Good governance, what you can do

By Damien C. Kurek, MP, Battle River-Crowfoot

The role of Members of Parliament is to represent their constituents, address their concerns and issues, and ensure government is accountable. This is the essence of “good governance,” however, it is much bigger than the issues that make “headlines.” I take seriously the need to ensure the people I represent have their voices heard in our nation’s capital. These big-picture concerns are important, but in this week’s column, I want to share how good governance affects you.

If you have watched Question Period, followed Pierre Poilievre’s social media, or any MP from Canada’s Conservatives, you will have heard about how it “feels like everything in Canada is broken.” This is a strong statement. And don’t get me wrong, we need to remain hopeful about our country despite the turmoil Canada and the world is going through. However, the number of people that have shared their stories about the increased costs related to inflation, unaffordable utilities, lost jobs, increased crime rates, and scandals have damaged trust in our institutions.

How government decisions affect you matters; it is at the heart of good governance. Government must work for the people and respect the fact that the duty of elected officials is to make life better for Canadians.

In my role as MP for Battle River-Crowfoot and a member of the Official Opposition, I always remember that the big national issues affect you, your family, and trust in our national situations.

National issues may grab the headlines, but accessing government services is the hard work that needs to get done by any government. Government can be confusing and it can be complicated to know who to call. When waste management is municipal, healthcare and schools are provincial, and employment insurance is federal it can be difficult to keep track of which level of government is in charge (and these are just a few examples). As an MP, I take it seriously that good governance is delivered to the people being served and that they are able to access the services government provides.

Services offered by the federal government have seen a massive decline in customer service, but in the midst of these issues, my team here in Battle River— Crowfoot and in Ottawa are amazing and are there for you when you need help. I can’t promise to always be able to solve the problem, but I can promise that my team and I will work tirelessly for you. So if you have a problem with the federal government or simply don’t know where to turn, don’t be afraid to give us a call, stop by the office, or send us an email. Some of the areas of federal responsibility are the Canada Child Benefit, passports, tax concerns, student loan issues, veterans affairs, and CPP to name a few. To assist you, we have put together a guide to help navigate some of these things, visit damienkurek.ca/not-sure-whereto-turn for information about what service falls under which level of government.

We face many challenges as a nation, province, and region…and as your MP I can assure you that I will continue to work for the principles of good governance because when it comes down to it, it’s about you.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this column, you are encouraged to write Damien at 4945-50 Street, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, text 403-575-5625, or email damien.kurek@parl.gc.ca. You can also stay up to date with Damien by following him on social media @dckurek. If you are in need of assistance regarding a federal government program, or need assistance and don’t know where to turn, feel free to reach out to MP Kurek’s office.