Year in Review: Rachael Thomas, Lethbridge MP

Thomas also praised her colleague Todd Doherty, the Conservative MP for Cariboo-Prince George. In November, a new toll-free, three-digit suicide prevention helpline launched in Canada. Doherty had put a motion forward to establish this type of service in December 2020.

Thomas said, “Those who are struggling with suicide ideation are able to call this three-number line, 988, and immediately talk to someone on the other end and receive the support that they need.”

“I think that’s a noteworthy initiative.”

Thomas said she enjoyed participating in annual events like Whoop-Up Days “and various activities that take place in the smaller communities around Lethbridge.”

“It’s been a really good year to connect with constituents,” she remarked, adding that she has spoken with many people through town halls, meetings at her office and via email.

However, she is hoping to find new ways to connect with the community in 2024.

She said, “I’m always looking for new and innovative ways to connect with folks that I, you know, maybe don’t get to see as often as I would like to, or portions of our community that maybe I’m not seeing as much as would be desired.”

One idea the Lethbridge MP brought up included changing how citizenship ceremonies are conducted. Currently, the ceremony for an individual receiving their Canadian citizenship is done virtually. Thomas wants to see a return to in-person celebrations.

She said, “When people become Canadians, they’re really proud of that and they enjoy the celebration that comes with it and so one of the things that we’re looking at doing is actually hosting a big celebration for anyone who becomes a new Canadian citizen and maybe do a potluck or something like that, where people can share their culture, their tradition, their food and way of life.”

CHALLENGES

Thomas said she has heard many stories regarding the challenges a lot of Canadians are facing, and she hopes to address issues like affordability.

She told Pattison Media, “I think people are really finding it difficult to make ends meet. Just in the last few years, we’ve seen the number of people who are going to food banks has doubled.”

“A lot of these folks have full-time jobs, but the cost of living has just forced them into a position where they’re having to rely on a food bank to be able to feed their families.”

Thomas said she has talked to seniors living on a fixed income, and “they’re having a hard time and [are] put in a place where they’re choosing between heating their home or cooking nutritious food or maybe even their prescription.”

She stated, “I think it’s these types of situations that are quite challenging to hear where people are at and certainly, my desire would be to see them prosper, to see them happy, to see them confident in their future. As a country, we’re in a very different place right now.”

Thomas added, “This fall especially, my Conservative colleagues and I, we’ve been fighting really hard to, you know, the hurt that Trudeau has caused by his negligent policies, try to get that turned into hope.”

Overall, Thomas is optimistic going into the new year.

She wished her constituents all the best and said, “I think we have good things ahead of us and I certainly look forward to serving this community and stepping into that vibrant future together.”

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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by Justin Goulet

Year in Review: Rachael Thomas, Lethbridge MP

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