Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has named Drumheller-Stettler MLA Jack Hayden as his new minister of agriculture and rural development and dropped his predecessor entirely from cabinet.

Hayden, a two-term MLA who had been Stelmach's minister of infrastructure since 2008, farms at Endiang, about 75 km southeast of Stettler, and has previously served as a reeve and councillor for the County of Stettler.

Before moving to provincial-level politics in 2004, Hayden served on the Prime Minister's External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities, and on the board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which named him to its roll of honour in 2006.

Hayden was also named Wednesday to the provincial Treasury Board, chaired by Lloydminster-area MLA Lloyd Snelgrove.

Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA Broyce Jacobs, a cattle rancher from Mountain View, remains as parliamentary assistant for agriculture and rural development, a post to which he was named last September.

Other moves within key portfolios include the naming of Ted Morton as finance minister, with Iris Evans moving to international and intergovernmental relations. Grande Prairie MLA Mel Knight, previously the energy minister, moves to the sustainable resource development portfolio, while Dunvegan-Central Peace MLA Hector Goudreau, previously employment and immigration minister, moves to the municipal affairs file.

Hayden was replaced in the infrastructure portfolio by Lac la Biche-St. Paul MLA Ray Danyluk. Medicine Hat MLA Rob Renner remains as environment minister.

'Disaster'

Conspicuous by his absence from cabinet is George Groeneveld, the MLA for Highwood since 2004, the ag minister since 2006 and a cattle producer and grain grower from the Blackie area.

No official reason was given for the demotion. An anonymous government advisor was quoted Monday by the Canadian Press news service describing Groeneveld, a former Agricore United vice-president, as 'a disaster' in the agriculture department.

'Nobody's happy,'' the source told CP, saying Groeneveld had angered 'just about everyone in agriculture.''
The new cabinet is to be sworn in Friday morning (Jan. 15), the government said in its release.

'I have promised Albertans that we will be back in the black in three years and I have not wavered from that commitment,' Stelmach, a former ag minister in the Ralph Klein administration, said in the release.

'We are in a strong fiscal position thanks to our financial planning and, together with my new cabinet team, we are going to take the necessary steps to ensure we emerge from this economic downturn even stronger than before.'

Stettler Independent

Richard Froese - Stettler Independent

November 25, 2009

A new bridge over Big Knife Creek almost completed about 14 miles north of Gadsby on Secondary Highway 852 has received $645,100 in funding from Alberta Transportation.

'My colleague Jack Hayden (Minister of Infrastructureand Drumheller-Stettler MLA) and I are very supportive of your request for funding,' Transportation Minister Luke Ouellette said in a letter to the county, received at the regular council meeting on Nov. 10 .

About $100,000 for the project was contributed by the county, said Tim Fox, chief administrative officer for the county.

The Nov. 18-20 mission showcases Alberta's efforts in pioneering game-changing technologies for clean energy development, such as carbon capture and storage. It will also help gain a better understanding of California's environmental policies. Renner will meet with a variety of organizations, including the California Environment Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, whose objectives complement the work of Alberta's Clean Air Strategic Alliance.

Minister Renner will also give a keynote lunch address at the 20th Biennial Conference of the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States. The association is a multidisciplinary organization that seeks to encourage the study of Canada-United States relations. This year's conference examines Canada within the Western Hemisphere with topics of concern ranging from the environment and education to innovation and technology.

The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.

Federal and Provincial Investments to Create Jobs & Protect Alberta's Forest Resources

Alberta's forests, forestry communities and workers will benefit from a $25-million investment by the governments of Canada and Alberta to manage the spread of mountain pine beetle. The investment will generate immediate employment opportunities.

The Government of Canada has committed $10 million and the Government of Alberta, an additional $15 million. These funds will be used for beetle management, including ground surveys to help determine the full extent of beetle infestation and to remove infested trees. Early detection and treatment of infested trees is a vital method for mitigating the spread of the beetle.

This investment follows a massive beetle flight this summer, which resulted in mountain pine beetles being detected as far east as Slave Lake and Entwistle. Monitoring of beetle flights in late July and August showed significant growth, similar to the 2006 flight that spread beetles through much of the Grande Prairie and Peace area.

Funding is directed toward limiting the spread of mountain pine beetle eastward across Alberta through various activities, including the preparation and implementation of a management strategy and action plan based on extensive aerial and ground surveys. Specific measures to limit the spread of the beetle will include identifying and removing single trees that have been either impacted or killed by the infestation.

