By Alex McCuaig

Glasgo Townhall

Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA holds her first townhall

Jan 21, 2020 | 9:38 AM

Medicine Hat, AB – Rookie Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Glasgo held her first townhall Monday night, fielding a smorgasbord of questions on topics from education and health to government travel expenses and highway improvements.

About 35 people turned out with Glasgo taking about 25 questions from constituents during the 90-minute session at the Medicine Hat Public Library.

But if there was a topic which appeared above others, it was education.

Concerns were raised regarding public funding of private schools, changes to curriculum and suggestions to do away with elementary school achievement testing.

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And while Glasgo says she supports local decision making by school boards, she also doesn’t believe boards should be laying off teaching staff.

“Our government has respected local decision making and emphasized local school boards will be the ultimate decision (makers) in their own finances and we would ask them to find efficiencies and look inward,” said Glasgo.

Pressed on the issue as to if local school board decisions would be respected if they include layoffs for teachers to manage budgetary pressures, Glasgo reiterated the provincial government does not want to see frontline workers laid off.

“I think we all saw what happened in Calgary when the Calgary Board of Education declared that they would be cutting because there was no other option, the minister (of education) stepped in and forced an audit on the Calgary Board of Education and asked them to look inward a little bit harder,” said Glasgo.

She said she was pleased with the turnout at the townhall and that, “engagement with constituents is what they elected me for. When I was running, I was very clear I wanted to remain engaged with my community.”

Glasgo heard some emotional pleas from two constituents dealing with Crohn’s disease and fears regarding changes to medications announced by the provincial government.

The Brooks townhall originally scheduled for Tuesday evening has been postponed to Feb. 7.