Cardston-Siksika MLA Joseph Schow’s summer was busy as he met with constituents, attended consultations and meetings with stakeholders, and attending numerous Heritage Day celebrations.

However, his priorities remained clear; continuing the work of the UCP government’s plan to get Albertans back to work.

Bill 2: The Open for Business Act was passed in legislature in July 2019. It includes changes to general holiday pay, overtime and labour relations. Bill 2 will help restore fairness and balance to the workplace and encourage job-creators to invest in Alberta.

Schow explained that balancing labour laws, restoring workplace democracy and incentivizing the creation of youth employment will ultimately make it easier for people to find not only jobs, but careers.

“The government doesn’t create jobs,” explained Schow. “The government creates an environment where job creators can come and do something spectacular. It’s something Albertans have been doing for generations. It’s something my ancestors did and it’s what people around the world and the country come to do.”

“With job creation at the centre of this government’s agenda, we have already put measures in place to ensure that it happens.”

Bill 3: The Job Creation Tax Cut was also passed in July 2019. It will lower the corporate tax rate from 12% to 8% over the next 4 years and at least 55,000 full-time private sector jobs will be created from this Bill.

Alberta now has the opportunity to be the most tax-competitive business jurisdiction within months and among the most attractive investment destinations in North America within a few years.

“Again, promise made, promise kept with the UCP. We had over a million people vote for us in the election for a very robust policy document. Supporting job creation was centric to that. The three-word slogan was jobs, pipeline and economy.”

Bill 4 was also passed at the end of June. Also known as the Red Tape Reduction Act, cuts unnecessary regulations by one-third and makes sure new regulations are free of red tape.

This act will also make it easier for people to get the government services they need and reduce the regulatory burden on job creators to encourage investment, boost Alberta’s competitiveness and get more Albertans back to work.

“My constituents are talking to me every day about little things to big things that the government can do to get out of their way to make things easier. We’re excited to move forward with that. We are doing consultations on a regular basis to make sure we get as much input from the public as possible. Frankly, it is their lives we are trying to make easier.”

Schow is looking to advocate for a plan to re-energize the oil and gas sector that will speed up approvals, cut red tape, unblock natural gas shipments, and support LNG exports.

“We want to support investment across the board in this province and diversify. There is no question that oil and gas have been a staple of Alberta’s economy. We want to ensure producers know this government is not going to be standing in their way. This government is not going to hit them with unexpected royalty reviews, isn’t going to implement some arbitrary tax on them like the NDP did with the carbon tax,” said Schow.

“We are keeping our promises and make sure Albertans feel like Alberta is the province they can come back to and stay in.”