By Alex McCuaig

Fair Deal Panel

Fair Deal Panel coming to the Hat on Jan. 17

Dec 1, 2019 | 12:52 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The provincial Fair Deal Panel will open public discussions on Tuesday in Edmonton on a range of topics aimed at increasing provincial jurisdiction on everything from an Alberta pension plan, police service and chief firearms officer. Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes said to expect that panel to visit Medicine Hat on Jan. 17.

“We have an opportunity to tell the rest of Canada – our partners – we need our economy to be strong,” said Barnes. “Mr. Trudeau, three pipelines and we’re rolling again. Let’s do it for the sake of our families, our friends and our economy.”

Barnes says he has already heard from hundreds of Albertans regarding the panel with opinions ranging from the province staying in Canada at any price to separating from the country no matter what, “but there is a lot of uniform belief in doing some of the things to make Alberta stronger.”

And its the creation of an Alberta pension plan which appears to be a main pillar in the efforts to shore up the province’s place in confederation.

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In his address Saturday evening at the UCP general meeting, Premier Jason Kenney received the biggest positive response when he brought up the pension topic in outling the consultation role of the Fair Deal Panel.

“We will study creating an Alberta pension plan by withdrawing from the Canada Pension Plan,” Kenney said to loud applause.

“Let me be clear with that,” the Premier added, “we would only proceed with that if Albertans endorse it in a referendum. But we believe, based on our early analysis, this will save us $3 billion a year.”

In his speech to the party faithful, Kenney outlined the other planks of the panel. Those include, increased tax collection powers for the province, creation of a provincial police service, an increased role in international treaties, ensuring municipalities and school boards gain approval from the Alberta government before entering into agreements with the federal government. Also, establishment of a provincial chief firearms officer, the ability to opt-out of federal cost sharing initiatives such as the proposed pharma-care program while receiving full compensation and the formalization of an Alberta constitution.