Peace and Police Officer Training Centre (February 23)
Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We speak of the extreme importance of oil and gas in Alberta and to Albertans, but we can’t lose sight of Alberta south of Calgary.
The promised police college is very important for police services, retaining our rural culture, and fostering economic diversity in our rural communities.
To the Solicitor General. Fort Macleod has had this carrot dangled in front of it since 2006. Why has the minister waited so long to provide them with answers?
Mr. Oberle: Well, Mr. Speaker, I haven’t waited all that long. I’ve been in the position for about a month.
The hon. member will know the conditions under which this college was first suggested, that being that it gets private funding and it’s operationally self-sufficient. Given the fact that I can’t identify private funding to that level, I have no public funds to proceed. Given that, I will do everything I can to make this project proceed, but I can’t make any promises at this time.
Ms Pastoor: Thank you for that. I think that’s a tiny little door that’s opened.
My next question is: can we expect a concrete, well-prepared, long-term implementation strategy or evidence of any sort of planning? What kind of work has been done to actually attract private? Should we maybe rethink private?
Mr. Oberle: Well, we can rethink private if we want, Mr. Speaker, but the fact remains that I don’t have any public funds available to me right now. As the hon. member pointed out, we need long-term planning. I think we have a capital plan that stretches out for a very long term. In order to pull this project off, I would need to find a way to reprofile that, and I can’t do that right now.
Ms Pastoor: Okay. My next question to the same minister: I guess, given those answers, what I’d like to hear is that there is a pledge that it will be built.
Mr. Oberle: I’ve made about the clearest pledge I can make, Mr. Speaker, and that is that I will work very hard for the citizens of Fort Macleod and the MLA that represents this area. I feel for their position. I will do everything I can to make that college happen.
Alberta Hansard, February 23, 2010