Former MLA launches Alberta Now federal party, promises stronger voice in Ottawa

CALGARY — A new Alberta-only federal political party is in the works, as former Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes announced the launch of Alberta Now at the Capitalism and Morality conference in Calgary over the weekend.The party is designed to challenge the Conservative Party of Canada and give Alberta a Bloc Québécois-style voice in Ottawa.“Quebec has shown with the Bloc Québécois that they’ve been very effective at advancing Quebec culture, Quebec values and Quebec needs in legislation in Ottawa,” Barnes told Global News.“Our goal will be to do the same.”The proposed party intends to run candidates exclusively in Alberta’s 37 federal ridings.Barnes argued Canada’s first-past-the-post electoral system pushes national parties toward the political centre and leaves conservative Albertans worried that supporting a regional alternative could divide the vote.“We have a Westminster first-past-the-post system that always leads to two parties crowded in the middle,” Barnes said.“Everybody’s scared to split the vote, so let’s look at where we can be effective, and we believe we can be very, very effective with conservative values for only Albertans.”.MARRIOTT: Alberta’s independence referendum isn't fringe anymore — and the media knows it.An official statement from Alberta Renewal — a citizen-led movement advancing an Albertans First agenda — discussing the proposed federal party identifies Barnes, Zach Sawatzky, Hayden Beck (principal at EBT Chartered Professional Accountants) and C.W. Alexander (executive director of Alberta4All) as the founding members of the group organizing Alberta Now.In the statement, the group accuses federal Conservative MPs of failing to repeal the Liberal government’s Impact Assessment Act and oil tanker moratorium while leaving federal carbon policies and equalization intact.“For years we have sent Conservative MPs to occupy nearly every federal seat in this province. Those MPs have sat in a national caucus whipped to national priorities,” the statement reads.“They have not repealed C-48 or C-69. They have not stopped the carbon architecture that prices our product. They have not ended the equalization and redistribution drain. They have not brought a true conservative, Alberta-First standard to Ottawa. They have warmed seats. Alberta has paid the bill.”The statement also sets out a clear division of roles for the proposed project, with Alberta Now serving as the federal voice and Alberta Renewal representing “the unified Alberta conservative vision,” as well as “the provincial project of renewal, ownership, and prosperity.”“Alberta Renewal’s mandate has not changed. We continue that provincial work. The October 19 referendum is one test of the larger argument. It may succeed. It may not,” the statement reads.“Either way, the federal problem remains. A referendum in Edmonton does not put an Alberta-First bench in the House of Commons. A stronger provincial government still has to negotiate with a Parliament in which Alberta’s MPs are disciplined by a national whip. The two tracks have to move together.”.Independence advocate pitches October's referendum as a chance for Alberta to gain leverage over Ottawa.Alberta Now’s priorities would include strengthening Alberta’s oil, gas and agricultural sectors, reducing taxes, shrinking government and expanding provincial control over environmental and resource policy.“We believe in smaller government, more choice and competition, and lower taxes for all,” Barnes said.“We believe in greater provincial autonomy, including control over our resources and over the environmental regulations Ottawa uses as a back door into our economy. And we believe the Constitution itself has to change. That is how you stop mistaking occupancy of seats for representation of Alberta.”Barnes told the Medicine Hat News that Alberta Now will operate within Canada’s existing political system and that its goal is not to pursue Alberta independence.“A united Canada, as long as we have a free and prosperous strong Alberta, that’s what everybody wants,” Barnes said.“A large part of the separation is based on the fact that they don’t feel they can achieve it within Canada, and that’s back to how ineffective our current representation has been.”He added that his group has collected more than 500 signatures since its public launch and plans to submit its party application to Elections Canada within weeks.Under federal rules, an aspiring party must submit declarations from at least 250 eligible electors as part of the process.

Former MLA launches Alberta Now federal party, promises stronger voice in Ottawa

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