Calgary Hays is located in Calgary's 'deep south' and includes the communities of:

Auburn Bay
Copperfield
Cranston
Douglas Glen
Douglasdale
McKenzie
McKenzie Lake
McKenzie Towne
New Brighton
Seton

For more information on these communities click here.

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Calgary Hays MLA Art Johnston's
Report To Constituents

February 2008

I think most of us would agree that the future of our city, our province and our country is a bright one. We are experiencing good, sustained growth and opportunity development that is the envy of many places in Canada. But that does not mean that there aren’t issues that can be improved or problems that need to be resolved. As we move forward into a new year I would encourage you to bring forward any issues, problems and concerns you feel need to be addressed both in our community and in our province. If you have anything you would like to bring to my attention please feel free to contact me at 215-4380 or email me at calgary.hays@assembly.ab.ca.

I was pleased to be asked to join the Canadian Forces Liaison Council to examine how business and the academic community work to promote the value of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve members in the workplace. We spent three days last month at the naval base in Esquimalt, B.C. acquainting ourselves with how reservists contribute to the defence of Canada and how they successfully apply their skills in the workplace. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize the contributions our part time soldiers, sailors and airman make to our communities and our country as a whole.

          As I have mentioned in previous newsletters I have been involved in the passage of Bill 212 The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act through the legislature. Now copies of the Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force report called Keeping Communities Safe are now available in my office or online at www.safercommunities.gov.ab.ca.

As Alberta continues to grow the number of immigrants who seek to move to our province to fill the growing demand for workers and contribute to our economy is also on the increase. To help attract and smoothen the transition of new immigrants to their new home the provincial government has launched a new online immigration web portal www.alberta-canada.com/immigration. This is a one-stop destination for information on opportunities in Alberta, the immigration process and getting settled in our province.

As well the government has set up two special advisory offices, one in Calgary and one in Edmonton, for temporary foreign workers and established a team of inspectors to help ensure they are being treated fairly in their workplaces. These are the first of their kind in Canada and will provide one-stop access to information and services for temporary workers.

A new free online course called Employment Standards Disputes Resolution is now available. This interactive program was developed in an effort to educate employees and employers about Alberta’s minimum employment standards, and about options for resolving disputes when these standards are not met in the workplace. The course is available at www.employment.alberta.ca/employmentstandards.

The legislature resumed sitting on January 20th and the government is proud of its achievements over the last year. Many of the promises it made have been fulfilled and for those yet to be completed the groundwork is in place and are moving towards implementation. Other initiatives are ongoing such as its work on affordable housing, crime reduction and improving child care. There is a brochure available for pick up in my constituency office called Building Tomorrow: a plan to secure Alberta’s future that illustrates the vision the government has for areas it is planning to focus on in the future which includes building communities, greening our growth and creating opportunities.

I appreciate the input I receive from you and welcome any comments you may have. Please contact myself or Donna Elms at the constituency office at 215-4380, calgary.hays@assembly.ab.ca. Please include your name, address and phone number so we can respond to your inquiry. Information is also available at www.assembly.ab.ca.