Barb Miller was elected in 2015 for the electoral district of Red Deer- South.

In her time in office, she has pushed for an expansion on the Red Deer Hospital as well as worked with school nutrition programs.

Prior to being elected, Barb worked as a union steward for the United Food and Commercial Workers local 401.

She also served as Vice President for Central Alberta on the union's Executive Committee and on her union's health and safety, and women's committees.

She is originally from Edmonton but calls Red Deer her chosen home.

 

What policies are you looking to really stress during this election?

“I think the things we really have to focus on our health care and education. If we don't take care of our future and we don't take care of our health we're going to have a society with some big problems. We've got overcrowded schools and we've got a hospital that is in desperate need of an expansion.”

What is something you are most proud of about your party?

“I come from a background of working in schools so cutting child poverty and bringing in this nutrition program we brought in it has made such a change in students. I was in the nutrition coordinator so I've seen the results when a child has food in their tummy, how they can get their brain to work. It's like it's amazing to watch the difference and observe the difference from a child that has come in hungry and once they’ve got good food in their belly and they can focus, it is just it's like watching a miracle.”

What is your area of expertise in your party/what are you most keen on?

“I come from a background where I've had varied careers. I've been in education, I've been in banking and I've been in customer service. I bring all those aspects because I've dealt with everyday people and I am an everyday person. I can relate to it, when I go out on the doorstep and I hear concerns about what it cost for childcare. I hear concerns the cost of prescriptions for seniors, how they can't buy food at the end of the month because they're paying so much for their prescriptions. I take this knowledge to my colleagues and I say, ‘hey we have to work on this because there are people suffering I've seen it with my own eyes.’ That's why I love going out door-knocking and meeting with people because they're more willing to talk in their own home environment about issues they have. I will take these issues and I will go to the different Ministries and advocate for the people of Red Deer-South and the surrounding area.”

What do you think is most important to Central Alberta area residents about your platform?

“I have been pushing for a hospital expansion since I was elected the last term and I will continue to push for it. Rachel has committed to doing an expansion on the hospital if we get a second term. It's been a long time coming. We also have to get more schools built. Our schools are so crowded you know when kids are rushing to class so they can get the desk and don't have to sit on a stool, that's when you know these schools are crowded. A student can't learn when they're only getting a small fraction of the teacher’s time because the teacher has to divide their time between all students. It just causes stress, and there are more kids now with you know mental health issues because they're falling through the cracks.”

What is your attachment to this area?

“Red Deer is my chosen home, I was born and raised in Edmonton, and my husband was born and raised in Calgary. My grandkids were born in Red Deer; Red Deer is our chosen home.”

Anything else you’d like to add?

“We have to listen; we have to take the needs and concerns of the residents to the legislature. We can't just I don’t know pay lip service to say yeah I will pass it on and not follow through. I said during the last term I told people in an interview, send me letters and I'll get them to the Health Minister about the hospital. I have got boxes and boxes of letters that we have copied to the Health Minister.”