Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 217 (April 19, 2012) Whispering in the Wind Alberta is in the final days of what has truly become an electric election campaign with sparks of deception and confusion flying every which way – if you ask me, most of the flack, hassling and confusion comes from the far right side of the political spectrum and that’s not good news for those who want to understand the issues facing Albertans and what might be the solutions to problems. Since this is my last Whispering in the Wind column prior to Monday’s election; anything that I want to say will have be said here and now. To help guide the balance of this column and hopefully exempt me from being labeled too nasty, or a good for nothing bigot; let me quote novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, William Faulkner who said: “Facts and truth really don’t have much to do with each other.” So let me offer a few truths without getting into any substantive facts: Truth 1: Alberta is Canada’s Economic Powerhouse, Let’s Keep It That Way! In the last few years Alberta has become a particularly relevant player in international energy matters and to state the more obvious: Alberta has become the economic powerhouse of Canada. With that new status in mind there are awesome responsibilities attached and that means change to an already mature, sophisticated government system – something Alison Redford has advocated since she became leader of the Alberta PCs last October. In my view, Alberta’s future prosperity will largely depend on how our government supports and guides its endowments: a free spirited people, its vast natural resources and its sophisticated, well entrenched rural base in agriculture. What cannot and should not be forgotten are the Progressive Conservative under-pinning and particularly, the leadership of Peter Lougheed and his guidance of the province’s endowments under the PC banner making Alberta what it is today – for that I would call Peter Lougheed the Father of Modern Alberta. Mr. Longheed’s recent support and endorsement of Alison Redford and the Alberta PCs is an endorsement of monumental importance and should be seriously considered by all Albertans no matter what their political leanings. For me the truth is: Alison Redford is the most qualified person to lead the Province of Alberta and deal with the awesome responsibilities attached to the office of government leader in the Province of Alberta. For me the truth is: Danielle Smith and the candidates of the Wildrose Party do not have the experience, or the understanding to lead the province into the future. Truth 2: Party Platform Statements Sorting out the various party platform statements, the various promises made and the cost impacts of the various promises made is not an easy task and well above my pay grade. Only the Alberta PCs are offering a clear platform statement – their 2012 budget was passed in the Alberta Legislature prior to the election being called and the commitment is for: no new taxes; no service cuts; no more deficits beginning in 2013 and a surplus in 2014. On non-budget platform items, the Wildrose party, specifically Danielle Smith has made one promise that I feel is worth mentioning and I actually feel if implemented it could be quite dangerous – the use of citizen referenda. Not only has this approach failed miserably in places like California, it could bog the system down in Alberta and make government, virtually, inoperable. Truth 3: Athabasca – Sturgeon – Redwater Constituency For people in the Smoky Lake area we have four candidates, three are worth mentioning: incumbent MLA, Jeff Johnson of the Alberta PCs; Wildrose candidate, Travis Olson; and NDP candidate Mandy Melnyk. I met all three of the candidates a couple of weeks back at Smoky Lake’s All Candidates Forum and from what I’ve seen they are all fine people. Nevertheless I’m sticking with the PC candidate Jeff Johnson – in my view he has done a lot for the Smoky Lake area in the last four years and that shows his constant interest in the area. Possibly the most notable contribution is the recent $7,000,000 contribution made by the government’s senior’s department which is going toward the addition of senior living spaces in the Town of Smoky Lake. Jeff also held ministerial responsibilities for the Department of Infrastructure; the Oilsand’s Secretariat; and a member of the Treasury Board – if Jeff Johnson and the PCs are re-elected to government, I feel very comfortable in predicting: Jeff Johnson will be moving up the political ladder and will continue to support the interest of Smoky Lake.