The views in the following article are those of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board of the Western Standard.Last week, Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor took an unprecedented step when she publicly stated she would independently evaluate whether Danielle Smith’s proposed Sovereignty Act is constitutional, before agreeing to give it Royal Assent..My position on UCP leadership has always been that it is my job to work with the leader that our members select. But first and foremost, my job is to represent the people of Calgary-Klein. That means working with the leader doesn’t mean following the leader blindly. It is my responsibility to speak truth to power and to pass along what Albertans have told me on their doorsteps and through phone calls and emails..Recently there has been a clear message that has emerged through those conversations..There is no consensus on whether our Lieutenant Governor should be wading into conversation on proposed government legislation, but the very nature of the comment is enough to beg the question: Why, during a time when we need unity in order to defeat the NDP in the next election, why would we choose to lead with such a divisive and controversial act? I’ve knocked on thousands of doors since the beginning of the UCP’s leadership race and what I’ve heard is the majority of Alberta conservatives are not separatists. They aren’t interested in the politics of anger and division, and they’re tired of governments whose singular purpose is picking fights with others..I also hear that the question of this leadership race is not just about who can best defend us against Ottawa, but who can reunite our party, win the next election, and paint a vision for our province where a strong economy, efficient healthcare, affordability, and world-class education lead the way. The Sovereignty Act does none of that..Our party has made significant progress since forming government three years ago. Yes, we have room for improvement, but our economy is growing and diversifying in ways we have not seen before. The budget is balanced. We are building our Heritage Fund for the first time since the days of Premier Lougheed, and we have implemented a debt-repayment plan..There is also recognition of the efforts made in pushing back on Ottawa. One of these has been the relationships and alliances built with premiers across the country. Many of them acknowledge that the federal government continues to overstep its bounds, and that there is need for a collective effort to defend provincial jurisdiction..The Sovereignty Act puts this progress at risk. It also puts at risk the unity of our conservative movement in Alberta. What’s more, it does this while not actually moving the needle on our longstanding concern about market access. The argument is that by ignoring federal laws that we deem unfair for Alberta, we will be able to resolve long-standing frustrations..I have yet to see the logic behind how ignoring federal laws will lead to addressing market access. We still need to work with the federal government and more importantly, other provinces, to get our products to market..But what is ultimately most concerning to me is the desire to push such a divisive piece of legislation forward as the first agenda item. I hear every day that my constituents are tired of the infighting. Our movement needs a leader who will unite us on the issues that 90 per cent of our Big Tent party agree on and not wedge us on the 10 per cent..We face a general election in just nine months. The good news is we have a solid track record of strong fiscal stewardship, economic success and investment in healthcare. Those successes should be what voters are discussing in May 2023 — not conservative infighting and self-implosion over controversial policies that are not palatable to the general public. That is how we lose to the NDP..Our conservative party must remain united in order to keep our place as majority government. That’s what you have told me over and over, and I believe it..When choosing leaders, we should consider whether their actions support their words. Is there a history of consultation, especially before making major decisions? If there are concerns raised, what is the track record around taking a sober second look? Do their actions serve Albertans, or are they self-serving? I encourage you to ask those questions of all the leadership candidates, and to make your choices accordingly..I know I will..Jeremy Nixon MLA represents Calgary-Klein
