March XIVth, MMXVI
Hon. Dave Eggen, B. Ed., MLA, Minister of Education, New Democratic, Edmonton-Calder
Dear Dave:
As I went back for Oral Question Period today at the Alberta Legislature after a delicious lunch at the downtown Harveys (TM) of the Swiss Angus Mushroom Melt with a salad & a coffee, I have to thank Scott J. Cyr, B. Mgmt., MLA, Wildrose, Bonnyville-Cold Lake for promoting the need for better parking in Members Statements upon talking about the upcoming Cold Lake Air Show in his riding.
This very morning by coincidence I had a meeting in the Federal Bvilding with some some government officials. I ran into two of the employees of Alberta Infrastructure in the main lobby. They were chatting on a bench whilst on break about reconstituting the Legislature Annex Bvilding into a multi-tiered parking structure, or tearing it down & having a sky rise parking tower put up. Would would clearly put several hundred construction workers to work, thus providing jobs for workers laid off & revenue for their families (including students.)
They let me join them when I said the should tell their boss the Hon. Brian Mason, MLA, Minister of Infrastructure & Transportation & The Leader of the Government in the House, New Democratic, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood of their idea. What they were proposing would go a long way to alleviating downtown parking pressures for civil servants & those visiting the Legislature Grounds. Plus, people could access the transit opens during the day of the buses &/or LRT at Government Centre while conducting business. Then have easy access to their vehicles for a ride home. The II gentlemen proposed an intriguing plant to me:
I. Make the parking lot 50% gasoline engine parking spaces & 50% electric powered parking spaces. So people can can charge their cars to keep them warm or recharge them for use once they are done with any matters they have to take care of. This I am sure is greatly in line with New Democratic environmental principles.
II. Allot a certain portion of the lot for civil servants with passes & a certain portion for the public who would of course pay for the privilege to park so thus generating revenue IV Her Majesty's Ministry of Finance & Treasury Board. Keep it a government lot as opposed to contracting it out to a private firm in which they'd have to split revenues. Also, the spaces would then all be free after VI PM, weekends & statutory holidays. In this way, people could come down & park for free if they are wanting to spend time say having a picnic & bonding with their families.
III. Assign a space for a bicycle rack on every level. This would greatly increase bicycle traffic & thus healthy exercise levels of citizens as they pass through the Legislature & nearby bvildings on an exercise routine.
IV. I sure hope these II employees draft up a memo to Minister Mason this matter as its intriguing but I am not a government employee I don't have the ability to get through the right bureaucratic channels to get this done.
V. As for Minister Mason being the MLA breaking down doors, I don't mind because as Infrastructure Minister at the same time, he can draft up the tenders for the repair work himself. So next time you break a door Brian, please let out the Alberta Infrastructure contract to my father Joe, a retired carpenter who is looking for a little supplemental income.
An Editor's Note: I am trying to get the Hon. Rachel Notley, B. A.., LL. B., MLA, Premier & Minister of Intergovermental Affairs & President of Executive Council, New Democratic, Edmonton-Strathcona a "Queen's Counsel" or "QC" designation. I am not a lawyer however, how would I go about that as I don't have the legal ability or intellectual skills to accomplish that task!
Orders Of The Day,
Rory
Source: Alberta Hansard.
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