ATHABASCA — It may seem like things are quiet for the Keep Athabasca in Athabasca University ad hoc community group, but members are still working toward their goal of keeping jobs and the economic stability of the community at the forefront, and have officially hired the lobbyist they were seeking to communicate those goals to the upper levels of the provincial government.
After Town of Athabasca council agreed to contribute $7,500 to the lobbying effort, but having Athabasca County council decline a similar request, the group started a fundraising campaign through its Facebook page, asking for donations on their behalf to the Town of Athabasca.
“We're getting really good support from the public so it's going very well,” said committee member John Ollerenshaw July 9.
Natasha Kapitaniuk agrees the donations are going well.
“The town is holding the money in trust and paying it out directly to the lobbyist,” she said. “We estimated (it will cost) $18,000 to $20,000 (and) the town committed to match up to $7,500. The progress is going well and our issue is being heard.”
The company the group chose is Canadian Strategy Group (CSG) in Edmonton, founded in 2008 and who provide “public affairs services including government relations, integrated corporate affairs management, strategic communications, and corporate campaign management” according to their website and specifically CSG co-founder and partner Hal Danchilla is working on the project.
“He’s given us an outline of what he plans to do, but where he is in it, I don't know,” said Ollerenshaw. “I'm kind of glad he's sort of taking over; it’s a lot of work.”
The group is hoping, with the assistance of CSG, to meet with government ministers during the summer break, said Mavis Jacobs.
“The cabinet shuffle delayed scheduling of these meetings so we are waiting to hear when and where more meetings will be,” she said. “We hope one will be in Athabasca.”
When it was announced Prasad Panda, Minister of Infrastructure, Grant Hunter, now former associate minister of Red Tape Reduction after the July 8 cabinet shuffle, and Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken would be in Boyle July 7, the committee sought to meet with them.
“The minister didn't return any calls and the meeting regarding AU didn't happen,” said Jacobs.
The group felt it wasn’t appropriate to attend the Village of Boyle council meeting as a delegation nor to crash the meet-and-greet event held right after council.
“We thought it was an open meeting with the MLA, but apparently it was a meeting with Boyle village council, in which you can't interrupt … and they had a side meeting with the UCP constituency association of Boyle members,” said Ollerenshaw. “So, that’s not really good (to meet them) either.”
To donate to the cause, those who are interested are advised to set up a bill payment, not an e-transfer, from your bank to the Town of Athabasca AR (accounts receivable) using account number univ12345 or drop off cash or cheques at the town office or to Penny Semaskewich at Penny’s Headquarters. More donation information can be found on the Keep Athabasca in Athabasca University Facebook page.
