Health Minister seeks Sturgeon River nomination

by Tristan Turner

Morinville – Early Wednesday morning, Rona Ambrose, the Federal Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for the riding of Edmonton-Spruce Grove, announced that she would be running for the Conservative nomination in the riding of Sturgeon River. The newly formed electoral district includes the communities of Morinville, Legal, Gibbons, Bon Accord, Redwater, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and much of the surrounding area. This announcement came at the end of the Minister’s address to the Rotary Club of Morinville at their regular Wednesday meeting in the Morinville Community Cultural Centre.

Speaking with Rotarians, local councillors and guests, Minister Ambrose discussed her government’s policies on immigration and the economy. Speaking about natural resource development, Ambrose reaffirmed her government’s support for the National Energy Board’s decision to approve the Northern Gateway Pipeline and expressed her hope that the Keystone and East-West pipeline projects would begin to pick up steam.

“Canada is making the right economic… choices that are rooted in the Conservative economic principles that have long been championed by westerners” said Minister Ambrose, going on to explain those values as being low-taxes, decreased regulation and the promise of her government’s first balanced budget in 2015.

Before the Minister finished her address, she announced: “I will be seeking the Conservative Party nomination for what is the new riding of Sturgeon River.” Ambrose went on to say that “after [the 2015 election] I hope to have the opportunity to represent you in Parliament and to carry on the outstanding work of your current MP, Brian Storseth.”

Speaking about moving from her current riding of Edmonton-Spruce Grove to Sturgeon River, Minister Ambrose said “this region in faces a lot of the same pressures” going on to cite “the need for skilled workers and infrastructure” as the concerns that remain as her focus in seeking the Conservative nomination in the Sturgeon River riding.

Ambrose later claimed that her experience in more Ministerial portfolios than any other current government member would serve her well in the riding of Sturgeon River.

“Whether it’s being Labour Minister and understanding the labour challenges that we have in this province, or being the Minister of Western Economic Diversification, and understanding that its not all about the oil sands, we also have great economic diversity in this province… my Ministerial experience would serve me well in the riding of Sturgeon River.” The Minister went on to add that “being the [former] Environment Minister [I] know the attack that we’re constantly under in the oil sands and the need to get the facts straight.”

Speaking to Morinville voters, Ambrose said if fortunate to be the Sturgeon River candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada she would seek the support of the people of Morinville to help create a great region.

The Minister’s announcement comes ahead of the 2015 federal election where six new ridings will be introduced in Alberta to address the provinces population growth.

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