Banff-Cochrane, MLA Cameron Westhead happily delivered a special plaque to Fireside School yesterday (February 13).

Although the ribbon cutting occurred last fall, Westhead was able to present the school with the Coat of Arms which celebrates all that Alberta represents. "It is a symbol that encapsulates Alberta's history and the things that make us who we are. I think one of the strongest elements of the Coat of Arms is the motto 'FORTIS ET LIBER' which translates to strong and free, which is what it means to be an Albertan. We are proud of who we are, our history, and we have a proud future. We have a lot of liberties in this province where we have the right to speak up, to disagree with each other and this is what democracy is all about. Bringing the motto and the Coat of Arms to school kids, helps them learn about their identity as an Albertan and the rich history of our province."

Westhead is proud of how the current government has made education a priority. "Education is one of the best investments a government can make in a province's future. We have built over 200 schools across the province in the last three and a half years, and this is an investment in our children and our future economy."

As the provincial election draws near, Westhead is hopeful voters remember the improvements made in education for Alberta students. "Kids deserve the best start in life, and with our opponents talking about freezing spending on education it could mean that next year's school enrolment could see 15,000 new kids go to school without a single additional teacher. That is wrong; we are standing with kids and with families to make sure they have everything they need to have the best start in life."

Keeping new school builds as a top priority is a must, states Westhead. "In a growing community like Cochrane people want to move there because it's a great place to live and raise a family and along with that growth comes the need for additional infrastructure like schools. I know that Rocky View Schools has a long list of priorities in terms of bringing new schools on board and Cochrane is part of that list. We have proven that we are putting our money where our mouth is and building the new schools, but there is still a lot more work to do, and we are committed to doing that if we are re-elected."