By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

Alberta Party leadership hopefuls offer their pitch in Lethbridge

Jan 30, 2018 | 8:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE – When Calgary-Elbow MLA Greg Clark resigned the leadership of the Alberta Party back in November, he said the reason why was to launch a leadership race aimed at drumming up interest in the party ahead of the 2019 election.

Three individuals stepped forward to join the leadership race, and all three were in Lethbridge on Tuesday, Jan. 30 for a meet and greet with members of the community at Coalbanks Elementary School.

The most experienced of the three is former Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel.

He served as Edmonton’s mayor from 2004 to 2013 and was also the Minister of Health when he sat as a Progressive Conservative MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud from 2014 to 2015.

Mandel says the leadership race for the Alberta Party drew him back into politics after a few years out because he’s still passionate about this province.

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“I think the Alberta Party has the kind of vision and policies that will appeal to a lot of people, and I felt that I still had lots to offer,” Mandel said, adding he didn’t quite feel like it was time for retirement yet.

Mandel also laid out some of his policy ideas, which include diversifying the economy and investing more in the arts.

“We also have a better idea for a carbon tax. We need one, but one that promotes business not destroys them. I also believe it’s important to invest in research, so we can make Alberta a place that is a center for research and development which will improve the future for all Albertans,” Mandel said.

The Alberta Party is pushing itself as a centrist alternative to the left-leaning New Democratic Party and the right-leaning United Conservative Party, but Mandel admits there are lots of challenges for whatever leader emerges to draw people in.

“There’s no doubt the party is going to have challenges, but we’ve got great people involved who want to run and there’s support in building constituency offices around the party,” he continued. “So we have to work with them and help them anyway we can because there’s a lot of work to do.”

The second most experienced candidate is Calgary-South East MLA Rick Fraser, who left the UCP caucus on Sept. 21, 2017, due to his dissatisfaction with the party’s leadership contest, to sit as an Independent before announcing his bid for the Alberta Party leadership in December.

Fraser discussed why he decided to make the jump.

“There’s some people inside the UCP that I really care about, and I think they’re excellent people, but I think it was the overall approach by people in the party to issues on policy and dealing with the government that just wasn’t for me,” Fraser explained.

Fraser says by nature he’s not a vitriolic person and really tries to see all sides to the issues.

He also admitted when he was sitting as an Independent he thought he was close to being done with public life, but the Alberta Party leadership provided a different chance.

“To stay in the legislature and be able to hold all sides accountable was important for me, and the Alberta Party offered me the best chance,” he continued. “I also think we should be creating leaders of the future within the party because politicians aren’t supposed to be there forever.”

When it comes to drumming up support for a party that’s been around, in its current iteration, since 2013 but only recently has come more into the main stream Fraser says it’s important to empower people to get involved.

“We need people to understand that it can actually be fun to get into politics, and that they can actually create change. You do that by challenging people to be leaders in their own communities, because when they see what’s actually possible it can only filter up,” Fraser stated.

“It’s not about the Premier, it’s not about the MLA, it’s not about cabinet, it has to be about the people. That’s how I believe you attract people,” Fraser added.

Fraser stressed the importance of diversifying the economy, being more fiscally responsible and investing in health care and education.

He also drew one of the bigger laughs from the crowd when he joked about trying to make his living by playing pro hockey, but his last team was in Mexico City so that didn’t quite pan out.

The one candidate without political experience actually announced her nomination for the Alberta Party leadership before Mandel or Fraser.

Kara Levis, a commercial lawyer from Calgary, made her intentions clear back on Dec. 18.

“I was preparing to run in 2019 under Greg Clark’s leadership, and when he stepped down I decided to seize that opportunity to make sure that there was someone in the race who was a long-time member of the Alberta Party who could put forward its values and vision,” Levis said.

All of the candidates stressed the fiscal aspect of government was a main reason for running for leadership, but Levis also stressed it was important to listen to everyone when crafting policy.

“I got involved with this party because of the people that were there. The people were out to build a better solution for Alberta and that’s really where the opportunity for the Alberta Party lies. It’s about breaking through the polarization about the right and the left and really providing good long-term solutions for Alberta,” Levis stated.

One of Levis’ major policy issues is having a comprehensive revenue review, because while she believes government spending is something that has to be dealt with, Alberta also has a revenue problem that needs to be dealt with.

“Whether it’s a personal income tax, a corporate income tax, or even considering a point of sale value added tax for Alberta. That way we’ll be able to make sure those visitors and non-residents that are using our public infrastructure are paying some of the tax burden with their purchases here in Alberta,” Levis said.

Anyone interested in deciding the outcome of the Alberta Party leadership race will have to register as a member before Feb. 25.

The vote will be taking place between Feb. 25-27, using a preferential online ballot. 

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