Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith spent day 21 of her 22-day tour of Alberta in Ardmore this past Tuesday, dropping by to talk about the Wildrose vision for change as the Progressive Conservative Party prepares to mark its 40th year in government at the end of August.
“I think the problem is that we've got a government that just frankly has run out of steam,” she told reporters before addressing the crowd.
“When that happens in Alberta, we look to a new party and new options, and to form a new government. It happens once every couple of generations, but we think we're on the cusp of that kind of change.”
During her journey across the province, she said it was interesting how many of the same issues were raised in different communities.
“People are concerned about overspending, they want to have a balanced budget,” she said. “People are concerned about the collapse in our health care system, they want to be able to fix it. People are concerned about the lack of democracy, and certainly in the rural areas, people are concerned about landowner rights.”
Smith spoke to a crowd of about 120 people in the Ardmore Community Hall, discussing Wildrose Party policies and problems they have with the government's handling of current issues. She discussed health care, mentioning the extensive levels of bureaucracy and its effect on funding, as well as the shift to central planning models, particularly with the mishandling of the controversial seven-day menu plan rolled out in December, 2009. She suggested the problem with the health care system was not a funding issue, but a management one.
Smith also worried seniors' housing issues were adding to strain in hospitals and long-term care facilities, as seniors without appropriate housing accommodations are forced to be admitted into long-term care. She suggested another solution would be lowering education costs or relieving some student debt to help graduate more doctors.
Stressing the importance of rebuilding the primary care system, Smith also suggested with more doctors graduating or being brought to the area, there would be fewer trips to the emergency room or walk-in clinics, which could cut costs and would definitely offer Albertans a better health care system.
During her tour, Smith has released two new policies. The first was a plan for economic competitiveness, released in Grande Prairie on July 23, which focused on controlling spending and prioritizing spending on core services and front-line staff, revitalizing and putting budget surplus funds into the Heritage Fund, and making it easier for industries to compete on a global scale. The party also wants to offer tax incentives for arts, tourism, and forestry.
The second policy was released in Coaldale on Aug. 2. The Wildrose agricultural policy focuses on strengthening economic stability through competitiveness and marketing opportunities.
Smith explained she believes this is what an opposition party is supposed to do, not merely critique the current government, but offer constituents options for change.
“We can't just complain about what the other guys are doing wrong,” she said. “We have to put forward our own positive ideas for change, for how we can get it right.”
Smith intends to have the entire Wildrose policy outlined by the end of September.
Another goal she discussed was the party's intention to have an entire slate of candidates by the next election. Currently, the party has half of their constituents chosen.
“We will have the full slate of candidates for the next election because we want every single Albertan to have the opportunity to vote for a Wildrose candidate,” she explained.
During the question and answer session, she listened to audience concerns about water contamination from industry, seniors' housing, and the importance of funding for addictions, detox, mental health, and rehabilitation facilities, suggesting possible solutions and promising to look into the issues further.
Before taking the stage, she explained she felt Albertans were ready for a change in government.
“I think the problem is that the government doesn't seem to be very effective at fixing the problems that come up and this is why we keep hearing the same problems over and over and over again,” she said.
“I think that's part of the reason that the PCs are struggling right now. We have a government that's run out of ideas. They seem to have forgotten how to govern. It doesn't seem like they're able to make the decisions — they make rash decisions without consulting, and then they make mistakes and don't admit them and when they do admit them, they continue to make the same mistakes while trying to fix them.”
Smith was confident at the end of her speech, saying, “I just want to thank you for supporting your local candidate, Chuck Farrer. I think after the next election, when you have a Wildrose MLA, you're going to be very, very happy with the type of representation that you get.”
She added, “This government is going to celebrate its 40th year in government on Aug. 30. Forty years in power is a long time. It is a long, long, long time.”
Before she continued, a man in the audience shouted, “Too long,” and whatever else she had to say was drowned out by applause.
