New RMA president shares concerns over provincial police and unpaid oil taxes [Video]

Kara Westerlund, newly elected president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about her new role and the challenges facing RMA members.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: What motivated your pursuit of the role of president?

Kara Westerlund: I think the timing was perfect. I’ve been vice-president for the last seven years and I’ve worked with both Al Kemmere from Mountain View County, he was the prior president, to Paul McLauchlin.

Paul was stepping back this fall and I thought that the timing was right and the opportunity presented itself, so I put my name forward.

MH: Has there been a drop in RMA opposition to ditching the mounties for a provincial police service?

KW: From the rural side, it’s not what we’re hearing at all. We just came out of our convention, obviously, we spent four days together with the 69 rural municipalities. There was a little bit of chatter about it but for the most part, …