that lives in Oyen or Bow Island. We are able to work it out so all schools have equal access to qualified professionals, and that has been huge.”


This means pooling resources to train local personnel who committed to living and working with southeast Alberta, and personnel-sharing across all five divisions.


It wasn’t necessarily an easy transition to get to this point, says Quintin.


“You have to move beyond your lens of: How is that going to impact my schools? To: How are we going to support all schools? We at Prairie Rose have benefited from this collaboration, and I don’t think there would be a school jurisdiction (within our region) that would say they haven’t benefited from the collaboration.”


But, by far, the biggest positive impact has been enhanced services for local students who need extra supports, says Balas.


“We are committed to improving and working on ways we can minimize impact on children and youth even if we eventually face a service reduction due to budget cuts,” says Balas. “Already, most of our funding goes into our people, the bodies that serve kids directly.”


Which brings Balas to the vinegar in the apple sauce — the SECRSD’s three-year enhanced funding agreement with the province ends this year. She explains how the enhanced agreement came about in the first place after the province mandated the collaborative model be formed, took away funding from existing programs and pooled those resources into one province-wide


umbrella fund for all RCSDs in Alberta.


“We were guaranteed nobody going into this process would lose,” explains Balas. “We would be held harmless. But when the new funding formula rolled out, and everything was rolled together, when the dust settled we didn’t get equitable money. We were about 20 per cent of our budget short for what we thought we should have.”


Balas explains the most glaring gap is the original allotment of resources.


“The funding formula, which was 75 per cent based on population, disadvantaged our region because we have many fewer students, but spread out over a much bigger area. The classic rural dilemma. There is a new budget coming out in March, and we just don’t know if that hold harmless funding will continue.”


Quintin hopes the province will see the clear distance challenges and “windshield time” the SERCSD has in getting its services to children and youth with disabilities in the region.


“It will be difficult to do that if the hold harmless funding is cut back or we are not able to find other sources of money,” says Quintin. “I think, at the end of the day, our ultimate goal within the partnership is to make sure we provide a high quality service and supports to the students across our region. Ultimately, that’s what we will be committed to doing regardless. That service may look different than what it is right now, but the partnerships we are committed to retaining, and to providing that service as best as we can.” ❚


T


here is no denying when the 2014 recession hit Alberta, with the bullseye square on the province’s oil and gas


sector, the spinoff effect of lost jobs and shuttered businesses sent the south east’s economy into a tailspin.


Glen Motz, Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner is cautiously optimistic that the worst of times are now behind the region, with gradual stability replacing months of fear and unpredictability.


“Our region has suffered economically. For many of our residents and business owners’ recovery to pre-recession levels will be hard-earned,” he said. “But, based on several positive indicators, I am optimistic that the tide is turning.”


Motz noted with the Petroleum Services Association of Canada forecasting increased oil and gas industry drilling activity for 2017, although considerably below pre-recession levels, “increased drilling means new and re-hires for oilfield service and supply companies, which is positive momentum for our economy and the people who work in the industry.” These, coupled with US President Trump’s decision to move forward on the Keystone XL pipeline, “translates into optimistic economic stability for Alberta and our region.”


Innovation is also being used as an economic enhancer, with the recently announced renewable energy development partnership between the Medicine Hat College, City of Medicine Hat and Bluenergy Canada. Additionally, our region will benefit significantly by the headway the Village of Foremost has made working in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems (CCUVS) to establish the


Donna Balas, Regional Manager for SE Alberta Regional Collaborative Service Delivery (RCSD), and PRSD Director of Inclusion Camille Quinton say the RCSD is crucial to providing equal access to education for kids and youth with greater learning needs and disabilities in the region.


Foremost Centre for Unmanned Systems based out of the Foremost Aerodrome.


“These two partnerships alone have put our region on the national / international map for technological innovation, with incremental manufacturing, service, employment and educational opportunities indicative of such industrial diversification,” Motz commented.


Our agricultural sector remains robust, with grain prices strong and cattle prices stabilizing. It is understood that those beef producers exposed to the Bovine TB are facing a major setback in the short term. However, because of the Conservative Opposition intervention the federal government agreed to reimburse producers for their losses. “So I am confident that true to their resilient nature these ranchers will rebound over the long term,” he said.


The difficult decision made by City of Medicine Hat officials to cut costs and reduce the tax burden on municipal taxpayers is also to be commended.


“Reducing the expenditures, rather than just increasing taxes to meet ever increasing budgets, demonstrates our city’s leadership on fiscal responsibility, Motz stated. “Its recognition of current financial climates and its impact on our community will develop stability over the long term.”


In conclusion Motz noted, while he is aware that the south east is not yet clear of the effects of the economic downturn, flickers of optimism are beginning to return. “As we transition into 2017, I am confident that the people of this region will continue to support their neighbours who need assistance and remain focused on advancing the well- being of our riding.” ❚


Glen Motz, MP Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner


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