New Education Funding, Stampede BBQs, Pipeline Advocating

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Calgary Shaw

Happy autumn, everyone! I hope you all had a terrific summer. I would like to wish all my friends and neighbours in Calgary-Shaw all the best in the 2018-2019 school year. As a parent, I know it’s an exciting time for students and their families.

With south Calgary growing quickly, our NDP government is investing in new school builds and funding for education. I was thrilled this past spring to attend the openings of Ron Southern School and Holy Child School, both in Silverado. I am also looking forward to a new school opening in the community of Legacy this fall. All these school openings will help alleviate some of the overcrowding we see in schools around south Calgary. I wish all students and school staff a terrific school year!

Whether you enjoyed festivals in the city or events in our parks, I hope your summer was a memorable one. Mine was filled with great conversations with residents and business in Calgary-Shaw, especially during Stampede. There are so many incredible organizations and volunteers that make Stampede the greatest outdoor show on earth, however, this year was exceptional. My office’s third annual Stampede BBQ was a smashing success. It was wonderful to see, meet and chat with hundreds of constituents. We served nearly 1,000 burgers and hot dogs but of course this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for our incredible volunteers. Thank you to everyone who made it out and a special thank you to Somerset Bridlewood Community Association for partnering with us this year.

I’ve also been advocating for Albertans on a larger stage. Shortly after Stampede, I had the opportunity to attend the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) meeting in Spokane. I serve as the vice president for Canada alongside Northwest Territory Premier Robert McLeod. During this meeting I worked to advocate on Alberta’s behalf regarding pipeline development and trade tariffs. The Alberta delegation received a significant amount of consensus from our American state partners that these tariffs were unjustified. I also presented information on Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan. Many business leaders commented that it was excellent to see concrete action and policies being developed to protect the environment. The overall feeling from across state and provincial lines is Alberta’s policies are contributing to job creation and growth.