Lethbridge-East Candidate Profile – Devon Hargreaves – Alberta Liberal Party

Where do you stand on the Supervised Consumption Site, and how do you believe the drug crisis in Lethbridge can best be resolved?

“The supervised consumption site is one part of the solution to the current opioid epidemic. We need much more treatment and funding for that, as well as under the Alberta Liberal Party we would call for a health state of emergency on the crisis, so that we could get supports between different departments and divisions of government to address the issue.”

Do you support the funding announcements made in December 2018 about supportive housing and intox/detox spaces?

“We do support that. I believe we need much more than what was announced. It’s a crisis and it’s being felt even outside of Alberta.”

Lethbridge has been sheltered compared to other parts of the province when it comes to the economic downturn, but jobs remain a key issue in this election.

What is your party proposing when it comes to economic issues and what policy, in particular, are you championing as something that will help the people of Lethbridge?

“For Lethbridge, what we would be championing – we’re calling for – let’s get this pipeline built, let’s get some accountability on that. But specific to Lethbridge is putting caps on classroom sizes to build for our future. We need to educate our youth, diversify our skill sets and that all starts at a younger age; plan for the long term.”

How can you take the positive experiences in Lethbridge when it comes to a diversified economy and try to translate that to the whole province?

“Lethbridge is a very unique city in that we have two post-secondary institutions. We’ve got such a wide array of business, agriculture and the likes that Lethbridge is an of itself almost a sampling of our province. So, I feel that things that are good for Lethbridge will generally speaking, be good for Alberta.”

How do you view the health care system in the province in 2019, and what would your party do if elected to improve it?

“To improve that, of course we would need to continue with existing funding. We would hope to increase that. We believe that you can be fiscally responsible while still socially progressive. As well, we do want to see better practices initiated surrounding EMS and Red Alert.”

Are cuts in funding needed, are additional funds needed, or is it a matter of finding efficiencies?

“It’s a matter of finding efficiencies. And we understand the work that the individuals in the medical community are facing. They’re doing the best they can with the resources they’ve been given.”

From three weeks of the polar vortex to grass fires at the start of spring, Lethbridge and Southern Alberta are bearing the brunt of climate change.

Where does your party rank dealing with the climate as an issue and what are your plans to protect the agriculture and farming industries that will be impacted?

“We do support a carbon tax, not the one currently in place. We would want to see that revenue neutral. As far as the environment goes, we are in favour of encouraging education as far as the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Science) Program; a little more focused on green energy for the future. We’re also to my knowledge, the only party that wants to ban clear-cutting. So, we’re about protecting the environment, while still facing the reality that we are still an oil province. We are also opposed to the NDP throwing $3 billion towards oil by rail car. Alberta provides some of the most corporate welfare of any province in Canada. So, we are opposed to that.”

Recently comments have emerged from some candidates about homophobia, white nationalism, and anti-muslim/refugee rhetoric.

What is your party doing to raise tolerance and civility in regard to public office, and what are your views on the LGBTQ community?

“As a past Chair of Lethbridge Pride Fest, I have strived to help Lethbridge to become a more accepting and diverse community. Most recently I launched a campaign to have conversion therapy banned in Canada; we got over 18,000 signatures there. It was just announced in the Senate yesterday, that it went through the first reading. My work on this topic and advocating for a ban on conversion therapy has been in the Alberta Liberal Party platform for many years. The work I’ve done on it has been highly supported by our leader David Kahn and we believe that our differences are what makes us unique and strong as a province and a people.”

For more details on the specifics of the Alberta Liberal platform, you can go here. (https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/albertaliberal/pages/2645/attachments/original/1554750399/ALBERTA_LIBERAL_Platform%281%29.pdf?1554750399)

by Lara Fominoff

Lethbridge-East Candidate Profile – Devon Hargreaves – Alberta Liberal Party

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