Wildrose MLA Shayne Saskiw has finally announced he will not be re-running in any upcoming election, a decision he said he made after getting an inside look at how politics works.
Wildrose MLA Shayne Saskiw has finally announced he will not be re-running in any upcoming election, a decision he said he made after getting an inside look at how politics works.
“I've been thinking about it for quite a while and just this last little bit, I finally came to the realization that I'm better championing small c-conservative values and beliefs outside of the traditional party system,&” he said, adding he will be “starting up an entity that advocates strongly for Albertan provincial issues,&” of which he says he will share details at a later stage.
Saskiw made the announcement on Thursday, the same day that advanced polls opened to choose a PC candidate for the Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills riding. Saskiw's wife Shannon Stubbs recently won the nomination for the federal Conservatives to run in the newly created Lakeland riding.
When first elected to provincial office, Saskiw said he hoped there would be “real rigorous debate and ideas coming forward&” in the legislature, and instead found there was a lot of superficial musings along party lines, particularly from the government.
“I believe the way forward is individual activism that holds politicians to account, regardless of party, not just during elections time, but in between elections as well,&” he said.
Adding to the disillusionment was the fact of nine of his fellow Wildrose MLAs crossed the floor to join the PC government, he said, adding that one day, they were all advocating for lower taxes and less government, while the next day, they had signed up for the PC vision, advocating for more taxes and keeping the Alberta Health Services model.
While the party was dealt what he called a “body blow,&” he said he believed there was still “an absolute need for the Wildrose.&” The province needs an opposition party that voiced the need for fewer taxes, smaller government, and freedom of speech, religion and conscience, one that ensured the government would return to balanced budgets and could pay back the $20 billion of debt the province has accumulated, Saskiw said.
“The issue with the PC party is that they don't have a free vote and MLAs can't represent their constituents' values and beliefs. I believe strongly, now more than ever, the Wildrose is needed to hold the government to account,&” he said.
“But it's going to be up to Albertans to decide what direction they want to go.&”
Saskiw said making his decision to step down easier was the fact that he found someone whom he called an “outstanding Wildrose candidate.&”
David Hanson, who has a mixed-farming operation in the County of St. Paul, has lived in Two Hills, Lac La Biche and St. Paul areas, and is familiar with the riding. Besides his experience in agriculture, he also has 36 years of experience in the construction and oil and gas fields, said Saskiw.
So far, Hanson is the only person who has expressed an interest in running for the Wildrose. He said when first approached, he was originally totally uninterested, but then gave it some reflection, and decided to go for it, with this being his first foray into politics. His priorities include advocating for improvements to the health care system and local infrastructure.
“The reason I'm going with the Wildrose is I've just been watching what's been happening in politics, especially in the last six months,&” he said. “It's been pretty disgusting, with people walking across the floor. Nobody seems to have any integrity so I'd like to put a little integrity back into provincial politics.&”
Saskiw said he will put his experience to use in the upcoming election to put his support behind Hanson.
“During the election, I will be a strong Wildroser, who's campaigning for a candidate I believe in, working tooth and nail to keep this seat Wildrose,&” he said.
