UCP Leader Jason Kenney says he would do away with Bill 6, or the Farm Workers Protection Act if his party is elected to government.

The Bill sparked outrage among farmers as it forced them to maintain Workers Compensation Board coverage for employees.

Livingstone-Macleod UCP Candidate, Roger Reid, says Kenney's move to change the legislation away from mandatory WCB coverage to private insurance coverage opens up more flexibility.

"I think overall the reception will be very positive. It puts decision making and choice back into the hands of our local farmers. It's not government over reaching."

Reid agrees, saying private insurance offers more options for producers looking to protect their workers.

"More comprehensive. Less costly to the farm operation. They gave workers coverage outside of work, unlike the new Bill 6 regulations with WCB which limit coverage to only work hours."

Kenney says his platform would also look at selling off Crown Land to make up for farm land being lost to urban sprawl.

Reid says that's an issue very relevant to people in this riding.

"We of course have an ongoing concern about the loss of productive land to urban advancement. And I know that's something that's certainly been on the table for Foothills County, bordering up against Calgary. So, we need to look at how we don't reduce our land very much. But this is one I still have to do some more digging on."

 

Send us your news tips, story ideas and comments at news@highriveronline.com