Heading into the annual conference of rural municipalities, M.D. #124 council wants to make the most of the short time it gets to spend with various government ministers, plus RCMP brass. So council tossed around hot topics at its Nov. 14 meeting.
Turns out there are several, in three general categories: environment, roads and policing.
Advised by M.D. manager Allan Winarski that they’d have not more than an hour with the provincial ministers of Environment and Infrastructure and Transportation, plus RCMP ‘K’ Division, council discussed which topics were most worth their time. The list is fairly interesting.
At the top of the list for the Environment minister is the matter of water management. The M.D. got stung pretty badly earlier this year when it took the initiative in dredging a blocked Lesser Slave River at the point it leaves the lake. With downstream water users (including the town of Slave Lake and a couple of industrial concerns) threatened, there wasn’t really a choice.
But in doing the right thing, the M.D. incurred the wrath of a couple of federal agencies – to the point of being threatened with prosecution of the individuals involved.
The upshot of that experience was that the M.D. wants the province to accept responsibility for ensuring water flow in the river, and in similar situations.
“So we don’t get punished for what we’re required to do,” said reeve Denny Garratt.
That’s what the minister will hear at the upcoming Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties.
Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Luc Ouellette will hear a number of requests. One of them will be for the Transportation people to inform the M.D. when the province is doing work on, or along, primary highways. That’s a matter of courtesy, and it seems likely the department has no legal obligation to tell the municipality what it is up to, but the question will be asked. There’s a fairly large bank stabilization project, for example, going on below Hwy. 2 near Mitsue Lake, which the M.D. had not received any information about.
Also, said public works manager George Snider, “there are two intersection projects we didn’t know about. Also, the main intersection to the south shore is on the radar and we’d appreciate funding in the future.”
Speaking of intersections, councillor Brian Rosche asked if the M.D. council had any say on the Hwy. 2 and Main St. intersection in Slave Lake.
We can say anything we like, pointed out Garratt. What’s your point?
“Somebody’s going to die there,” said Rosche.
“It may not hurt to convey it,” advised Winarski.
Garratt suggested that perhaps council’s focus should be to encourage the province to accelerate plans to twin Hwy. 2 through Slave Lake.
“That would solve all the (intersection) problems,” he said.
Confidence, or the lack of it, in the RCMP’s ability to cover the M.D. was the theme of council’s discussion of what to bring up with the provincial RCMP bosses. Reeve Garratt was quite outspoken on the matter. Where drug dealing is concerned, he said, “I’m losing confidence in their ability to scoop up the people they know are selling drugs.”
Councillor Garry Horton echoed Garratt’s sentiments, with regard to the Smith area: “Everybody knows who the drug dealers are,” he said, but nothing ever seems to happen to them.
Councillor Rosche said he’d like to know if the Slave Lake undercover unit has ever been established.
Councillor Darcie Acton said she’d like to ask the RCMP people what the M.D. could reasonably expect with regard to personnel.
“Are we supposed to see constable presence in the M.D.? People have told me they’ve called the RCMP and nobody’s come. So what good is our allotment? I just want to know if we call the RCMP they’ll respond. I don’t think we have that confidence right now.”
Another topic of discussion for the ‘K’ Division fellows will be response to emergencies on Lesser Slave Lake.
“We’d like to see more preparedness,” said Garratt.
The AAMD&C conference is Nov. 19 – 21 in Edmonton.

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