Age is not an issue.
Whether you are 19 or 29, age is not important when wondering about the qualifications of any person regardless if it is for a corporate position or as an elected official. A brilliant 29-year-old can be met by a less than desirable 60-year-old. And while the reference to Steven Durrell’s age has been a topic of conversation, it is important the context of this reference is understood.
The issue was not age. Leadership is not about numbers. This was about the NDP's record of incompetent governing in Alberta, which thankfully only started in May 2015.
The NDP has been so destructive, so disastrous and so incompetent for Alberta that nobody wants to be associated with them. Nobody from Cochrane, West Airdrie, Balzac or Bearspaw, wants to stand as an NDP candidate and defend this government and run on its record. It is shocking a sitting government cannot find a single resident from within the Airdrie-Cochrane constituency to stand and defend its record. It is further shocking that we are now in the election window, at time when an election can be called at any moment, and the governing NDP is unable to find interested people, let alone candidates, to fill the spots in constituencies across Alberta – especially from within those constituencies.
Mr. Kenney was not suggesting this gentleman’s age was issue – he made an ill-informed joke. The issue was the NDP has been so bad for Alberta, the lack of prospective candidates from not only Airdrie-Cochrane but constituencies around Alberta is proof of the party's failure. By contrast the UCP has run many nomination races with thousands of memberships sold in support of many candidates. Airdrie-Cochrane is no different where the UCP had four quality candidates who attracted more than 3,000 members to the process. That is a sign of excitement for a party. That is a sign of hope for Alberta.
This election is about the future of our province. Will we move forward with our economy through tax cuts and removal of regulatory burden, or will we return a governing party to finish off a province that once was a beacon of economic hope in our nation.
Age is irrelevant. A record of incompetent governance is not.
Russell Kossowan
