Skip to content

Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin MLA Rick Wilson's November update

November is Adoption Awareness Month! Our government is proud to recognize the many Alberta families making a positive, life-changing difference for children and youth by choosing to adopt.
24594504_web1_210325-WPF-rickwilson_1
MLA Rick Wilson. (Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)

November is Adoption Awareness Month! Our government is proud to recognize the many Alberta families making a positive, life-changing difference for children and youth by choosing to adopt.

Whether a child is adopted from government care, a licensed agency, private direct placement or internationally, we are grateful for the adoptive parents who provide stable, nurturing environments and unconditional love to young people in need.

Alberta is a leader in adoption. We’ve made adoption more affordable so that more families can find loving, permanent homes through increased tax credits, and a $6,000 subsidy to reduce adoption costs through a licensed agency by as much as 50 per cent. We’ve also reduced red tape for a smoother adoption process.

Hon. Searle Turton, minister of Children and Family Services, is an adoptive parent and had this to say about his experience “being able to provide a loving home to a child in need continues to be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling decisions my family has made and it can be the same for any Albertans considering adoption. Now is the time to open your heart and home to a child or youth in need.”

The High Level Bridge in Edmonton will be lit white on Nov. 27 in recognition of Adoption Awareness Month.

There’s more information about becoming an adoptive parent at alberta.ca/adoption.

I was so pleased to see a great turnout at the Millet Remembrance Day Ceremony. My dear friend, and former Chief, Victor Buffalo, was a guest speaker who shared about the elite group of Cree Code Talkers. He spoke, too, about things even closer to home: one grandson was scheduled for deployment overseas, and another had just recently joined the Canadian Armed Forces.

I am grateful for all those who have served this country in the past, and for those who continue the admirable tradition of service in the armed forces today. My warmest thanks to the Town of Millet and the Millet Legion for organizing and hosting these events, and for ensuring that the service and sacrifice of so many will always be remembered.

Yvonne Adair turned 90 this month! You may know her as a lifelong community leader, but to me, she is a close family friend. What a privilege it was to celebrate her 90th birthday party at Ma-Me-O Beach Hall with her family and so many community members who love her dearly. Happy birthday, Yvonne!

Chief Wayne Benson with the South Pigeon Lake Fire Department was celebrated with a beautiful community meal and program in recognition of 50 years of exemplary service. I was delighted to attend the event and thank him personally for his outstanding leadership, dedication, and tireless work in the community. You can check out South Pigeon Lake Fire Department’s website to see all the amazing work they do – they don’t just fight fires! 

A shout out to Becky and Dave Soch and their volunteer committee at Rolly View Community Association – they sure know how to put on a successful and entertaining event! My wife, Rose, and I attended their Third Annual Pasta and Piano Night; we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The pasta was terrific and “The Grand Duelling Piano Show” was a blast – unbelievable talent. This year was a sold-out event; plan to buy tickets early next year if you want to get in on the fun.

Did you know that Alberta is famous for being rat-free? While many regions around the world face a multitude of problems associated with growing rat populations, Alberta stands apart thanks to a proactive approach and commitment to our rat control program.

Norway rats are considered an invasive species – they are not native to North America, but are believed to have been introduced to the east coast around 1775. Gradually, they spread westward as the continent became settled. They were known to be in Saskatchewan in the 1920s, and were first reported on the eastern border of Alberta in 1950. They would have continued to spread westward had it not been for the establishment of Alberta’s rat control program that halted their advance.

For more than 70 years now, Alberta has been preventing the pest from building a permanent population in this province by swiftly dealing with infestations.The continued success of Alberta’s Rat Control Program depends largely on Albertans doing their part to report rat signs and sightings.

The governments of Canada and Alberta are giving Alberta Invasive Species Council (AISC) a one-off Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) grant for $110,000 to launch a campaign called “Rat on Rats!” to encourage Albertans to keep their eye out for rat signs and sightings, and to make reports as appropriate. You can email rats@gov.ab.ca or call 310-FARM (3276).

In the coming weeks and months, watch for billboards, posters, and training workshops – it takes constant vigilance to keep Alberta rat-free. Last year Albertans reported 450 rat sightings, 23 of which were confirmed rats. (The majority, 158, were muskrats.)

I’m hosting a Christmas Open House again this year for constituents of Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin. You are welcome to stop by the constituency office (5019 – 50 St., Wetaskiwin) on Friday, Dec. 6 for coffee, treats, and a visit, anytime between 4 and 7 p.m. Don’t forget to bring a food bank donation if you can. As always, if you have an issue you’d like to discuss, please call or email the constituency office to arrange a separate appointment.

I’m looking forward to the open house on Dec. 6 – it will be great to catch up!

Hon. Rick Wilson is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin. His constituency office can be reached by email at Maskwacis.wetaskiwin@assembly.ab.ca, or by phone at 780-360-8003.