Shannon Phillips ready to stand on party achievements in Spring election

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One example of that is the recent announcement of five wind power projects in southern Alberta.

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“We’re looking at $2.2 billion worth of new private-sector investment in renewable energy in all of southern Alberta, so that’ll greatly benefit both Lethbridge and Medicine Hat and surrounding areas, places like Brooks and elsewhere,” she said. “I think what’s important here is (that) we’re an oil and gas economy, absolutely, but we’re an energy economy, more to the point, in every sense of that word. And Alberta is full of people, entrepreneurs and others, who are skilled at solving energy problems.”

Phillips also believes the premier has succeeded in making the importance of building pipelines a priority for the federal government.

She blamed both the Liberal and previous Conservative governments for trying to “cut corners” on regulations, leading to the court ruling that halted the Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion.

“We had shovels in the ground one day and no shovels the next day. So, that was really, really tough times, certainly around our cabinet table. And the position that we’ve taken is that yes, we need to move forward and satisfy the Federal Court of Appeal so we can get this thing built, absolutely. But that federal government needs to make sure that they’re delivering on appropriate timelines. We’re keeping an eye on them. We’re making sure that they’re hearing our message loud and clear.”

Another challenge is the opioid crisis, which Phillips said is very different from the drug addiction problems of the past. But she’s happy the province is able to help with the recent announcement of detox and intox beds, housing, and law enforcement funding. She said there’s probably more to do, and the government will work with the city, business, fire/EMS, and police.

Looking back to when the New Democrats first took office, she said the party had a clear platform, and the voters chose an NDP majority, they did everything they said they would, and they will do so again.

That platform will include diversification, she said, including clean technology, agriculture, and food processing. She also said Lethbridge was a priority right from the start in 2015, beginning with the University of Lethbridge Destination Project, through hospital upgrades and attracting the new Cavendish Farms plant, and she adds the city and area have the potential for a lot more, whether it’s electric vehicles or value-added food processing.

“We have so many competitive advantages in pulses; in particular, lentils, beans, all those kinds of things. There’s a real world hunger for those crops and we happen to produce them down here in southern Alberta. Lots of really, really neat stuff going on in that crop science area that I think, with some careful interventions by the city, the rural municipalities, the regional economic development folks, and the province at the table, we could really do great things and really, again, contribute to diversifying the economy and making this area really strong.”