Justice Minister and Solicitor General Kaycee Madu is creating a parole board for the province, and there will be a local voice on that board.
Mackenzie County councillor Lisa Wardley will sit on the seven-member board.
The board will be chaired by former Chief Superintendent of the RCMP, Rick Hanson.
The Trending 55 Newsroom was able to ask Madu about the importance of having a rural voice from the northwest on the board.
He explains that the creation of this board and appointing rural members is continuing the work to tackle rural crime that was initiated by his predecessor, Doug Schweitzer, who is now the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation.
“Minister Schweitzer attended town halls where there were hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people in attendance,” says Madu.
“The issue of rural crime is real, and one that Albertans want their government to focus on and fix; so it is important to me that we have members on this particular board that brings experience from all of our rural communities and residents.”
Madu also made it clear that the new parole board will be clear of government interference.
“The board is independent of government once appointed, and the courts,” explains the minister.
“It will review and make parole decision on a case-by-case basis without external influence.”
Alberta is the third province to have its own parole board, joining Ontario and Quebec.
It comes into effect on February 1.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
