By Taylor MacPherson

MP Randy Hoback looks back on a challenging year

Dec 29, 2017 | 1:00 PM

Prince Albert Member of Parliament Randy Hoback said 2017 was a challenging year as his Conservative party worked to hold Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to account, but there were a few big successes as well.

“We’ve been basically highlighting the fact that this government just doesn’t have a game plan,” Hoback said. “What [Justin Trudeau] promised during the election and what he’s delivered have been totally different.”

Hoback said his biggest successes in 2017 came from helping constituents solve their problems, such as tax troubles or ensuring old age security. Hoback said he was especially challenged by the problem-riddled Phoenix Pay System, which left many federal employees underpaid or unpaid altogether.

“A lot of our federal employees were not getting paid appropriately,” he said. “We had to go in on their behalf and deal with them one-on-one – in most cases we were able to have some success.”

Hoback said he and his party spent much of the past year pressuring the federal government to produce results from their ongoing trade negotiations with the United States and other nations. Although the trade talks will benefit Canada in the long run, Hoback said the government’s behaviour has slowed the process and hurt Canada’s image on the global stage.

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“We will win at the end of the day, but the damage in the meantime will be immense,” he said. “We’ve upset every Asian Pacific leader, we’ve upset the Chinese, we’ve upset the Americans.”

In 2018 Hoback said it’s important to get the Trans-Pacific Partnership signed. The agreement will expand market access for beef and grain producers as well as manufacturers, he said, which is crucial to a strong Canadian economy.

Many residents are looking forward to the legalization of recreational marijuana on July 1, but Hoback said he expects the new legislation will bring significant challenges in 2018. Drug-impaired driving has still not been adequately addressed, he said, and the legalization could bring issues in other areas such as international travel.

“We’re hearing from police chiefs right across Canada that they’re not ready,” Hoback said. “There’s a lot of issues at play.”

Hoback said it was “unwise” to move forward with the new legislation so quickly, before all the questions have been answered.

Over the coming year, Hoback said he will focus on initiatives which benefit job creation and economic stability. Although 2017 was a frustrating year for the opposition MP, he said it’s important not to lose sight of all the many positive aspects of Canada and Prince Albert.

“I have the best riding in Canada without a doubt,” Hoback said. “There’s so many things that we’re blessed with.”

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews