef Producers, said he has no insight into who will be the new agriculture minister, but he knew several defeated PC members who would have made good agriculture ministers.
“A number of people who I thought would be good agriculture ministers weren’t successful.”
It will be tough to get rural representation from a government with few members in rural areas, said Smith. “Putting someone in an urban riding representing agriculture would be a tough one.”
Smith said ABP will work closely with Wildrose MLAs, who represent a large number of cattle producers in southern Alberta.
“For us, a substantial number of cattle producers are in areas represented by Wildrose. Certainly we will be working with the Wildrose,” said Smith.
In the past, opposition MLAs in Alberta were from the cities.
Lougheed area farmer Ken Skoberg suggested Doug Griffiths might be an obvious choice. Griffith served as parliamentary assistant to former agriculture minister George Gro-eneveld and before the election was minister of municipal affairs.
Skobert wondered if Redford would roll the ministries of municipal affairs and agriculture together and give cities their own ministry.
“Just a thought,” he said.
