IN TOUCH WITH MP EARL DREESHEN
January 11, 2016
I hope everyone was able to enjoy the Christmas season with family and friends and the New Year has started off well. Now is the time to turn the corner on 2015 which saw a dramatic shift in politics at both the provincial and federal levels and look toward the future. 2016 is going to be a very important year as we continue to navigate through unpredictable times. My focus remains listening to what is important to the residents of Red Deer – Mountain View and advocating those positions in Ottawa on your behalf.
Office Update
Since the election, there have been two important updates for our office that I want to share with you. Shortly after the election we set up a toll free number so constituents in the Southern part of the riding. That number is 1-866-211-0959 and it directly connected to my constituency office.
We are also in the process of establishing a mobile office. Since the size of the riding has doubled geographically, my staff and I will be designating times to be in various communities. The schedule is evolving, but we are looking at holding the first mobile office hours at the Olds Council Chambers from 10am-2pm on Wednesday, February 3 followed by the Innisfail Legion on February 17. This will be an opportunity for our office to come into your communities and hear from more people directly. I encourage you to stop in and let us know what your thoughts are, or if you have a private matter you would like to discuss, please call and book an appointment. I will keep you updated on new locations as we solidify the schedule.
Election Reform
There has been significant talk about election reform since the new Prime Minister declared that the 2015 federal election would be the last federal election conducted under the ‘first past the post’ system.
While I am not opposed to a discussion about electoral reform, the Liberals are treating the election win as a blank cheque to fundamentally change the way we elect our representatives and our governments without any consultation on what they are actually replacing the old system with. That is unacceptable. Let me be absolutely clear that the Conservative Party remains firmly opposed to any changes made to how Canadians elect their federal representatives without holding a national referendum on the matter.
When you change the basic rules of democracy, everyone has to have a say. One political party cannot dominate the process by simply using their majority to do so. Canadian provinces (PEI, BC, Ontario) and Commonwealth countries (UK, New Zealand) put their proposed electoral reforms to a referendum. My colleagues and I are calling on the Liberals to show Canadians that same respect.
Closing As
always, I encourage constituents to reach out to me and express their concerns and ideas on these issues or any other issues on the federal radar.
Sincerely your Member of Parliament,Earl Dreeshen