Local musicians show talent

A variety of local musicians performed on stage during the annual Harvest Festival in Morinville. The event took place on Oct. 3 in the Community Cultural Centre after event organizers moved it from St. Jean Baptiste Park due to inclement weather. The festival included live music, crafts and the Farmers Market    © 2015 Grant Cree photos.

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Hundreds enjoy Oktoberfest

Approximately 450 people gathered on the evening of Oct. 2 to enjoy German entertainment, food and beverages in the Morinville Community Cultural Centre. Everybody celebrated the town’s 3^rd annual Oktoberfest that featured live entertainment -- the Vinok World Dancers and The Braybek Brothers performed traditional dances and folks songs.  © Grant Cree photos.

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Vinok World Dancers wow the crowd.

Vinok World Dancers ham it up.

The Braybek Brothers perform. 

Vinok World Dancers perform a traditional German dance.

Children learn traditional dance moves from Vinok World Dancers.

The Braybek Brothers.

Meet the candidates in Sturgeon River-Parkland

Four federal election candidates in the Sturgeon River-Parkland constituency participated in a political forum on the evening of Sept. 30 in the Morinville Community Cultural Centre. The event was a way to help voters get to know them better, and was hosted by Morinville and District Chamber of Commerce.

Listed alphabetically by their last name, candidates at the forum were Rona Ambrose, Conservative Party of Canada; Ernest Chauvet, Christian Heritage Party; Guy Desforges with the federal NDP; and Brendon Greene with the Green Party. The Liberal candidate, Travis Dueck, who was appointed to his position a few days earlier, did not attend the forum. He contacted the local Chamber office to apologize and explain that he had a previous commitment that evening.

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Rona Ambrose, Brendon Greene, Guy Desforges and Ernest Chauvet on stage during the political forum.

Prior to going on stage, each candidate spoke briefly with me to answer three questions: 1) What do you think is the most important issue facing constituents in Sturgeon River-Parkland?; 2) What are your thoughts on Canada's military involvement in Syria?; and 3) Why should people vote for you?

Q:  Most important issue facing constituents in Sturgeon River-Parkland?

Ambrose: “The number one issue is the economy. Right now we are experiencing a downturn in the Alberta economy and we [Conservative Party of Canada] have advocated for a long time to keep on track with a Low tax, balanced budget plan to keep jobs secure.”

Chauvet: “The people whose minds are preoccupied the most in this constituency would be the link between the economy, the oil industry and pollution and CO2 emissions.”

Desforges: “Number one is medical. The fact that smaller communities right now, and the lack of having any health care up there. That's why the rolling medical Health care units that will be going into smaller communities will play a big part to this.”

Greene: “The economy and job security. That's the thing that people are talking about the most when I go door-to-door. There have been an incredible number of layoffs, the dollar is extremely low and the price of oil is extremely low.”

Q:  Canada's military involvement in Syria?

Ambrose: “You can't have humanitarian aid or help for refugees without tackling the very root of this problem which is the insurgency of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. So yes, we have to be there with our 70 other coalition partners that are over there. We absolutely have to be there, this is about making sure that we are stopping this where it's happening so it doesn't come to Canada.”

Chauvet: “I truly deplore the fact that the Conservative Party sold $15 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, which operates under Sharia Law. The rest in Syria and ISIS is more complicated. We have to deal with it, but we have to do it in a way that doesn't show how powerful we are but what we are willing to tolerate and what we are not willing to tolerate. So we have to be affirmative but not haughty.”

Desforges: “I don't think they should be there doing what they are doing, I do agree with the [NDP] party on that.”

Greene:  “Well, Syria is a tough issue and we are definitely not for expanding the military. Out of NATO there are 12 countries involved in combat missions and we believe that we should be humanitarian. We believe that we should keep it as peacekeepers.”

Q:  Why should people vote for you?

Ambrose: “I am working hard to earn the trust of voters on the doorstep and at events. It would be my absolute honour and privilege to serve the people of Sturgeon River-Parkland.”

Chauvet: “I have devoted most of my life working in the area for things that I felt were important. That definitely shows my love of the area and the people. I've been highly involved in making visible, local history.”

