Stettler’s Tony Dikov in conversation with MP Kevin Sorenson at a Three Hills constituency break meeting on Mon. May 14. ECA Review/D.Nadeau
The current constituency break for MP Kevin Sorenson means hundreds upon hundreds of kilometres and many coffee- and donut-fueled community meetings.
This is Three Hills, it’s Monday, May 14, and Sorenson finds himself in the community centre with 30 questioners and listeners. Earlier communities visited on this break included Drumheller, Viking, Camrose, Wainwright, and Sedgewick.
A constituency break sees the House of Commons set aside time so MPs can go home and meet voters.
The Three Hills session was as much challenging the Trudeau Liberals as it was examining hot-button issues facing all Canadians—no matter their political stripe.
Issues like the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the fentanyl crisis, trade, immigration, grain shipments, the deficit, and the suitability of party leader Andrew Spheer to form the next government.
But the issue receiving the most heat was the federal government’s linking a values attestation statement to Canada Summer Job Grant funding. A member of the audience described the stipulation as a violation of Charter rights for faith-based groups, such as churches or Bible camps.
Sorenson said the government might re-consider its position for next summer: “But guess what? That’s an election year. Right now, many, many groups in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding are being negatively affected by the government’s attestation demand.”
David Nadeau
ECA Review
