Kurek answers questions from constituents and students
By Diana Walker
Damien Kurek, MP Battle River-Crowfoot, held a Community Town Hall meeting in the Oyen Town Office on March 12 from 1 to 3 p.m.
He gave opening remarks to 18 adult attendees but graciously stopped for a few minutes as the Assumption School principal, Trisha Rolheiser, and her 15 Grade 5/6 students joined the group. A short time later, OPS teacher Myken Carew and her grade 6 class joined the Assumption students on the floor.
Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek speaks to adults and students at a recent town Hall meeting in Oyen. The photo was taken prior to the arrival of Oyen Public School students and their teacher. Oyen Echo Photo/Diana Walker
Kurek answered a question about CPP after one attendee spoke of her frustration after being denied assistance when physically unable to work. She noted that she knew of others who qualified when suffering from mental struggles.
He answered a question about what a citizen must present as voter ID. He also discussed electoral boundaries and his fight for boundaries that encompass people with similar needs. His constituency has a population of 107,979, of which 82,090 are registered voters.
Another person asked: if a friend from Mexico came to Canada for a visit, would she need a visa? He explained.
When answering questions about immigration, he said it should be orderly and fair. The consensus was the present process is not and that illegal immigrants often receive voting privileges. He compared the struggle of doctors and nurses following the proper immigration system versus the illegals entering the country every day.
Kurek expressed his concern with AI and the challenges everyone faces. He explained to the students that someone could acquire his photo and his voice and produce a video that would look very real.
An Assumption student asked, "If a Canadian citizen moved to another country and became a citizen of that country, could he/she come back and vote?" Kurek spoke of his father-in-law, a US citizen. After he became a Canadian citizen, he could vote in both countries (if he wished).
He addressed carbon tax questions saying about 70% of the voters oppose it; several premiers have asked Ottawa for a pause. The only way it will change he added, is at election time with a change in power.
He said the Conservatives are hard at work trying to stop the 23% increase on April 1. Now, the carbon-pricing plan is at $65 a tonne. As of April 1, it will be $80 a tonne and will continue to rise annually by $15 until it reaches $170 a tonne by 2030. "Could it rise to $1000/ton?" Kurek asked. He also said The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, will hold a 'Spike the Hike - Axe the Tax' rally. (Halifax, March 17.)
Trisha Rolheiser said her class loved getting more information about the carbon tax and the UCP's plan to have an election based on it. It directly affects them and their families. They were concerned that now there is no cap, and it is increasing again on April Fool's Day … and that is not an April Fool's joke!
An attendee commented on the raise in pay of $8,000/year for MPs and the doubling for that of the prime minister. She said that works out to about a 4% increase. Kurek said no politician should be able to become a millionaire from the job. He said he donates his increase to deserving causes.
Other topics covered included changes to MP pension plans that once paid a pension after only six years in office. The government matched each dollar invested by the MP with $64, then dropped it to $32, then $6. Now, contributions of $1 to $1 are paid out at age 65, possibly as early as 55.
He spoke about Bill 63 Online Harms Act. Although presented to Parliament, it has yet to be debated. He said work remains to introduce age verification and penalties for harm caused.
Born in 1989, Kurek grew up on a farm outside of Consort. When he was fifteen, Kurek went on a trip to Ottawa and put a call into then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office. A ten-minute meeting was arranged with Kurek, Harper, and Kurek's Member of Parliament at the time, Hon. Kevin Sorenson. Kurek is quoted as saying, "For a kid who loved politics, that was the pinnacle of everything you could possibly imagine." Wikipedia
Maybe one or more students who attended the meeting will aspire to become involved in politics because of their visit.
Each student received a Petition Kit from Mr. Kurek upon departure. A petition draws attention to an issue of public interest or concern and requests that the House of Commons, the Government of Canada, a Minister of the Crown, or a Member of the House of Commons take some action. A person preparing and submitting such a request is known as a petitioner. A person of any age can sign the petition, as long as a Canadian citizen, and present it to a Member of Parliament.
Representing the Conservative Party of Canada, Damien Kurek won the Canadian federal election to represent the riding of Battle River—Crowfoot in the House of Commons of Canada in 2019 and again in 2021.
Currently, he serves as Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development and a member of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics.