Summer is a time for politicians to connect with their constituents.

Community events, stampede breakfasts, and gatherings of all kinds, are great ways for community members to communicate with Government leaders.

Cameron Westhead, MLA for Banff- Cochrane riding says he is also concentrating on a couple of key items.

Westhead is currently working on a motion to urge the Government to increase its efforts to conserve and manage public lands in Alberta's head water regions.

"It involves managing landscapes and public lands for water security. Part of the point of that is, I believe we can have sustainable development, recreation, and managing our land use, as things that are not mutually exclusive."

Westhead would like to meet up with some experts in the field to develop more of the basis for the motion and then hold two open houses; one in Cochrane and one in the Bow Valley.

"The entire riding, Ghost Valley and the eastern slopes are part of the primary watershed for a lot of southern Alberta and so a big portion of my riding is where the waters from the Bow River that serve much of southern Alberta originate. I think it is important, water security is something we need for the future. We all depend on water, it is kind of a common denominator- industry needs, residents needs and wildlife."

Besides watershed stewardship, traffic is something that Westhead continues to push on. With Highway 1A and 22 being placed on the sunshine list (unfunded list), Westhead plans to continue working with Town Council and the Ministry to get this project placed on the funded list.

At this time Westhead believes they are currently looking for a consultant who will procure a detailed design plan which will take about a year. While most residents want to know a concrete timeline, Westhead says the project  is moving along like any other project that needs to be funded.

"You have to have a detailed design to know the exact cost of the project before it can be  given approval. Every single project in the Province goes through this same process before it can get to funded status."

Westhead says while he believes we have a strong case to be put on the funded list, at the end of the day it will come down to precedence.

"There may be other projects that take priority over this. Ultimately we have to take into consideration the entire Province when we are making these decisions."

Westhead comments that even though Fort McMurray suffered tremendous loss, the government still proceeds to spend 34 billion over 5 years on infrastructure.