LAKELAND - The United Conservative Party (UCP) of Alberta is four weeks away from naming a new leader who will also become Premier of the province. The last stretch of the campaign trail is drawing the seven candidates travel around the province to visit municipalities before the Oct.6 polls close.
For local officials in Lac La Biche County, inviting the prominent politicians and candidates running to visit rural municipalities benefits provincial and municipal relations while building a voice for rural concerns, said Lac La Biche County Mayor Paul Reutov.
“We have an open invitation to all the candidates to come through and visit rural municipalities, especially our municipality. We would like to bring what our municipality’s concerns are and what our priorities are forward; those are the main two concerns,” he says. Reutov believes that goal has been achieved with those who have made their way to the region.
“If we can at least, first hand, communicate that to them—whoever might land in office—at least they already have an understanding of what Lac La Biche County is about. It’s also about establishing networks.”
Following leadership candidate Rebecca Schulz’s visit on Aug. 21, Travis Toews also made his way to the Lakeland region on Sept. 1. Leadership candidate and Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche MLA Brian Jean has also visited the region multiple times.
Smith travels north
Last week, former Wildrose party leader and UCP hopeful Danielle Smith made her way north, meeting with UCP members, constituents and municipal officials in Lac La Biche. The late afternoon event that drew over 20 guests was hosted at the Fat Unicorn on Aug. 31.
Smith, who doesn’t currently have an MLA seat, was one of the first candidates to put her name forward in the leadership race. The long-time politican, radio host and High River restauranteur is running on a platform to secure autonomy for Alberta from federal oversight, while working towards free speech and health care delivery reforms.
“We have a constitution for a reason. It says that the federal government has certain powers that they’re supposed to be taking care of and they are supposed to be leaving the provinces to take care of their own jurisdiction,” Smith said, in a campaign video released last June.
The Alberta Sovereignty Act, which is a set of policies Smith plans to both draft and create legislation for around her platform if elected, has raised the eyebrows of some and has been revered by others.
Lakeland Today was in attendance at the meet-and-greet held on Aug. 31 but due to scheduling, Smith said she was not able to sit down for an interview with local media.
The other leadership candidates running in this election are Chestermere-Rocky View UCP MLA, Leela Aheer, ousted UCP MLA and Independent representative of Central Peace-Notley, Todd Lowen and former Minister of Transportation, Rajan Sawhney.
Working with all representatives
While the race, political leanings and opinions are up to members and UCP voters to decide, Reutov says he has no intention of endorsing any candidate. For him, this race—and any election—is about working together with representatives to benefit residents.
“I’m politically agnostic. I believe in whoever is in office, we have to work with them and if we start taking sides it only harms the community,” Reutov says, which he believes is a sound attitude to have when leading any level of government.
Smith’s visit saw locals discuss municipal, provincial and federal issues ranging from agricultural concerns, freedom, inflation, health care, and rural development to name a few. For the attendees and officials that participated, Reutov says it was a great opportunity to connect.
“I think it's been a good response,” he says with the handful of candidates that have taken time to listen and speak with UCP members and constituents.
“There have been MLAs and ministers that didn’t even know we have two highways, they didn’t know we have an airport, a railway coming through our town, so you can't blame them because Lac La Biche is a small northern community and some of them have never been here,” he says, happy to be the Mayor of a community putting Lac La Biche County’s concerns and progress in the minds of current and potential provincial leaders.
“It... gets the brand of Lac La Biche to the southern communities and the legislature. When we bring our requests and concerns forward, they will now be able to put a face to the name and a community behind the request. That means a lot,” the Mayor added.
