By Submitted

Cathy Hogg: NDP Cypress-Medicine Hat

May 2, 2023 | 11:05 AM

Pattison Media is helping voters get to know the candidates vying for your vote in the provincial election.

We provided the candidates with the same list of questions and here are their responses:

Tell us a little about yourself:

I was born in Yellowknife NWT, moved to BC at 8 years old. I spent a number of years there and then just over 40 years ago came to Alberta.

I upgraded my education in my early 30’s and became a Vocational Rehabilitation Practitioner. I worked for Community Employment Services and assisted people from all walks of life who, for a variety of reasons, who were struggling to find and secure meaningful and gainful employment.

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While working at CES I moved to the Cypress Hills and married my husband, Craig. Our cow calf operation has been in the family for over 135 years. I have learned a great deal about the agriculture community and am proud to be a part of it.

Between Craig and, I we have three children, all of whom have families of their own now. We are proud of all of them. The oldest works in partnership with Craig at the ranch and the other two live in the Medicine Hat. Some work in the oil and gas industry and one owns and operates her own business.

I then became a School Board trustee for Prairie Rose Public Schools and later became President of the Public School Boards Association of Alberta. In my role as president, I have spent a great deal of time at the ledge in Edmonton. I have met Ministers and MLAs from all parties. I have hosted Ministerial Panel discussions and MLA receptions.

Why did you decide to run in this election?

One of the main reasons I decided to run for this election had to do with the curriculum that was presented to us by the current Government. This curriculum does little to prepare our children for the future. Perhaps had they included teachers and curriculum experts and parents in the development of the curriculum that would not be the case. Our children are the future, and they deserve to have the key stakeholders at the table.

What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the constituency right now?

Many issues face our province. What I am hearing at the doors in this riding in terms of top-of-mind concern is Health Care and Affordability. I am happy to let people know about the NDP Family Health Teams Plan. There are two examples of this approach in Alberta, and both have demonstrated that they can increase the Doctors capacity to see up to 40% more patients. In addition, the two combined have shown a savings to the government of 100 million dollars over ten years. Rachel Notley has promised to have ten of these centres established in Alberta with one of them coming to Medicine Hat. Included in the Health Care concern is the wait times for basic lab work. The DynaLIFE solution is not working. We are committed to fixing the erosion of this essential service. We also need to address the affordability crisis by replacing caps on insurance, utilities and bringing more industry to Alberta providing higher paying jobs.

How do you plan on addressing that issue
See above

If elected, at the end of your first term, what do you hope to have accomplished?:

If elected my hope in the first year in develop the connections needed to inform my conversations going to Edmonton. The voices of the key stakeholders in our community are essential in allowing me to gain insight on what their needs are and how I can support them going forward. I have begun that process and am grateful for the conversations. Just as I have advocated for equity in education I will now advocate for equity for our corner of the province. I do not believe in broad brush approaches because what works in Edmonton may not work here. I want to ensure that our local context is considered as I participate in helping develop solutions. It will be important to facilitate any opportunity that’s demonstrates how connected we actually are as a rural ans urban riding. We depend on and support each others’ livelihoods in more ways that not. I want to be a part of ending the chaos and demonstrating what a proud, productive, and united Alberta looks like.

If you could have dinner with three people living or dead who would you choose and why?:

The first person I would want to have supper with is my father. He was a WW2 veteran and passed away when I was 13. I would love to hear anything he would share about that time in our history and what he thinks of the potential threats to the democracy that he fought for.

The other two people I would want to join me for supper together. Those two would be Grant Notley and Peter Lougheed. These gentlemen where true statesmen and governed with constructiveness, congeniality, and respect. I believe that Grant Notley would be proud of how Rachel is truly trying to improve the lives of all Albertans and Mr. Lougheed would not recognize the current “conservative” party. I would welcome their thoughts on steps forward. I aspire to govern as a statesperson, always putting the people first.

Oilers or Flames?:
Flames