News from the Legislature
Alana DeLong, MLA

With one year to go before Alberta's 100th birthday, Centennial celebrations are being planned throughout Alberta’s communities to commemorate this special event. The Government of Alberta has unveiled a number of initiatives to mark our Centennial, including a song and medallion. I was fortunate enough to have been a member of the Official Song of Alberta Committee. While it was difficult to choose from 335 entries of talented singers and songwriters, Mary Kieftenbeld was chosen as the winner of Alberta’s Official Song. Dave Pierce of Calgary was selected to arrange and produce the song. Two versions of Alberta's Official Song have been recorded for release to radio and the public. The country version features Mary Kieftenbeld on lead vocals, while Innisfail's Michael Carey is the lead vocalist on the pop version. Please visit www.albertacentennial.ca to listen to both versions of the song. As well, a medallion has been created to mark the Centennial. The medallion will be distributed to approximately 600,000 Alberta K-12 students in 2005. The medallion pays tribute to the people of this province - the Aboriginal Peoples, pioneers and modern-day visionaries who have made Alberta the best place in Canada and the world. An additional 600 medallions will be created in a deluxe 14-carat gold version for Albertans who will be 100 years of age or older in the Centennial year. I am excited to tell you that Donna Zwicker has been appointed to serve as one of 100 Centennial Ambassadors. Donna has been volunteering in Calgary in various capacities for the past 20 years. She will help generate interest and participation in Centennial activities in Calgary Bow Constituency by reaching out and helping Albertans to get involved in our province's Centennial. Should any community group in Calgary Bow Constituency have plans to celebrate a special annual event, they might wish to consider coordinating it with the celebration of our Centennial. Please feel free to contact Donna Zwicker at donnazwicker@shaw.ca (tel. 283-5611), who will be able to offer you her assistance and guidance with planning your special Centennial event. In addition, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders will wear the Alberta 2005 Centennial logo on their home and away jerseys starting with the Labour Day Classic game on September 6, 2004. To help communities celebrate the Centennial, the government has provided funding for municipalities and community groups. The Alberta government will have provided approximately $250 million to support partnership, community-owned, and government-owned and operated capital projects. More information on the Alberta 2005 Centennial can be found at www.albertacentennial.ca

It’s Your Future
In late August each household in Alberta was mailed a survey by the Government of Alberta. I wish to thank you for taking the time to complete the survey and for letting us know your views and recommendations. Your views are very important to the decision making of the Government of Alberta and the future of Alberta.

Alberta To Become Home To World-Class School Of Veterinary Medicine In 2006
The Alberta government will establish a new leading-edge veterinary medical school that will put the province at the forefront of research into animal diseases and food supply safety. This unique veterinary school will provide research into the detection, containment and eradication of diseases that can spread from species to species and affect humans, and prepare veterinary medical practitioners and researchers focused on food supply safety. The school will also specialize in producing large-animal veterinarians to address shortages of these types of specialists in the province. The three-year program will be housed at the University of Calgary and will be linked closely with the University's Faculty of Medicine. It will accept its first students in September 2006 and is expected to graduate 30 veterinarians each year. Students who want to further specialize in animal disease research after graduation from this program may study at the University of Alberta, which currently houses Alberta's top schools in medical, animal health and food sciences research.

Public Consultations

Please visit http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/Index.cfm?Page=625 and provide your input to matters that affect Albertans.

See Alana's past Newsletters

Should you have any questions or comments, I can be reached at:

Consituency Office (Calgary):   Edmonton: Toll-Free:

(403) 216-5400 (780) 415-9459 310-0000