BSE - GUN REGISTRATION - HEROIN ADDICTS ...

Crowfoot M.P., Kevin Sorenson was in Consort last Friday evening. For the
past two weeks Mr. Sorenson has been travelling around Crowfoot hearing the
concerns of his constituents and addressing the issues being raised.

Kevin, along with his wife Darlene and his assistant from his Ottawa
office, Jeannie Smith, joined with a cross section of the Consort community
for a beef supper/information session organized by the Consort & District
Chamber of Commerce. Gathering at the Sportex Hall to hear Mr. Sorenson's
address were representatives from town council, local business people and
those involved in farming and ranching, as well as interested individuals.

Following supper, Sorenson talked across a wide expanse of issues facing
Canadians, BSE receiving the most attention. He praised the Alberta
government's response and the steps they have taken to bolster consumer
confidence in Alberta beef (enhanced testing and new facilities). He was,
however, less enthusiastic of the federal governments' course of action,
criticising the emotional response given in the second BSE case; that of
bad mouthing the Americans and damaging relations with our largest trading
partner. Sorenson also points to decay in relations with the United States
in reference to the dilemmas in our soft lumber and commercial fishing
industries. He suggested that recovery for the cattle industry hinges as
much on amending our relations with the US as it does on the science being
applied to BSE.

Mr. Sorenson also touched on the increase of violence and crime we are
seeing in all parts of Canada. What has been a primarily urban problem is
beginning to seep out of the cities and is a growing concern in rural areas
as well. Citing under-funding of the RCMP as the biggest obstacle in
curbing the trend, he estimated that in Alberta alone we are short by
approximately 200 personel. While violence and criminal activity boom,
funding has remained at much the same level since the 1980's. He suggested
that some of the cash spent on gun registration would have more impact on
criminal activity if directed to policing.

A federal design to supply heroin addicts with free drugs, clean needles
and drug centres was also slammed by Sorenson before he was through his speech.

Sorenson opened the floor to questions and the monopoly of the Canadian
Wheat Board was quickly offered up for discourse. While not condeming the
existence of the board, Sorenson stated the need for competition in all
business and suggested that if the Wheat Board is as potent and vital as it
claims to be, then it should have no quarrel with accepting competiton in
the market. His principal complaint with the board is that while it may be
farmer run, it is definitely government driven. Mr. Sorenson briefly
discussed the new Conservative Party of Canada and expressed his enthusiasm
for their future. When asked about when we could expect an election, he
offered that his best guess would be that by early May we could be heading
to the polls.