Edmonton community leagues were given an unprecedented opportunity on May 27 to meet and discuss issues with provincial cabinet ministers and Edmonton backbench MLAs, thanks to a date the EFCL was able to secure on the provincial Cabinet Tour.
Approximately 150 community league members (representing 60 community leagues), along with five EFCL board members, all seven EFCL staff and four Community Services staff members took advantage of the opportunity to meet with nine members of cabinet and nine backbench MLAs in a 90 minute session at Balwin Community League Hall.
The EFCL launched the discussion with a quick presentation on the five subjects approved by its board (Living Local, Cultural Integration, CIP funding, Casino Review and School Closures). This helped get some of our key points on the table and flavor the discussion at each of the tables, where one MLA was seated with eight or nine league representatives.
After a 25-minute discussion each of the MLAs was asked to move over one table, whereupon they met and discussed issues with our members for another 25 minutes.
No written records were taken at the table discussions, however, Solicitor General Frank Oberle reported at one table that he was hesitant to make any significant changes to the way casinos operate in our province. He said he fully understood the importance of this funding to non-profit groups, including community leagues. He said his report should be released in September.
Community Spirit Minister Lindsay Blackett said he was most interested in a follow-up meeting where we could talk about a process to establish priorities for CIP funding and a means to coordinate the many cultural integration initiatives that are underway.
Many community league members commented after the meeting that they were most pleased with the opportunity to meet with the MLAs.
In attendance for the government were Tourism, Parks and Recreation Minister Cindy Ady, Culture and Community Spirit Minister Lindsay Blackett, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jonathan Denis, Children and Youth Services Minister Yvonne Fritz, Education Minister Dave Hancock, Deputy Premier/Advanced Education and Technology Minister Doug Horner, Sustainable Resources Development Minister Mel Knight, Solicitor General Frank Oberle and Environment Minister Rob Renner, along with backbench MLAs Naresh Bardwaj, Doug Elniski, Fred Horne, Luke Oullette, Peter Sandhu, Janice Sarich, Lloyd Snelgrove, Tony Vandermeer and David Xiao.
The EFCL wants to thank Balwin Community League for providing its hall free of charge and for helping with the arrangements.