Chamber hosts luncheon with official opposition

Calgary-Elbow NDP-MLA Samir Kayande was in Lethbridge today. He and Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips were hosted by the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce for a budget response and discussion luncheon at the Coast Hotel.

Kayande believes investing in critical economic infrastructure will make Alberta stronger, an area he feels this budget is sorely lacking. 

“This budget does nothing to also help economic growth either.” says Kayande. “Dispite what the UCP says about being business friendly – critical infrastructure is absolutely important. You need a good functioning healthcare system, you need a functioning education system, but you also need a government that is motivated to help investors make money, and two areas where investors are crying out for support…one is in renewable energy another is in homebuilding. There’s massive amounts of red tape on both. In renewables the government actually made that red tape worse, it really is going to cause us challenges with building a diversified economy.”

Phillips, meanwhile, says budget ‘24 has not properly considered inflation.

“I think people are concerned about the failure to keep pace with population and inflation,” says Phillips. “So whether you’re running an organization, a private business, if you’re running a non-profit, you’re a member of a school board, or an ordinary citizen – you understand inflation pretty darn well. And those cost drivers are a real stress for organizations big and small, private public. And the fact that this budget doesn’t take it into consideration I think is something that’s of concern to everyone.”

According to the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, today’s luncheon with the official opposition was a valuable opportunity to engage with members and hear additional perspectives about the budget’s implications for businesses and stakeholders.