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The City of Red Deer’s financial mess – KPMG report outlines failure of council to control spending

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5 minute read

From Red Deer Citizen Al Poole

Red Deer Municipal Election Oct 2025

My view of the current City Council:  current status, a comment on how we got here and suggestions on go forward requirements to effective City governance and City operations.
A brief look at me; I have lived in Red Deer since 1978 and I love this City. However, in part because of my background (retired as Site Leader, NOVA Chemicals, Joffre Site) and my nature, seeing an ongoing trend of wasted effort and money is unsettling. In particular, I believe the citizens of Red Deer could be getting better value for their tax contributions.
This is first of three articles:
2nd is on importance of governance and policies; 3rd is my take on who should be voted in as mayor and council.
As we head toward municipal election this October,  there is a long list of City issues to discuss during the election campaign: revitalizing downtown, homelessness, crime, infrastructure repairs and more. However, I believe there is one that needs a lot of attention: the financial health of our City. As long as it remains in disarray all other issues will be compromised.
The recent KPMG report points to very damning performance on part of City Council and City Manager. It indicates the City, without some significant changes within the organization and Council spending habits, is on a path of continuing declining financial performance.   As you read the current status or observation statements in these tables does it feel like acceptable performance by City Council? 
SCAN0382.JPGSCAN0383.JPG
I find it interesting that during the KPMG report discussion at the July 21 meeting several councillors commented that they were not surprised by the report findings. Even more surprising was the fact no one raised the question: How did we get into this situation? What does Council and Administration need to do differently going forward to correct the situation?  I did not see or hear any evidence of  accepting accountability for the current state. Holding yourself accountable is not about blame – – it signals a greater liklihood you will make meaningful changes.
[note: Capital Budget mgmt is in poor shape as well]
Recently, the General Manager of Finance, after leading the effort to improve the financial structure in the City, suddenly leaves the City. Why? For me it raises many questions about the relationships within City mgmt and relationship between Council and Administration.
The citizens of Red Deer need to elect a new council that has the necessary skills and experience to improve our financial health.  The new council members need to have  strong financial acumen, operational experience in a large organization and Human Resource skills and experience, in particular, performance management focused on outcomes.
We must elect a new mayor and council that have relevant experience and background to lead our City to⁸ financial health. We need strong voter turnout and voters who are able to make informed choices.
The following is for your consideration:
Informed voters believe they have a reasonable understanding for:
What the important skills and experience are needed on Council to lead our City back to sound financial health? The new council needs people with financial acumen, operational experience in a large organization, and Human Resource experience, in particular performance management (outcome focused).
What are the key financial issues facing the City?
    i) Hilites of the critical deficiencies and problems identified in the KPMG report.
    ii) Be aware and understand critical recommendations in the KPMG report.
Which people have the requisite skills and experience to lead our City to sound financial health while meeting service level targets?
How can you be confident the people you are voting for are capable and willing to do the job well?
Questions to ask candidates:
What are the current financial challenges facing the city? In your opinion, how did the city end up in this situation?
What  are the current state deficiencies in the KPMG report?
What are the key recommendations in the KPMG report?
If elected, what will you focus on to improve city performance?
Specifically, how will your skills and experience be an asset on council (or as mayor)?

RespectfullyAl

Al Poole is retired Site Leader of NOVA Chemicals, Joffre site.

 

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Daily Caller

Laura Ingraham’s Viral Clash With Trump Prompts Her To Tell Real Reasons China Sends Students To US

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From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Mariane Angela

Fox News’ Laura Ingraham used a viral clash with President Donald Trump to lay out, in stark terms, why she believes Beijing pours hundreds of thousands of students into American universities.

On Monday, Ingraham pressed Trump on why a plan to admit 600,000 Chinese nationals into U.S. universities qualifies as a “pro-MAGA” move, challenging him directly after he defended the influx as vital to maintaining Washington’s relationship with Beijing. During a Wednesday broadcast, Ingraham said no modern president has fought harder for American workers than Trump and predicted he will “honor that distinction for the next three years.”

