SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
Premier and Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Danielle Smith avoided a confrontation regarding a question during her town hall meeting on Friday in Brooks.
An unidentified man said that every Canadian politician is “avoiding like the plague” the issue of mass immigration because it coincides with crime rates and the tax burden.
“You know we’re all avoiding the question. Let’s tackle the question what are you doing about it?” he asked.
Smith said the federal government allowed 1.8 million people into Canada in 2023 which is four times higher than the normal absorption rate.
During the last premiers’ meeting consensus was given to have the federal government return to more normal immigration levels.
“We just can’t do it anymore,” she said.
The unidentified man said that immigration should stop because Canada is overburdened but he would like to see the premier’s plan to double the population include a policy to “encourage birth rates among white Canadians because they’re at all time lows, right?”
To which the 100 or so attendees at the town hall responded with a quiet gasp.
“This is a very diverse community,” Smith responded without taking the bait before moving on to the next question.
Smith also discussed the housing situation in Brooks after being updated by mayor John Petrie.
“Brooks isn’t just succeeding but thriving in its current climate,” she said.
She was told that there is an increase in construction of rental units, new homes and other housing.
Smith also attended St. Joe’s Catholic School where she heard loud and clear that it needs to be on the school construction priority list.
She said the school board has identified the new site (the old rodeo grounds park).
“They’ve got the support of council,” she said.
“I don’t want to prejudge where, how that zoning debate is going to go on Monday (Oct. 21) but I sure hope they manage to get to the finish line on approving it because what we have said is that if we can get the municipalities to agree to have all of the permits in place, all of the servicing the site, we want to prioritize those projects.
“I hope to be able to report some good news on that when we’re back down again.”
Smith was told that there’s 30 businesses in the area of park land “because it’s more of an industrial area.”
She said the development would allow for more students to be involved in the registered apprenticeship program while allow the school board to build a soccer field.
A teacher from Christ the King Academy encouraged Smith to build a new school.
One person said the problem with the site is that it’s on a trucking route and “we’re more worried about the kids, I think, on that road. It’s causing congestion and big trucks.”
John de Jong, a Catholic school board member said “safety is not going to be an issue.”
“Hopefully, there’s plenty of room for parking in the area,” he said.
Smith said she doesn’t have a placement on the priority list of new schools yet and it won’t be there until the land decision is made.
“That’s kind of that last piece about whether council will zone it,” she said.
“If anyone feels strongly about it, just know that there there’s likely to be a decision of council next week that will be the last hurdle I think in coming to us,” she said.
Community members are not against a new school, just the location.
