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Lakeland MP recognized with Macleans' Parliamentary Award

When it came to receiving a 2017 Maclean’s Parliamentary Award, as the MP that best represents constituents, Shannon Stubbs said it was the highest honour she could receive.
Shannon Stubbs has been re-elected to parliament.

When it came to receiving a 2017 Maclean’s Parliamentary Award, as the MP that best represents constituents, Shannon Stubbs said it was the highest honour she could receive.

“There is literally no recognition that could mean more to me,” she said, of the annual award that is voted on by colleagues, the 338 members of parliament.

Stubbs, along with fellow MPs, was recognized at a Nov. 7 awards ceremony, with the other awards including parliamentarian of the year, best civic outreach, most collegial, best orator, hardest working, best mentor, rising star, most knowledgeable, and a lifetime achievement award.

Stubbs believes the acknowledgment of her as best representing her constituents came from a couple of different factors, including the fact that Rona Ambrose, past interim leader of the Conservative Party, gave her the Natural Resources file as an Opposition critic, a file that has obvious importance to the area. Her work in advocating for oil and gas and pipelines, for farmers and small businesses, as well as against tax hikes, played into her colleagues’ decision-making, she feels.

But another major factor, she believes, is her dogged persistence on fighting against the planned closure of a Vegreville immigration case processing centre, which is due to happen in 2018, as the centre is to be moved to Edmonton.

“I’ve asked almost 30 questions on it,” Stubbs said, adding Ambrose and other colleagues also have persistently asked the federal Liberal government about the decision. Stubbs said she’s also tried to gain bi-partisan support, and has reached across the floor to her rural Liberal counterparts for their support to reverse the decision.

“That issue, in part, is also where the recognition comes from.”

However, she said, the opinion that matters to her the most is that of her Lakeland constituents, and said she hopes they know she will continue to fight for them consistently and passionately, and be their voice in Ottawa.

“I just won’t back down.”

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