MP for Battle River-Crowfoot, Kevin Sorenson, says leadership is lacking at the federal level when it comes to the recent trade dispute between Alberta and British Columbia.
    Last week Alberta Premier Rachel Notley lifted her ban on the sale of B.C. wine, which was put in place in response to actions by the BC government opposing pipeline development Sorenson says what is lacking is a strong federal presence.
    “Our Prime Minister has had a hands-off approach and I think it has led to provincial conflict,” Sorenson tells The Mail. “He promised us that he would meet more with premiers, and have more round tables with premiers and televise this, and national unity would only grow. In the last two years, we have seen more problems.”
    He recognizes that in the last few days there has been progress.
    “There has been some amends, Notley said we would back off from the wine ban, and they are going to consider the bitumen thing, but again, it’s a stall,” he said.
     He says that Premier Notley is confident that Alberta will win in front of the courts, as does he, however, it is the time involved that irks him.
    “Courts take a long time,” he said.
    He adds there is a process that is in place to make sure these projects are dealt with fairly.
    “We go through and have an independent scientific evidence-based decision-making process on whether a pipeline should go forward. Is it safe environmentally? Is it needed economically? Is it going to create jobs?” he said. “This has gone through all of that process and the National Energy Board has given it the check of approval, we gave it the check of approval and our current Prime Minister has is given it the check of approval, now it is just being stalled.”
    He adds that this is a national issue, beyond just a squabble between provinces.
    “I think we will see that the Prime Minister’s lack of stepping forward really threatens jobs, it threatens investment and that capital is just leaving Alberta,” he said.
    “In the long term, if there is no security around a simple decision, that capital doesn’t come in, that investment isn’t made and those jobs aren’t created. That is why we are saying to the Prime Minister ‘ enough already,’ you allowed the east-west one to stall, you allowed the Northern Gateway Project to stall only promising us that this one would go ahead, and now you are slow stepping up.”
    He adds that Alberta’s industry supports the whole country.
    “If Canadians understood the importance that all of these jobs have. It means people in my constituency will be working; it means they will be paying income tax provincially and federally. That is what funds our social programs, that is what funds our healthcare, that is what funds our old age security and education system,” he said.

    A new chapter in the history of The Salvation Army in Drumheller begins in earnest as the renovations start on its new facility.
    The Mail reported in August of last year the church purchased the former ATCO Electric Building at 90 Railway Avenue across from Winks. Last week they toured the facility with the project manager  and are ready to begin on the project.                    

 The plan for the new building is to house everything under one roof. This includes the Church, Children and Family Services, the Food Bank and the Thrift Store.
    “There is definitely going to be cost savings because we are not leasing space and paying two utility bills and all of those things,” said Shane Hillier of the Salvation Army.
     Beyond financial savings, he says the efficiencies it will create in serving the community will be vast.
    “Even just efficiencies for us helping people. We help family services clients get things through the thrift store as well, so everything will be right there, and so much easier for us,” he said.
    The new facility will also all be on one floor so access will be improved for those with mobility issues.
   The Salvation Army has been looking for a new space for years, predating Hillier’s tenure with the local church.
“It has been more than three years. We started on our end in 2016,” said Hillier.
    The Salvation Army “Opened Fire” in Drumheller  in 1918, and will be celebrating its centennial this year. The original Salvation Army Citadel was built that year, but was replaced in 1955 with its new modern building.
    “When the church was designed and built, it was designed as a church, but we have moved into family services and the thrift store. So, we have changed how we serve the community and because of that, we need a new space. We have outgrown what we have currently,” said Hillier.