With the 2021 municipal election now in the books, newly elected councillors, mayors and trustees will be getting down to work on the vital tasks they have been trusted to undertake for their respective constituents.
At the same time the results of the equalization, daylight saving and senate nomination referendums will be published and perhaps acted upon.
With good voter turnout and a trouble-free vote, the election was a success and a good example of democracy at work in Alberta.
However, one key topic that was not settled in this election – and with the referendum portion of the process in particular – is whether Alberta should adopt a provincial police force instead of the RCMP.
The UCP government-directed Fair Deal Panel has recommended the province investigate the possibility of creating an Alberta police force.
The premier has said Albertans will be given a chance to have their say, in a referendum, on the issue of replacing the RCMP.
However, the possibility of having the policing question on the Oct. 18 election ballot was set aside by the UCP government several months ago.
Premier Kenney said he believes an Alberta provincial police force would have several benefits.
“The RCMP is a huge national complex organization with an unfocused mandate,” said Kenney. “That’s not a community policing model.”
Dozens of rural municipalities, including many in this district, have already sent letters to Justice Minister Kaycee Madu saying they prefer to see the RCMP remain in place in their respective communities.
“The least costly and most effective way to improve policing in Alberta would be to work at improving what we already have, not throwing it away and starting over with a strong likelihood of achieving the status quo at a vastly increased cost,” said out-going Mountain View County reeve Bruce Beattie.
With the 2021 municipal election in the books, Albertans are now anxiously awaiting the chance to have their say on the vitally important issue of policing in this province, as the premier has promised.
Dan Singleton is an editor with The Albertan.
