While most Cochranites spent the last leg of the long weekend unpacking campers or grilling on the deck, conservatives of all stripes packed the Cochrane Legion to hear talk on unity Monday night .
Looking to cinch unity support in this riding, leaders of both provincial conservative parties – Brian Jean of the Wildrose and Jason Kenney of the Progressive Conservative parties – took the mic to talk about setting differences aside and working together to take down the NDP in 2019.
Grassroots unity movement support group Alberta Can’t Wait (ACW) hosted the unity rally, which was emceed by group co-founder Prem Singh. MP Blake Richards and Banff-Cochrane ACW chapter co-captain Owen Neal also spoke at the event.
Singh kickstarted the evening with a jab at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Canada Day speech where he gave a shout out to every province and territory except Alberta – what the Liberal chief executive said was an honest mistake.
Cheers ensued as the speeches quickly turned to criticism of the Rachel Notley NDPs and the need for conservatives to set aside differences to win the election in two years.
“This thing will only work if we are prepared to park the egos,” said Kenney, in response to whether he would work with Jean should his counterpart be elected the successful leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP).
Each leader conceded they would work with one another, should the outcome be a leadership victory for their opponent.
Should the July 22 referendum gather 75 per cent of the Wildrose vote and 50 per cent of the PCs, the UCP agreement – signed by both leaders – will be ratified and the party would run its first leadership race this fall.
Kenney said the PCs have reasonable evidence of an NDP push to purchase PC Party memberships to vote against unity.
“It’s a troubling situation … but this is democracy,” said the PC leader.
“Now that this agreement-in-principle has been finalized, the power belongs where it should be,” said Jean – with reference to putting the power in the hands of the voting populous.
“This is the most important decision you will ever make as a Wildrose member.”
Each leader took a stab at highlighting the perceived failings of the NDP government that has been in power for two years – citing investor uncertainty in the oil sands from emission caps, a provincial carbon tax and a royalty review; increased personal, property and income taxes; and taking away parent choice in education and the curriculum rewrite.
“I don’t know about you, but I think our education system already has too much politics in the classroom,” said Kenney, to a receptive and cheering audience.
Maxime Keough was one of the few in the room to ask a question, as part of a brief question period following speeches.
Keough identified herself as a First Nations woman, a single mother and an employee of the oil and gas sector. She commended Jean for his “work with First Nations people” and asked each leader about their path to restoring investor uncertainty.
Jean, who has owned and operated 15 businesses and lived in Fort McMurray for the bulk of his life, said he would change regulations that strangle the economy – using the example that it currently takes nine months to see an oil well application approved, whereas the same process takes less than two weeks in Texas.
Kenney said he would repeal the provincial carbon tax and if the federal government moves forward with its pending carbon tax – he would join Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in his opposition.
Keough said she is “on the fence” as to whether she would rather see Jean or Kenney driving the UCP bus and that both would make a good leader.
Another audience member asked how the UCP would sway unions and public sector employees from “biting the hand that feeds them” to jump ship and vote for the UCP.
Both leaders said they felt there are enough frustrated public sector employees who can see the “system just isn’t working” and that change is needed.
In response to voter apathy, Jean said his team is connecting with youth “the way they want to be connected” – through growing social media outreach, namely through Facebook.
Kenney, who served under Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, said he would focus on new Canadians – who he said typically have conservative values, even if they don’t always vote that way. Pamphlets were also handed out – outlining the agreement principles of the UCP.
Some of the standout principles governing the UCP include the fostering and support of free enterprise; grassroots democracy; compassion of the less fortunate while fostering self-reliance; maintaining choice in education; environmental responsibility; fiscal conservatism; and limited government, including low levels of taxation to stimulate economic growth.
The upcoming referendum has a July 8 deadline to purchase Wildrose memberships and July 12 for PC memberships. Only supporters with party memberships can vote.
The referendum takes place July 22, where both leaders emphasized the simplicity of the online voting that can be done on smartphones while vacationing out of province; PC card holders can vote online starting July 20. Voting can also be done over the phone.
