Weekly Municipal Round-Up

All the news that's fit to tweet

Feb 19, 2021

The Women of Municipal History

As municipal campaigns heat up, Albertans have cracked open the history books to explore some of our local political history. This week, there are a lot of interesting stories about the history of women in government being covered through the #searchingforIzena project.

Andrew Yule @n_droo_yu_el

All of Calgary’s Mayors. Pink box is when Women were given the right to vote, 1918. Gold box is when Women were entitled to open a bank account without obtaining their husband’s signature, 1964. In 2021, I’m voting for the most qualified candidate as Mayor! #JYOTi4Mayor #yycvote

parityyeg @ParityYEG

We're making room for as many formidable women as we can. In Part 2 of #SearchingforIzena guest @Paulatics tells the extraordinary story of #yegcc's second female city councillor, Margaret Crang. #DYK she's still the youngest person to ever serve on council at the age of 23?

Lisa Holmes @lisaholmes

A list of all of the women who have served on Council in @StonyPlainAB! This is fantastic - thank you Mayor @wchoy74! I will add this info to our #ABPoliWomen spreadsheet. #searchingforIzena

William Choy @wchoy74

@lisaholmes @PathsTrails @ErinStevensonSG @ParityYEG @YWCAEdmonton @multicentreab @StonyPlainAB @judyabennett @GouldenT https://t.co/VaveSoBXpB

How It Started

The mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo defies provincial centralization of EMS dispatch for 9-1-1 phone calls. AHS and Alberta in turn file a joint application for an injunction to prevent the municipality from not transferring phone calls.

Alberta Health Services @AHS_media

AHS and Alberta Health have filed a joint application for an injunction to the Court of Queen’s Bench, asking the court to prevent the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo from not transferring 911 calls to AHS EMS Dispatch.

Paul Fairie @paulisci

It feels like every week there's a brand new, ludicrously perilous issue for the provincial government to manage.

Courtney Theriault @cspotweet

"I challenge the provincial government to remove me as the mayor." RM of Wood Buffalo Mayor Don Scott spitting fire towards the province/AHS- his council voting last to reject AHS takeover of local ambulance dispatch. #yeg #Yyc #ableg #ymm https://t.co/ADQzPpwY3W

Don Braid @DonBraid

An unprecedented revolt by an entire council against centralized EMS dispatch. AHS seeks an injunction but still won’t admit there’s the slightest problem. calgaryherald.com/opinion/column… #ymm #ymmcc #yyc #yyccc #ableg #abpoli #yeg #cdnpoli #abgov

Braid: Province must listen to municipal concern for patient safety after EMS dispatch switchThe province can’t just brush this off. The claims are too serious and disturbing. The AHS claim that there are no problems — not a single one — strains…calgaryherald.com

Thomas A. Lukaszuk @LukaszukAB

This is about to get interesting... A “Conservative” government that ran on decentralization of power and local autonomy now wants to quash city council’s unanimous decision and implement a centrally managed failed ambulance system. #AbLeg #YMM #abpoli https://t.co/pJhynwMWkJ

Don Braid @DonBraid

AHS is about to file an injunction to quell the Wood Buffalo council revolt against provincial EMS. Today, at noon, Mayor Don Scott flipped local EMS out of the provincial system. #yyc #yyccc #ableg #abpoli #yeg #cdnpoli #abgov

How It’s Going

Alberta Health Services @AHS_media

AHS & Alberta Health are pleased that the Court of Queen’s Bench has granted an injunction to ensure the RMWB resumes sending 911 medical calls to AHS EMS dispatch. We look forward to working with the municipality on a smooth transition.

AHS statement on EMS dispatch court decision | Alberta Health ServicesAlberta Health Services and Alberta Health are pleased that the Court of Queen’s Bench has granted an injunction to ensure the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo resumes sending 911 medical calls to AHS EMS dispatch.albertahealthservices.ca

Oil Grifters Default on $245M in Property Taxes

The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) conducted a member survey that identified approximately $245 million in property taxes that oil and gas companies currently owe rural municipalities. The survey had a 100 per cent response rate from the RMA membership, which shows year-over-year increases in unpaid taxes.

“The fact that every rural municipality in the province took the time to complete this survey speaks to the anxiety and frustration that rural leaders are facing on this unpaid tax issue. In some municipalities, unpaid tax amounts are so high that service levels are being reduced, municipal staff are being laid off, and serious discussions are occurring about whether the municipalities can continue to function.” – Paul McLauchlin, RMA President

Read the press release here.