It was a day, I will never forget..I got a call from my buddy Graeme, who is a marriage commissioner. "Dave," he said, "I need a favour.".Now, let me just say, Graeme and I go back many years, fighting in the trenches at the Calgary Sun, taking on the Herald in sports, during the Flames-Oilers heyday. It's a bond that will never be broken, never.."Of course, pal, what do you need?" I said..He said he needed a second witness to a wedding. A young couple from some Balkan country, who came to Calgary to find fame, fortune and ... of course, love.."Of course," I said, "just tell me where and when ... I'll wash the Altima, just for the occasion.".We met them in Glenmore Park, on a gorgeous sunny day..A tall, handsome young man in an ill-fitting dark suit, and, a pretty young lady in a nice dress — not a wedding dress, mind you, but just a nice dress..She clutched a small bouquet of flowers. I fell in love with both of them, in an instant. Two young kids, excited and looking to the future ... filled with joy and happiness..And, yeah, it was just our small group ... parked next to a picnic table and a stand of trees at North Glenmore Park..Graeme presented a fantastic ceremony — that's because it comes from his heart, straight from the heart, full of meaning. He's an amazing fellow. Even I was touched by it..The young man then opened a Superstore cake for us on paper plates, and a non-alcoholic bubbly drink in plastic glasses, to celebrate the momentous event..I have to say, it was the most beautiful wedding I ever attended, and I will never forget that day. Everything about it, was beautiful, from beginning to end..They spoke of having met in Calgary and they had big ambitions. They would go back to their native country, of course, and have a bigger celebration..But they decided to tie the knot in Calgary for logistical reasons..I knew the feeling ... I was married in Riley Park, on a gorgeous sunny day in July, with just close friends and relatives. Our wedding reception in a room at a good Chinese restaurant. We just didn't have the money to have a big, costly wedding..And neither did this young couple from the Balkans..I sometimes wonder, how they ended up, where they ended up, if they have children now, and, if they are still living in Calgary..Did they find jobs? And did they prosper? Somehow, I can't think anyone or anything could have stopped them..I would also hope, Calgary can still offer young people a future — people like my daughter, who is studying to become a real estate agent..I'm afraid to say, I have my doubts. None of the candidates vying for the UCP leadership have the fire in their belly, that I am looking for..In fact, one candidate, Rahan Sawhney, is even fighting a legislative attempt to seek a new deal with Ottawa through the proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act..A strange stance, considering many Albertans, including myself, believe we have been exploited for decades by a ruthless and unfair federal government, and thus, we must look at all options. It would be sheer folly not to..Earth to Rahan: Don't tell us how another candidate's plan won't succeed, tell us how your plan would succeed..We don't want another Notley-esque sellout to play footsies with Justin & The Boys in Ottawa..We went that route, and it was a disaster ... we all stood by, as the PMO turned on the West like a Milk River rattler, passing legislation that has the potential to choke our economies..The last thing we need is another Jyoti Gondek in power, to spout token green nonsense and ignore us. Let's not do that..And will any of these UCP candidates ... any one of them ... have the balls to appear weekly on QR77 or any talk radio station, answering unscripted phone calls from Albertans, like Premier Jason Kenney did?.Say what you want about Kenney, you either liked him or you didn't — but personally, I was impressed that he had the guts to do that..Would a Premier Smith, a Premier Toews or a Premier Jean carry on this tradition? And God forbid, a premier Notley? If not, they should..Furthermore, do any of these UCP candidates, have the vision of Saskatchewan's Premier Scott Moe, who brazenly told a town hall in Maple Creek last week, the province needs to increase its autonomy to further its economic interests..Talk about a breath of fresh prairie air..The province's economy shouldn't suffer from federal environmental and energy policies, Moe told a crowd of about 50, according to media reports.."We're going to ensure that we are going to exercise all of our provincial jurisdiction within the confines of the Canadian Constitution, from natural resources and other topics," he said, adding Saskatchewan could be an "energy powerhouse.".Moe also sounded the alarm, over Ottawa's proposal for an industry-specific cap-and-trade system to set a ceiling for emissions from the oil and gas sector, with the aim of driving it down almost 40% by the end of this decade, calling it "problematic.".Moe took issue with that, and criticized the fed's national fertilizer emissions reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels by 2030, according to media reports..If only one UCP candidate, would take a page from Moe's playbook, and run with it ... I would be impressed, and, more importantly, hold some hope for the future..For young couples like the one I met on that beautiful day in Glenmore Park..It's for them, and others like them, that we have to do this.
