There are four days to go until municipal elections in Airdrie. That's four more days to truly immerse oneself on the issues at hand. 
 
 
When Airdronians go to the polls once again next Monday, there will be two referendum questions that they will be voting on.
 
The first referendum question is: Should Section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 –Parliament and the government of Canada’s commitment to the principle of making equalization payments – be removed from the Constitution? 
 
Voters can vote "yes" or "no"
 
A “yes" vote means that you support the removal of Section 36(2) from the Constitution Act, 1982, ending the practice of equalization payments.
 
A "no" vote means that you support keeping Section 36(2) in the Constitution Act, 1982, continuing the practice of equalization payments.
 
However, it is important to remember that the referendum question about equalization is a constitutional question, and the vote is only binding on a provincial level. In other words, this question will not spur the federal government to amend the Constitution Act, 1982. In order for a constitutional amendment to take place, both the federal and provincial governments must enter into talks about the proposed changes. 
 
To remove or amend the Constitution, the federal government and the other provinces and territories would need to enter into discussions about the proposed change.
 
According to the Center for Constitutional Studies, "To change the Constitution using the general formula, the change needs to be approved by 1) the federal Parliament, 2) the Senate, and 3) a minimum number of provincial legislatures. There must be at least seven provinces that approve the change, representing at least 50% of Canada’s population."
 
The second referendum question is: Do you want Alberta to adopt year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is summer hours, eliminating the need to change our clocks twice a year?
 
Voters can vote "yes" or "no"
 
A “yes” vote means you support a permanent change to summer hours and no longer turning clocks forward in March and backward in November
 
.A “no” vote means you support continuing the current practice of turning the clocks forward in March and backward in November.
 
According to Elections Alberta, "Due to the time needed to implement a change, should the majority vote “yes” on this referendum question, that change will not happen before Fall 2022. Albertans will continue to change their clocks in the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022."
 
And while Airdronians won't see the topic of fluoride on their ballots, their Calgary neighbours will.
 
Calgarians will be voting on the seventh plebiscite on the fluoride issue. 
 
Lorne Stevens the Director of Community infrastructure at the City of Airdrie explained why the fluoride question might affect Airdronians.
 
"The city of Airdrie does not own any portion of water treatment infrastructure within Calgary. Water that is provided here is the same water that's provided to Calgary residents and businesses," he said. " Airdrie does purchase water under contract from the City of Calgary and that contract specifies that the water must meet Health Canada drinking water guidelines."
 
Lorne also underlined that as of right now, both Calgarians' and Airdronians' water supply has naturally occurring fluoride in it.
 
"[Right now] that's a concentration somewhere between 0.1 and 0.4 milligrams per litre," Stevens said. "Health Canada guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality continue to recommend that optimal fluoride dosing should be 0.7 milligrams per litre."
 
In 2011, The City of Calgary discontinued the addition of fluoride to Calgary's drinking water. Since 1957, there have been six plebiscites on the issue.
 
Stevens noted, that regardless of whether Calgary residents vote for or against fluoride being added to the city's water supply, both Calgary and Airdrie benefit from some of the cleanest and safest drinking water in the province, if not nationally.
 
"Airdrie residents and business received some of the highest quality water, just by virtue of the fact that we're close to our water source being the Rocky Mountains and the Bow and Elbow rivers," he said.
Airdrie's municipal election will be held on Monday, October 18th 2021. 
 

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