Six years ago this coming December, the majority of the Wildrose Caucus was coaxed to abandon the opposition and join Jim Prentice’s government. Promises of cabinet posts and the perks of power abounded. .As the backroom deal was in the works, we communicated with each other over a text messaging string. Late at night, a message come across the our phones from Drew Barnes..“I was elected Wildrose, am staying Wildrose.” .I added “I’m with Barnes.” .For the trivia buffs, my phone showed no further texts on that group chat until the historic mass floor crossing. .I’ve always known Drew Barnes to be a truthful conscientious and compassionate representative for the constituents of Cypress-Medicine Hat, and it’s obvious that has not changed. It was no surprise that he stuck his neck out by releasing his own report dissenting from the majority of the Fair Deal Panel. This was not welcomed warmly by the NDP, or the Premier’s Office..My good friend and former colleague was part of the Alberta government’s travelling ‘Fair Deal’ roadshow whose mandate was to hear what Albertans had to say about equalization and our place in confederation. .After weeks of compiling the opinions and thoughts of a great many Albertans – and an unnecessary delay – the Fair Deal Panel’s official report was released to the public. As is the case with all government sanctioned reports, the Fair Deal report was sanitized and structured to communicate a desired predetermined message, tailored to the government. This has been the norm in government sanctioned reports for decades, and this was no different..After the report was released, it has become obvious that there was more to the story than what was contained in the report itself. What wasn’t contained in the report was the feelings being expressed by a large segment of the population that feel our best interests are not and will not ever be represented under the current federal arrangement. .Alberta – and the broader West – has suffered from Eastern-based special interests that have for years stopped essential pipeline construction. Those same special interests are not opposed to accepting the revenues that come from that same energy source they profess to hate. The harsh reality is that Albertans are not being treated as equals within the federation, and that Albertans are waking up to that fact in droves..Barnes’ public statement covered the single most important element in the whole equation; what do the people think? He addressed the communication he has received from his constituents in regards to Alberta’s place in confederation if significant constitutional reform fails..“The majority of my constituents in Cypress-Medicine Hat and from across Alberta have made clear that we must seek another relationship, as a sovereign people.”.Regardless of how you feel about federalism, his statement shows that he has a clear understanding of where the buck should always stop; with his constituents..More often than not, the politicians follow the direction given them by the permanent bureaucratic class, and not the people that they represent. .It’s not a common sight to see a politician step out from behind the party banner at the risk of expulsion, but there are times when moral obligation must trump the safety of a political party in power. .In one sentence, Drew Barnes said more than the entire legislature – including his own party’s caucus. This government – like the one before it – has become tone-deaf to the fact that their ultimate direction must come from those that they represent..Rick Strankman is a columnist for the Western Standard and the former Wildrose MLA for Drumheller-Stettler
Six years ago this coming December, the majority of the Wildrose Caucus was coaxed to abandon the opposition and join Jim Prentice’s government. Promises of cabinet posts and the perks of power abounded. .As the backroom deal was in the works, we communicated with each other over a text messaging string. Late at night, a message come across the our phones from Drew Barnes..“I was elected Wildrose, am staying Wildrose.” .I added “I’m with Barnes.” .For the trivia buffs, my phone showed no further texts on that group chat until the historic mass floor crossing. .I’ve always known Drew Barnes to be a truthful conscientious and compassionate representative for the constituents of Cypress-Medicine Hat, and it’s obvious that has not changed. It was no surprise that he stuck his neck out by releasing his own report dissenting from the majority of the Fair Deal Panel. This was not welcomed warmly by the NDP, or the Premier’s Office..My good friend and former colleague was part of the Alberta government’s travelling ‘Fair Deal’ roadshow whose mandate was to hear what Albertans had to say about equalization and our place in confederation. .After weeks of compiling the opinions and thoughts of a great many Albertans – and an unnecessary delay – the Fair Deal Panel’s official report was released to the public. As is the case with all government sanctioned reports, the Fair Deal report was sanitized and structured to communicate a desired predetermined message, tailored to the government. This has been the norm in government sanctioned reports for decades, and this was no different..After the report was released, it has become obvious that there was more to the story than what was contained in the report itself. What wasn’t contained in the report was the feelings being expressed by a large segment of the population that feel our best interests are not and will not ever be represented under the current federal arrangement. .Alberta – and the broader West – has suffered from Eastern-based special interests that have for years stopped essential pipeline construction. Those same special interests are not opposed to accepting the revenues that come from that same energy source they profess to hate. The harsh reality is that Albertans are not being treated as equals within the federation, and that Albertans are waking up to that fact in droves..Barnes’ public statement covered the single most important element in the whole equation; what do the people think? He addressed the communication he has received from his constituents in regards to Alberta’s place in confederation if significant constitutional reform fails..“The majority of my constituents in Cypress-Medicine Hat and from across Alberta have made clear that we must seek another relationship, as a sovereign people.”.Regardless of how you feel about federalism, his statement shows that he has a clear understanding of where the buck should always stop; with his constituents..More often than not, the politicians follow the direction given them by the permanent bureaucratic class, and not the people that they represent. .It’s not a common sight to see a politician step out from behind the party banner at the risk of expulsion, but there are times when moral obligation must trump the safety of a political party in power. .In one sentence, Drew Barnes said more than the entire legislature – including his own party’s caucus. This government – like the one before it – has become tone-deaf to the fact that their ultimate direction must come from those that they represent..Rick Strankman is a columnist for the Western Standard and the former Wildrose MLA for Drumheller-Stettler
