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Transportation and market access are important to our 4 major industries; Energy, Agriculture, Tourism and Forestry. Therefore it is "severely important" to develop and maintain international markets and to receive fair market value for the products that we export. Pipelines, therefore are a priority for Mr. McIver because of this and that many people are moving to Alberta for economic reasons and it is important that our energy sector remains vibrant and sustainable with access to 'tide water". Within all of these sectors, we have to deal with our largest competitors as well as our greatest friends - which in this case all all the same players; the US, BC and Saskatchewan.
Mr. McIver suggested that if we want someone to successfully negotiate these impossible deals, that he is "has a history of completing these impossible deals". He cited Calgary's annexation of land from the County of Rocky View, Highway 43 widening through reserve land, Highway 1a widening west of Cochrane, and negotiating with the Siksika nation to complete the ring road around Calgary as examples of these impossible deals as they had been ongoing for decades but were successfully completed under his purview.
Other important issues include working with the Federal government on issues such as grain transportation that avoids backlogs such as the last crop year. Mr. McIver suggested that he has a better working relationship with the Federal government than all the other leadership contenders as he has worked on many committees and working groups with them.
Other things that need to be improved are a responsible infrastructure plan and stable funding for that plan, as well as better communication with the residents of Alberta on how their money is being used to run the province. "Residents should not need an accounting degree to see where their tax dollars are going," stated Mr. McIver. Reporting lessons should be taken from Alberta families who balance budgets based on needs and how long and how much will it take to pay it off and will it be a good investment. "Running the government should take these kinds of questions under consideration as well," says Mr. McIver, "And this then needs to be reported to all Albertans in an easily understandable way".
" The elephant in the room, which everybody is touching upon, is accountability, and if an indicator of future performance is past performance," said Mr. McIver, "please look at my expense accounts which are all online and publicly available and are boring." Historically, Mr. McIver spends 20-30% less that what is budgeted for his constituency office because although he could spend it, he didn't need to.
Mr. McIver also promised to not allow senior government people or people who lobby the government to be able to receive government contracts. "Full Stop!"
The floor was then opened to questions, which included:
- What is your overall vision for the Province if you were the leader? (a more diversified and valued-added economy, rural and urban.)
- What is your background before public life? (high school education, meat industry for 25 years, ran own distribution and wholesale company of 15 years)
- Please comment on the management of our Heritage Fund. (Doesn't think that it has been squandered, but more could be saved and he will implement a policy that after 2020 when the budget is balance, 50% of energy revenue will go into savings)
- Do you support a "Big City charter" or special funding for the big cities? (Doesn't support a charter as it is too rigid, but recognizes that the cities have special needs and that a flexible and unique funding mechanism is needed)
- Do you have plans for greater accountability for civil servants? (Civil servants should be paid at the same levels as private enterprise, but contracts will not be broken to meet this. More stable ministries are required to allow a more efficient civil servant)
Mr. McIver was thanked for his talk on behalf of the club by Bill Buckham.
President Neitsch adjourned the meeting with a couple of quotes:
"Whenever I don't know whether to fight or not, I fight " - Emily Murphy
"The attribute that really pays off is listening ability, both to listen to the people who are involved with you. Working in the office of the premier, listening to the media, listening to your party, and the general public" - Peter Lougheed
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