Desforges: “As a labour leader, I will come to you when there is an issue and I will listen and I will bring it back to Ottawa and I will stand for what you want.”

Greene:  “The number one reason is because the Green party is the only party that wants to abolish the whip system and have MPs that are ethical and not whipped. If I have an issue, I can consult my constituents and say I'm going to vote against something. The main reason is because I would rather consult my constituents before making any decisions.” © 2015 Grant Cree photos.

Political showdown in Morvinville

More than 80 people gathered to hear from four federal election candidates during a political forum on the evening of Sept. 30 in the Morinville Community Cultural Centre. The event was hosted by Morinville and District Chamber of Commerce as a way to help voters in the Sturgeon River-Parkland constituency make their ballot box decision on Oct. 19.

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Rona Ambrose, Brendon Greene, Guy Desforges and Ernest Chauvet.

Residents were encouraged to submit written questions to Chamber staff that were later posed to the candidates by Simon Boersma, the local Chamber president who served as the forum moderator. Chamber staff counted 83 people in attendance that evening, and estimated that 40 written questions were submitted.

Listed alphabetically by their last name, candidates at the forum were Rona Ambrose, Conservative Party of Canada; Ernest Chauvet, Christian Heritage Party; Guy Desforges with the federal NDP; and Brendon Greene with the Green Party. Liberal candidate Travis Dueck did not attend the forum. The four participating candidates sat next to each other on stage as they took turns passing a microphone to answer questions.

Boersma welcomed everybody and reminded the candidates of the ground rules. “The candidates will not talk over each other,” said Boersma. “We only have one microphone and each candidate will have two minutes to speak. We will respect the time of two minutes, and I'm sure that's not going to be a problem.” Boersma invited each candidate to make a three-minute introductory speech before responding to written questions from the audience. Here are some excerpts from those introductory speeches.

Ambrose: “I don't think there's been a time in this generation when the stakes have been higher. The world we live can be a dangerous and unpredictable place. Our economy and particularly our prosperity are vulnerable to things that we don't always control. And while Alberta is going through a downturn, according to the Bank of Canada, eighty per cent of the economy is growing and is projected to continue to grow. So while the global economy make remains fragile, Canada is earning a very well deserved reputation for sound fiscal policy and economic strength.”

Ernest Chauvet

Chauvet: “I have difficulty understanding that every political party in the country is not willing to address the fact that the mother of an eight month old baby is bearing a human being.  Somehow that can be swept under the rug, and can be ignored.  But ignoring basic moral values transfers to other things such as disrespect for people in authority and disrespect for the people you are called to serve. It becomes, maintain power or gain power at any cost. That is where we differentiate, and no other party touches that. No other party touches the impact of abortion on women. Let it be an informed choice.”

Desforges: “Well, I have a simple message: the Harper government has to go. This doesn't happen by wishing and it doesn't happen by dreaming. It happens because of hard work. A lot of times when you stand up, you’re labeled and agitator and a troublemaker. That's what a labour leader is. I was there to save people's jobs, protect their rights and keep them safe. I want to take what I learned in the labour movement and bring this type of representation to the people of Sturgeon River-Parkland. That's what this election is all about, representation. About changing the way you and the other members are represented.”

Brendon Greene

Greene: “I like the Green Party because they have a different vision of the way the government should be run. The number one word that the Green Party is based around is sustainability In government. That's not just the environment, that's in all levels of government. The number one thing that I hear about when I go door-to-door is job security and the economy.

The Green party has a way of solving this problem, but it is slightly different than the norm. We have a Canadian Sustainable Generations Fund and we have a National Sustainable Jobs Plan. That is our main way of getting to diversify the economy. We have a plan to help all of the people who have been laid off recently from the low price of oil and the low Canadian dollar.”   

During the forum, the audience heard contrasting visions from each candidate. They took turns answering questions on topics ranging from the oil sands and business taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency and immigration and citizenship. Other questions pertained to MP accountability to constituents, free trade agreements, and incentives for people to relocate in other areas across Canada to find work.

At the end, each candidate was allowed to deliver a three-minute rebuttal. Boersma concluded the forum by thanking the candidates and audience members for participating in the democratic process and wished everybody well on Oct. 19. © 2015 Grant Cree photos.