In addition to creating immediate employment opportunities, the program aims to protect key watersheds by slowing the spread of mountain pine beetle further east or along the eastern slopes. Priority areas are in the large, continuous strands of pine in west-central Alberta -including areas of Grande Cache, Whitecourt, Edson, Swan Hills and Slave Lake -and the eastern slopes of the Rockies. The initiative will be led and implemented by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

Over the past three years, Alberta has directed more than $200 million into fighting mountain pine beetle. These efforts help protect forest values that add $9 billion to Alberta's economy and employ 38,000 Albertans in primary forestry and secondary manufacturing. Six million hectares of Alberta pine forest are at risk of beetle attack.

Federal funding is being provided through the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. Over the next two years, the Community Adjustment Fund will deliver a total of $1 billion to local economies throughout Canada, including more than $104 million over two years to support the most affected Alberta communities.

For more information on the Community Adjustment Fund, please visit: www.wd-deo.gc.ca.To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.

Province's H1N1 vaccine program expands to more Albertans

On Nov. 17, Alberta's H1N1 immunization program was expanded to include all seniors over 75 years of age as of Nov. 1, as well as their spouses or partners of any age.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, immunizations for seniors will further expand to include those 65 years and older as of Nov. 1, and will include their spouses or partners of any age.

In addition, previously announced high-risk groups will continue to be eligible. They include: All children over six months and under five years (as of Nov. 1); pregnant women; people with chronic conditions aged 5 to 64 (as of Nov. 1); and, household contacts and caregivers of people who cannot be immunized (infants under six months of age and individuals with suppressed immune systems); first responders including firefighters, police and provincial peace officers; and, frontline health care workers.

When more vaccine becomes available from the manufacturer, the targeted immunization program will be expanded to include more groups.

All Albertans who want to be immunized will have that opportunity when increased supply of the vaccine arrives from the manufacturer. To ensure the vaccine can be provided to the highest risk groups at this time, no exceptions to the identified priority groups can be allowed.

For the most current information on the targeted vaccination campaign, including dates, clinic locations, a list of chronic conditions for high-risk groups and groups being vaccinated, go to: www.albertahealthservices.ca.

New programs support Albertans affected by family violence

The Alberta government is supporting two new programs that offer community-based treatment for people affected by family violence.

The Red Path Living without Violence Program provides community-based treatment for individuals who have been convicted of domestic assault. By combining cultural traditions and clinical practices, the program aims to increase both social and emotional ability for offenders and their families. Red Path will be based in the First Nation communities of Alexis and Alexander and will be delivered by the Yellowhead Tribal Community Corrections Society and their partners.

The Integrated Domestic Violence Treatment Program is based in Lethbridge and provided by Lethbridge Family Services, in partnership with YWCA Harbor House, Southwest Child and Family Services Authority and Alberta Health Services. This project delivers services to address domestic violence through prevention, intervention and counseling. These services will be available to men and women who have been abusive to their partner, as well as to children who have been exposed to domestic violence.

The Red Path Living without Violence Program is receiving $450,000 and the Integrated Domestic Violence

Treatment Program is receiving $600,000 from the province's Safe Communities Innovation Fund (SCIF). These two projects were approved as part of the first round of SCIF applications; the second round of applications closed in early November. These pilot projects will receive these funds over a three year period, along with program support from Justice and Attorney General, Health and Wellness, Children and Youth Services and Aboriginal Relations.

Part of the Safe Communities initiative, the $60-million Safe Communities Innovation Fund helps strengthen and develop community-based projects and community-police partnership projects in an effort to reduce crime at a grassroots level.

The Alberta government has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. An important part of The Way Forward is maintaining support for programs and services Albertans need most, such as health care and education to help build safe and vibrant communities. For more information on the plan visit: www.Alberta.ca.

As the MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions or concerns about clean energy, mountain pine beetle management, H1N1 immunization, the Safe Communities Innovation Fund (SCIF) or any other matter, please contact one of my constituency offices at Stettler 403-742-4284; Hanna 403-854-4333; Drumheller 403-823-8181; or in Edmonton at 310-0000 780-427-5041.

In the Drumheller-Stettler constituency, here are some important facts about ATB in your communities.

• ATB provides financial services to about 15,000 customers in your constituency through five branches and ten agencies.
• The ATB branches in your constituency are in Oyen, Stettler, Drumheller, Hanna and Consort.
• About 75 of your constituents are employed by ATB.
• At the end of 2008, ATB had approximately $37 million in consumer loans, $48 million in home equity lines of credit and $65 million in mortgages held by individuals in your constituency.
• There were $53 million in business loans and $115 million in agriculture loans held by businesses and farmers from your constituency at the end of 2008.
• ATB also held $216 million in deposits on behalf of your constituents.
  During the past decade, ATB has spent about $6 million on renovations, relocations and/or new branches in your constituency.

On top of that, all across the province, you'll find ATB employees volunteering their time, involved with community initiatives, and supporting local programs.