Almost overnight, Lloydminster is turning into a desirable place to host meetings for leaders from Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told the Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show on Sept. 11, they have committed to meeting again in Lloydminster in January to work on bi-provincial issues such as health.
"This will be the first time ever that both governments have met in the same place at the time in the city and that will be Lloydminster," said Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
The Mayor spoke about that and other bi-provincial health gatherings as a guest speaker at the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society on Sept. 17.
Aalbers noted the plan is to hold a joint cabinet summit in January while both governments are not sitting in their legislatures—subject to election results.
Moe and Aalbers are seeking re-election in their respective provincial and municipal elections on Oct. 28 and Nov. 13.
"Then the wheels will hit the rubber to grind that together," said Aalbers on the 2025 summit.
"I'm just spitballing— the intention would be, we would have many summits where we would have groups such as yours (seniors) to meet the minsters of health etc."
Aalbers reported on meeting four ministers with council at City Hall in June with healthcare at the Lloydminster Hospital the key topic.
The get together included Alberta Health Minister Adrianna LaGrange, Saskatchewan Minister of Health Everett Hindley, Minister of Rural and Remote Health Tim McLeod and Minister of Advanced Education Colleen Young.
Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright MLA Garth Rowswell couldn't make the meeting.
"One of the points I tried to emphasize is Lloydminster is not just Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, but the catchment area as well," said Aalbers.
"They got the message the Lloydminster hospital serves a much great population than what they thought."
He said the health ministers are also committed to seeing improvements.
"That's always a positive note that they're listening and they want to make it better," noted Aalbers.
Both provincial health ministers have also agreed to attend one meeting a year of the bi-provincial Lloydminster and District Advisory Health Council.
"A commitment to attend one bi-provincial meeting a year in Lloydminster is huge I think, because that's the people that allocate the budgets," said Aalbers.
"That's the people that set direction and policy. At the end of the day, that's what the ministers work with—policy and money."
"It was a very positive meeting. I felt rejuvenated that they heard us."
He noted long-term care was not discussed.
The Seniors Care Society will send copies of its Jubilee Home replacement proposal to local election candidates in Saskatchewan.
Graham Brown who heads the seniors group, noted minister McLeod acknowledged he received his copy in August.
Aalbers advises the group they need to be able to justify the need for all of the 180 long-term spaces in the proposal to move the approval needle.
"We've got to be able to defend this until the cows come home as they say on the farm," he said in question period.
"This is one huge ask. It's got to be as tight as you can have it and it's got to prove each and everyone of the requests."
Read more: Health Ministers meet in Lloydminster
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