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Vol. No. Tuesday,November November8,19, 2013 Vol. 7, 8, No. 2,49 Tuesday, 2011
MICHELLE PINON PHOTOS
Andy (father) and Adam Yuke, along with friends and brothers Chris and Tyler Couillard were kings of the hill during a fun outing Sunday afternoon at Hillside Park in Lamont. Fresh powder, sunny skies and very light breeze made for ideal snowboarding and tobogganing conditions for these outdoor enthusiasts.
MP Leon Benoit hosts local town hall meeting in Lamont Michelle Pinon Editor
MP Leon Benoit was in Lamont Nov. 14 for a town hall meeting at the New Horizons Drop In Centre. A total of 14 people attended the afternoon meeting which featured a brief speech followed by a question and answer session. Lamont was one of nine communities which had town hall meetings hosted by Benoit, who has been
represented the Vegreville-Wainwright Constituency for more than 20 years. Benoit briefly outlined the governing party's plan for the next years, and touched on the finances and taxes, and how the Harper government plans to balance the budget and streamline the regulatory process, cut the red tape for businesses and focus on responsible resource development. While prospects for
economic development look encouraging, with an estimate of $650 billion expected over the next 10 years in Canada, Benoit pointed out: "I'm fairly confident we will get the investment we need, but we will have to earn it." Benoit said three companies would be building new pipelines, and several others constructing new pump stations in the future. "We all know Keystone will go. We don't know if Obama
MICHELLE PINON PHOTO
Leon Benoit, MP for the Vegreville-Wainwright Constituency, (left), chats with folks following his town hall meeting at the New Horizons Seniors Centre Nov. 14. A variety of topics including Senate reform, oil and gas pipelines, and record crops were discussed.
will still be President by then." Being the second largest exporter of heavy crude oil to the US is also good for Canada, he added. More upgraders will also be coming on stream, added Benoit, which will help with the supply and demand of diesel. Benoit also spoke in favour of the West to East pipeline, and emphasized the importance of expanding the size and scope of a wide variety of trade agreements between Canada and other countries in the future. One participant gave Benoit, and the federal government a bouquet for the Tax Free Savings Account, and had a beef for its party's practice to pay legal fees for members. The discussion referenced paying for Mike Duffy's legal fees. "At the time the money was paid, we didn't know he was guilty." Benoit added that it would be up to RCMP and the
Auditor General's department to determine if there was any criminal activity. Benoit agreed that the rules are unclear and poorly written that expenses and entitlements are harder to understand than one may think. But one audience member begged to differ, and said that Duffy knew what he was doing, and suggested the Canadian Revenue Agency oversee those claims, and report any irregularities and fraud, so that senators are under the same scrutiny and regulations as other Canadian taxpayers. Benoit said he felt the Auditor General's department would be more appropriate, but conceded that something like what the participant was suggesting may work, but in any event: "Any senators who have done wrong should pay the price," whether that means paying back the money they owe, and/or
jail time. "Whatever is deemed necessary." He agreed there was a need for Senate Reform, and if that couldn't be accomplished then it (the Senate), should be abolished. Benoit said he was still in favour of having a Triple E Sentate. Benoit moved onto the topic of crop prices and delivery to ports via rail. He said he had spoken to higher ups with CN and CP Rail that morning, and said shipments were being moved at a record rate. "If there isn't a major storm, we can expect loads will move quicker," he added. As far as the CBC goes, Benoit said he would like to see a plan developed so that it could become self sufficient, perhaps, even adopting the publicly funded model that some stations have adopted in the United States. "I'd like to see it happen, but there is not the appetite for it in caucus."