Crime, Solar, Economic Development Featured During Mayoral Debate

Candidates at the SE Alberta Chamber mayoral forum at the Esplanade on Friday, (SE AB Chamber/YouTube)

Medicine Hat’s mayoral candidates will have a little more than three weeks to polish their respective pitches directly to citizens following the one and only election forum prior to voting day.

The forum, held on Friday at the Esplanade and hosted by the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce, featured Drew Barnes, Linnsie Clark, Andy McGrogan, Alan Rose and Kris Samraj. Mark Fisher was absent.

Questions ranged from the future of the city’s energy production to economic development to addressing social disorder and crime.

While the municipal inspection report which concluded the city was being run in an “irregular, improper and improvident” fashion didn’t come in directly, Barnes brought it to the forefront.

“That was a sad document to read,” he said of the report. “The saddest part to me was it talked about how this mayor and this council failed so terribly setting a strategic direction.”

While the former MLA laid the blame for the city’s recent woes on the outgoing council, one of the current council members questioned the province’s role.

“We have a premier who is apparently in our riding somewhere,” said McGrogan in response to a question about building relationships with higher levels of government. “And I don’t know when we sat down with her and talked about our mutual interest to bring the citizens of Medicine Hat what they need.”

As for Clark, she likened the situation she found herself in after being elected mayor in 2021 as having to do home renovations and finding mould in the walls.

“I am concerned that someone is just going to re-drywall over that mould. They are not going to remediate it, they are not going to fix it,” she said, adding the city’s thinking is outdated.

A computer generated image of the proposed Saamis Solar Project. (DP Energy)

As for economic development, the perennial issue of making the Port of Wild Horse and 24-hour crossing was raised by Rose.

“We need that Wild Horse border crossing and commercial port. Once that happens, then manufacturing will set up here,” he said, stressing the need for the international crossing to access markets.

Samraj retorted, “if the biggest impediment to our economic development is the Wild Horse border crossing, you’re running in the wrong election here.”

He said while residential taxes might be low, business taxes are disproportionately high. Samraj added that he’s seen candidates stressing this is why more businesses are needed to move to the city and shoulder the tax burden.

Samraj said that thinking, “is precisely why economic development is so hard.”

While the Saamis Solar Project and transportation planning were the focus of the final two questions asked, references to both issues were peppered throughout the forum by candidates.

Rose was critical of the order in which city’s involvement in the Saamis project unfolded.

“It was done backwards. They went and bought the project, then they’re doing a feasibility (study),” said Rose, indicating the city shouldn’t have invested in purchasing Saamis Solar’s development rights without first ensuring it nets a 17 per cent net profit.

Barnes too questioned the project.

Unit 16 & 17 with the city wind turbines in the background. (File Photo)

“I’m worried about the lack of financial discipline,” said Barnes. “We don’t need to invest hundreds of millions in a solar farm. We instead can just buy a power purchase agreement from somebody else who produces solar or wind,” he said.

Clark defended the move, stating it’s an investment.

“And we have to invest in our energy businesses if we want it to be successful,” she said. “It’s not necessarily going ahead. What we’re going to do is receive back the financials.”

All those statements came even before the specific question was raised regarding Saamis Solar.

McGrogan said the city is stuck moving forward on Saamis Solar.

“I heard a story about a snake. Once they start eating their prey, they can’t spit it out,” he said, using the story as an analogy to the city’s current position. “It’s tough now to say we’re going to stop.”

Clark said it was made clear by the community they didn’t feel heard during the development of Transportation Master Plan but stated, “we have done the thing that needed to be done.”

She said the city has now committed to go back to the community, “to get to the bottom of how our citizens are using infrastructure and thinking into the future.”

McGrogan called the transportation plan, “a great learning experience.

“What I learned overall is that we need to back up the bus and we need. To say, ‘ok, let’s have this consultation up front.”

Barnes said the Division Avenue project wasted money to make a road less safe.

“The Transportation Master Plan has failed so miserably from the start so let’s completely throw it out and start over,” he said.

The redesigned Division Avenue. (File Photo)

On the question of social disorder and crime, Samraj said it’s tempting to blame those who are struggling.

“I think what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg here. There are tons of people struggling with affordability,” he said. “Comments like we just need more police, more enforcement – these are poverty issues so more police is not going to solve the issue.”

It was a sentiment which was echoed by McGrogan and concurred with by Rose.

“Those people are there because they’re desperate,” said Rose, who added professional criminals should not be spared stiffer treatment.

The 75-minute forum felt a little disjointed at times as candidates were asked complex questions.

That situation was best exemplified by some lengthy double- and triple-decker questions with candidates given a minute to respond. Additionally, questions were asked during debate portions following up on initial questions with candidates only given 30 seconds to respond.

But the essence – if not detail – of the candidate’s positions came through during each question tied to the issues being faced by the city.

The mayoral forum can be viewed on YouTube with each question asked along with the timestamp available below.  

Question 1 (2:11:28) 1-minute response

As the Chamber is a non-partisan organization, we believe strongly that municipalities should also be non-partisan as you represent all constituents in our municipality. In order to effectively advocate for our community, council members need to work with whatever government is in power and whichever local candidates are elected. So, how will you ensure that you are able to represent your constituents regardless of personal or political views and how will you work with other members of council that are elected that may have differing viewpoints than your own?

Question 2 (2:17:10) 1-minute response

How will you achieve financial sustainability while balancing service delivery, cost competitiveness and fair taxation?

Debate portion (2:22:23) 30-second response

(No additional questions asked)

Question 3 (2:27:15) 1-minute response

What do you believe is hindering growth within the city and what would you believe is the single most important thing that needs to be changed in order to realize our full potential and grow as a city?

Debate portion question (2:32:09) 30-second response

Let’s talk about your perspectives on business competitiveness and effective strategies for growth.

Question 4 (2:37:28) 1-minute response

Businesses and residents have had increased concern about crime and property damage. What direction do you believe the city should take in addressing these complex issues in Medicine Hat?

Question 5 (2:43:00) 1-minute response

What strategies will you seek to implement and help build more affordable housing and address the increased cost of living in Medicine Hat? A little bit of background on that question; Consider housing starts and how many we’ve seen in this city, the growth we’ve seen in this city and while you think of that, look at some of the strategies that could be implemented to help build more affordable housing and address that increased cost.

Question 6 (2:49:12) 1-minute response

Many residents have voiced their concerns about aspects of the Transportation Master Plan, particularly, the narrowing of roads. How do you plan on addressing those concerns surrounding these projects?

Debate Question (2:54:52) 30-second response

I want to know what you would do to strengthen consultation and engagement to ensure public and private sector voices are heard on strategic plans and citizens in the community.

Question 7 (2:58:46) 1-minute response

What is your position on the municipally controlled corporation and the Saamis Solar Project and what will your approach be to the city’s business and energy diversification.