Strathmore-Brooks MLA Derek Fildebrandt hosted a town hall meeting at the Strathmore Royal Canadian Legion on February 26.

About 10 people attended the meeting, which was held in an informal setting so that members of the public could ask questions of the local MLA.

Members of the group asked Fildebrandt about issues such as immigration, the community involvement of Chestermere MLA Leela Sharon Aheer and the UCP’s announcement in Chestermere about a new immigration strategy modeled after one in Manitoba.

A man asked why MLA Aheer was receiving so many invitations to speak in the community when Fildebrandt is the MLA for Strathmore Brooks. Fildebrandt explained the redistribution of the electoral boundaries, and the formation of the new district of Chestermere-Strathmore.

He said Aheer has every right to be in the community.

On the topic of the UCP’s new immigration strategy, Fildebrandt spoke about sponsorship of immigrants into Canada, versus new programs. He also spoke of his own family’s history of immigration.

Also on the topic of immigration, there was a discussion about how the Government of Canada supports official languages programs for immigrants.

One person at the meeting explained that they paid for and chose to learn English on their own, and not through the government.

In terms of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), he spoke of provincial and territorial agreements between the provinces/territories and federal governments for immigration.