This article submitted by Red Deer South UCP MLA Jason Stephan

The Threat to Alberta by the Ottawa Liberal-NDP Axis

We live in perilous times. We must honestly confront the realities of our current circumstances. Canada is spending itself into oblivion, threatening to take Alberta down with it, adopting policies of economic self-destruction, undermining the capacity of Alberta businesses and families to provide for themselves and others.

We need to protect ourselves. Alberta businesses and families should not be subject to unprincipled Federal politicians, who have demonstrated that they will not hesitate to attack the livelihoods of Alberta individuals and families to further their political ambitions for power.

What Canada was, is less important than what Canada is, and what it is becoming. Alberta may need to act quickly and abandon this sinking ship while it is still able to.

The Liberal-NDP Axis is unveiling a reckless budget, accelerating towards fiscal destruction; on the same day, Rob Anderson, Danielle Smith, and I will be in a townhall sharing the Free Alberta Strategy.

This Strategy is a series of initiatives Alberta can implement today, without needing permission from Ottawa.

The less Alberta needs Ottawa, the more leverage Alberta has. But Ottawa will resist efforts to need them less. It reduces their power.

It is vital to have a Premier that is trusted by Albertans to defend our interests. But most Albertans do not trust the current Premier.

This Premier’s leadership, and his unprecedented efforts to full out campaign and control the results of his own job review have become a circus, a distraction, and a liability to the province and the party.

Kenney’s board would have never cancelled the biggest in person political party event in Alberta history if he was going to win the vote. They would have moved heaven and earth, adapted and celebrated, an unprecedented success in voter turnout to the event. He was going to lose.

Moving fundamental goalposts on a vote, after deadlines to participate, destroys trust and integrity of process. It provides opportunities to cheat.

Many do not trust the new process has not, or will not, be rigged. A result that is not seen as legitimate will divide.

If this Premier is not fair, or seen as fair, where his moral authority to demand Ottawa to be fair?

How can this Premier hold Ottawa accountable, if he is, or seen as, failing to accept accountability for himself?

Conservative principles are more important and more popular than this leader. If this leader believes what he says, that Alberta cannot risk another NDP government, then why is it in the best interests of our party and our province to go into an election seeking to win in spite of the leader? Isn’t that too much risk?

Trust is earned as one’s actions are consistent with one’s words.

The majority of Albertans want to see this Premier resign. Yet, this Premier labelled those who agree with him as “mainstream”; while those who disagree with him as extremists, lunatics, or threats undermining stability. The Premier is doing what he condemned the Prime Minister for doing. He is acting like Trudeau.

Trudeau sees this, and is emboldened by it, his Liberal-NDP Axis cementing his power up to 2025, with increased opportunity to plunder and attack Alberta businesses and families for political gain.

We must prepare. Our requirement for fairness is not one founded on anger, it is founded on principle.

We need to great self-reliance, to free ourselves from hostile interference, and insulate ourselves and our children from the looming trillion dollar plus fiscal train wreck. The Free Alberta Strategy describes some of these opportunities at www.freealbertastrategy.com.

Alberta is a land of opportunity; it is a land of freedom and prosperity. We must be vigilant to keep it that way.