Premier Danielle Smith will be making a Sept. 26 stop in Rocky Mountain House as part of a series of United Conservative Party town hall events.

Also attending will be Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon, who predicts there will be several top-of-mind issues for those in attendance.

“We need to build to make sure that our rural economy is also growing at the same rate as the large urban areas in our province,” says Nixon. “I think we’re also going to get a lot of questions about freedom and our government’s commitment to stand up for things like parents’ rights and choice in health care.”

Issues brought up at other town halls throughout the year include affordability, challenges with inflation, and standing up to the federal government, says Nixon.

Town halls have taken place in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Grande Prairie, Airdrie and Camrose, among others locations.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will be making a stop at the Lou Soppit Community Centre on Sept. 26 for a United Conservative Party town hall event. (Jordan Rein/94.5 Rewind Radio)

The Minister adds that he, along with the premier, will also be discussing proposed amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights, which includes reinforcing the right to decide whether to receive a vaccination or other medical procedure, affirming property rights and adding the right to legally acquire, keep and use firearms.

Those proposed amendments, says Nixon, clearly reflect what grassroots members have been discussing at town hall events.

“I do think that the feedback that we have been getting from these town halls is helping to make sure that when we write that bill that we got it right,” says Nixon. “I think it really shows that the premier’s approach to going out and having these conversations with communities is the right approach because we can take that information to make sure that what we’re drafting and debating up in Edmonton works for the people of Alberta who we work for.”

The proposed amendments prompted Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to accuse the premier of playing to her base ahead of a leadership review.

Nixon called Nenshi’s comments “unfortunate”.

“I think Albertans want their rights protected,” says Nixon. “If he was travelling across the province like the premier, having open town halls like this, he would probably hear that his position is against the vast majority of Albertans.”

The town hall event will happen at the Lou Soppit Community Centre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the event starting at 6 p.m.

–with files from The Canadian Press