“There was also more consternation over the approach to allowing Chinese and other foreign students to take spots at U.S. universities. A lot of MAGA folks didn’t like that at all. And it’s not, by the way, as some Chinese influencers today said on X, I love this, it’s not that the MAGA folks, certainly not myself, dislike the Chinese people. It’s ridiculous,” Ingraham said.

“What they dislike is the Chinese system that represses Chinese people and uses them as human spies and saboteurs. Remember, when the CCP greenlights hundreds of thousands of their people to come study here, they’re not sending them so they can learn about the wonders of Western civilization, Plato and Socrates, Greek history, become champions of individual freedom and take that message back home. They’re sent here to do whatever is necessary to learn how to push the People’s Republic closer to crushing America, to stealing from us, and for spying on us,” Ingraham added.

Ingraham said that people “understandably perplexed by some of the president’s comments, we cannot forget, what American president has ever been tougher on China than Donald Trump? None.”

Ingraham told viewers that Beijing does not send its students to America to study the Western canon or return home as advocates of individual liberty.

WATCH: 

 

Ingraham warned that China’s rise didn’t happen overnight, saying that decades of inattentive presidents allowed Beijing to gain the strength Trump now must confront.

“Given China’s growing strength that’s been amassed over decades of presidents who were out to lunch, President Trump inherited the most challenging situation,” Ingraham said. “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say this, that any president has faced in the last 50 years. He and his entire team are dedicated to countering the Chinese aggression that’s building.”

Washington and Beijing struck a deal in June clearing the way for Chinese nationals to enroll in American universities, a shift that followed the administration’s June 5 move blocking Harvard from bringing in additional international students. Officials justified the restriction by pointing to security vulnerabilities and rising campus turmoil, including allegations of antisemitic activity, as reasons to tighten the flow of foreign applicants.

Trump acknowledged at the time that admitting large numbers of students from a country controlled by the Chinese Communist Party carries real intelligence concerns, saying in June that the government “must be vigilant” about who enters U.S. classrooms. National security experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the policy could create openings for the CCP to exploit America’s higher-education system and potentially endanger U.S. interests.

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armed forces

Canadian veteran says she knows at least 20 service members who were offered euthanasia

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From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Canadian Armed Forces veteran Kelsi Sheren told members of the House of Commons that he has proof of veterans being offered assisted suicide.

Canada’s liberal euthanasia laws have made the practice so commonplace that a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran has said she knows and has “proof” that no less than 20 of her colleagues were offered unsolicited state-sponsored euthanasia.

Kelsi Sheren, who is a CAF veteran, recently told MPs in the House of Commons veterans affairs committee that “over 20 veterans have confirmed being offered MAID.”

“I have the proof, and I have proof of more,” Sheren told the committee during an October 28 meeting.

Conservative MP Blake Richards asked Sheren if she was willing to provide them with evidence to affirm her allegations.

Sheren noted how the 20 veterans have given written testimonies, or actual audio recordings, of when they were offered what in Canada is known as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

“We also have other individuals who are too afraid to come forward because Veterans Affairs has threatened their benefits,” she told MPs, adding that some other veterans were even offered non-disclosure agreements along with “payouts if they were to take it.”

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) has told the media its “employees have no role or mandate to recommend or raise (MAid). ”

As reported by LifeSiteNews, this is not the first time reports of CAF veterans saying they were offered MAiD.

Indeed, as reported by LifeSiteNews, it was revealed last year that the federal department in charge of helping Canadian veterans appears to have purposefully prevented the existence of a paper after scandalous reports surfaced alleging that caseworkers had recommended euthanasia to suffering service members.

A new EPC report has revealed that Canada has euthanized 90,000 people since 2016.

As reported by LifeSiteNews last week, a Conservative MP’s private member’s bill that, if passed, would ban euthanasia for people with mental illness received the full support of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC).

https://kelsisheren.substack.com/p/maid-will-always-be-abused-305?utm_source=podcast-email&publication_id=2800927&post_id=178742271&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_content=watch_now_button&r=lqs9o&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

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