Drew Barnes is a former Alberta MLA known for his staunch advocacy of fiscal conservatism, free-enterprise principles, and provincial autonomy.Unquestionably, the most prominent "stepping on a rake" moment in Alberta’s political history occurred when Danielle Smith, then Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, led a mass floor-crossing to the governing PC party.At the time, the PC dynasty was 44 years stale. Smith represented over a million Alberta conservatives and carried the momentum of years of grassroots strategy and diligence. The Wildrose was poised to end that dynasty and usher in a free-enterprise majority that could have changed Alberta — and Canada — forever.Instead, she, her advisors, and the majority of her caucus deliberately kicked the ball into their own net. That single own-goal set back free enterprise, prosperity, and fairness indefinitely.I was one of five Wildrose MLAs who did not follow her across the floor.Unfortunately for Alberta families, Smith and many of those same advisors have found their way back to the government pitch. Once again, they are slamming the ball into our own net, threatening to set Alberta back years..The recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) offers Albertans nothing but deflection, debt, hardship, and reduced opportunity. By capitulating to a non-competitive carbon tax framework, sinking public money into carbon capture and storage, chasing an imaginary pipeline devoid of private investment, and signalling a surrender of provincial control over our own resources, this government has put us down 4-nil at the 15-minute mark. Worse, our players are attacking the wrong net.Let’s be clear: Alberta should be the freest, most prosperous place in the world — not a mid-level, economically challenged, monotonous institution.The steps to get there are obvious: a free-enterprise economy driven by smaller government and lower taxes, a fair deal with Ottawa that secures full control over provincial jurisdiction, complete authority over Alberta's resources and environmental policy, and a cultural embrace of risk-taking and reward..Alas, Premier Smith has scored own goals on every single one of these fronts. She has overseen higher property taxes and delivered the highest-spending budget in Alberta’s history. Her administration has shown a complete unwillingness to execute structural change, offering panel after panel instead of actually establishing a provincial police force, an Alberta pension plan, or a provincial tax collection agency. This one-sided, virtue-signalling MOU plays right into the hands of a monopolistic Laurentian elite, rather than serving the working families of Red Deer, Grande Prairie, or Medicine Hat.In cozying up to Carney, Smith has effectively crossed the floor again — this time to the federal Liberals.Instead of settling for a leadership team that doesn't know where the opposition’s net is, Albertans may need to look for something different.We need a striker. A striker like Ralph Klein, who knew government had to be smaller and taxes lower, and who consistently made Alberta the envy of Canada by leading the nation toward a free-enterprise future..We could even use a midfielder like Peter Lougheed, who understood that Alberta’s foundational strength relied on jobs, opportunity, and aggressive resource development.Or, at the very least, a goaltender like Rachel Notley, who (reluctantly) defended the Alberta oil and gas industry simply because it was her job — and the right thing to do for our towns and neighbours.It is time to stop scoring goals on our own net. Let's do what it takes to get the right people on the field — soon, before we can no longer afford to live, play, or care for our communities.Drew Barnes is a former Alberta MLA known for his staunch advocacy of fiscal conservatism, free-enterprise principles, and provincial autonomy.
