LAKELAND - The seven United Conservative Party (UCP) candidates vying to become the next leader of the party and Alberta’s 19th Premier next month, took to the stage last Tuesday in Edmonton. It was the second and last debate organized by the UCP for the seven hopefuls before ballots began rolling out to party members on Sept. 2.
The two-hour long debate included a series of hot button issues from provincial policing, job growth, fiscal responsibility, agriculture, arts, education, and the energy industry, all issues candidates agreed are important to rural and urban constituents across the province.
“I believe unity and leadership are the most important issues facing this party in movement,” said UCP candidate and former Minister of Finance, Travis Toews, adding, that these values are his primary reason for entering the race— a common theme throughout the debate among the other six candidates.
The UCP leadership election will see current Premier Jason Kenney replaced with a new leader who will then go on to represent the UCP during the provincial general election next spring.
Provincial police
A contentious issue that many rural municipalities—including in the Lakeland region—have been outspoken on has been the potential implementation of a provincial police force, replacing the RCMP. Candidate and former Minister of Transportation, Rajan Sawhney says a rash transition is not the answer.
“We have not gone to the crux of the problem here… some of my colleagues have jumped straight to the solution without actually defining the problem,” she said, while advocating for more resources for police and social services.
However, considering the growing support of a provincial police force in Alberta among UCP members to either “augment or replace the RCMP,” the implementation is not a rash move, said UCP candidate and former Wildrose party leader Danielle Smith, while referring to rural property crime concerns she’s heard.
“Our rural neighbours feel like they have to take matters into their own hands sometimes because we end up having the RCMP not close enough to be able to respond to a call. It’s terrifying for them,” according to Smith.
Advocating for more municipal representatives to have a choice on implementing a provincial police force or improving the RCMP in their communities is the answer — since they know what their community needs, said candidate and Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche UCP MLA Brian Jean.
“With over 70 rural communities in Alberta saying ‘no don’t take the RCMP away from us’ we’re talking about bringing them along, why don’t we talk about giving them more choices?” A theme central to Jean’s ‘Autonomy for Albertans’ campaign.
“If they want the RCMP, let them have the RCMP. It’s a premium police force. In the meantime, let’s work towards a provincial police force,” one that can be piloted through those who are interested in the transition, Jean explained.
Agriculture
A central concern for many of the candidates was the fight against Ottawa, Trudeau and the Liberal Party’s authority and impact on Alberta, especially through the agricultural industry, said leadership candidate and ousted UCP MLA turned Independent Todd Lowen.
“When we look at the 30 per cent reduction in fertilizer that the government wants to impose on Alberta farmers, that’s not an environmental policy, it’s a starvation policy,” the Central Peace-Notley MLA said, referring to federal climate change policies to reduce fertilizer emissions.
“We need to defend ourselves from Ottawa. We need to be able to stand up and protect our own property rights,” which is possible through a ‘Right to Farm Act’ that Lowen intends to bring forward if elected, allowing more rights for farmers.
"If we used Justin Trudeau's BS we could probably fertilize our crops with that,” said Lowen garnering a loud response from the over 700 guests in the audience, Tuesday night.
Additionally, a solution to support the industry could include “made in Alberta” fertilizers, “grazing leases” and agricultural products as an investment source and as a solution to fight Ottawa, said Jean.
Economic legislation
Throughout the evening, a growing push for stringent laws that allow provincial politicians to have more leeway to make legal decisions for Alberta was talked about. Smith’s campaign advocates for the implementation of the Alberta Sovereignty Act. The act would give the provincial lawmakers agency over federal jurisdiction, for example, by building pipelines or increasing the oil and gas interests of Alberta. The act is included in a series of initiatives originally introduced by the Free Alberta Strategy.
Candidates Toews and Sawhney say the plan is unrealistic and disastrous for the province.
Considering the economic challenges and inflationary crisis today, the act is also one that would drive business out of the province, said former Minister of Children’s Services and MLA for Calgary-Shaw, Rebecca Schulz.
“What our industry does not want is any legislation that is going to drive people, jobs and investment out of our province at a time like this,” said Schulz.
A concern that UCP leadership candidate Leela Aheer adds would also affect economic trade opportunities by the chaos the act would create in the Country for the province.
“It is really hard to negotiate new trade agreements when you are starting a bar brawl in the middle of confederation,” the Chestermere-Rocky View MLA said, while highlighting the advantages of Alberta's economic sector that would be impacted by the act.
Toews added, “the sovereignty act is a false bill of goods,” referring to the Free Alberta Strategy’s original concept.
“If it’s implemented as it’s been envisioned by the Free Alberta Strategy, it will create chaos within this business environment and send tens of billions of dollars packing out of this province,” he said. However, the former finance minister added a soft approach that’s feasible economically and attainable legally through confederation is an alternative.
Smith detailed that the act and the necessity to gain provincial sovereignty, citing, “I don’t over promise and under deliver.” She also criticized the provincial government's decisions to impose lockdowns and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic as a choice that wasn’t based on evidence, but political.
"I think the only one who created chaos was the ministers involved in the priorities and planning committee that shut down business arbitrarily and shut down the economy arbitrarily," Smith said.
Health care and education
Rounding up the concerns, shared by many Albertans, were discussions around health care challenges, to which Sawhney advocated for more education institutions to provide not only class space but debt relief for nurses and doctors who commit to working in rural communities.
Education was also touched on, with Aheer advocating for discussions to be reopened on the polarized Kindergarten to Grade 6 education curriculum, and allow teachers and support staff to give students the opportunities they need, she said.
“When we talk about education, the next word we have to talk about is funding. We can not be balancing our budget on the backs of our children and their education regardless of whether we are in a surplus,” or not, said Aheer.
Schulz advocated for addressing “class size and complexity” needs alongside “wrap-around supports for mental health” in schools for students.
Voting
The two-hour debate wrapped up with the seven candidates discussing their platforms and commitments. Nearly 124,000 party members are eligible to vote.
Voters will have until Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. to return their mail-in ballots or go to one of the five in-person voting locations around the province. Locations were yet to be announced.
The preferential ballot system will allow the voters to select their first, second and subsequent choices. The first candidate to get over 50 per cent of the votes in one round (starting at first choice than the following rounds) will become the new UCP leader and Premier. The results will be announced on Oct. 6 after polls close, say party officials.
