Premier Smith and MLA Schow hosting town hall in Cardston

Posted on April 3, 2025 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Editor’s Note: Due to a late change of venue, on April 3 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and MLA for Cardston-Siksika Joseph Schow will hold a Town Hall Meeting at the Cardston High School to accommodate a larger audience and improved accessibility from 7 to 8 p.m. The Town Hall was originally scheduled to be held in the town council chambers. The News apologizes for any confusion.

MLA Schow says that Premier Smith has been doing lots of town halls around the province as she goes out to listen to Albertans. 

“I’m hoping to introduce a lot of my constituents firsthand to the premier in a town hall setting, but I’m also hoping to get more feedback about what’s most important to people at this time,” said MLA Schow.

The town halls, MLA Schow says, are a great way for her to ‘engage with Albertans to better understand what’s most important to them.’

MLA Schow expects that the format of the Town Hall will include opening remarks from himself and the premier before the floor will open to the public. A moderator and a microphone will be available, MLA Schow says, so those in attendance can express their thoughts in an orderly manner. MLA Schow says he expects questions to be raised regarding the tariffs, the state of the relationship with the United States, and health care, but he and the Premier will take the questions and work to provide the best answers that they can either at the event or later on.

“I think it’s important to do town halls and have an open dialogue with constituents,” said MLA Schow. “As the representative for the area, my job is to best understand the needs of Cardston-Siksika and then take those concerns up to the Alberta legislature and advocate on behalf of my constituents. This is a great way to connect with the constituents that I represent in everything.”

MLA Schow firmly emphasizes that people will ‘benefit tremendously’ from attending the town hall event should they choose to.

“Politics is about hearing your constituents, the people that we work for and better representing them,” said MLA Schow. “It’s difficult to represent them if you don’t know what they care about, so that’s why we’re getting out to meet with them firsthand, hear from them, and then use that information to continue to represent them and work on their behalf. Certainly we are facing some difficult waters ahead and uncertain times, but with that in mind, it’s good that we as a government better understand the most pressing issues facing Albertans. That’s why it’s important for me and the premier to get out and listen.”