INNISFAIL – David Reid is a committed provincial election candidate for the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake riding.
He loves Alberta; so much so he is fully invested in the province’s future, and its immediate challenges.
“I'm extremely busy with the wildfires. I provide the services to the helicopter companies and get their aircraft ready,” said Reid, an aircraft maintenance engineer for the past 40 years. “I ensure they're safe and fit for flight.
“And I provide any services as far as changing components, doing inspections, any issues the pilot may have about the aircraft,” he added. “I address those issues and correct them.”
Before the wildfire crisis struck, the 63-year-old Innisfail-area resident was preparing for another important mission; running for public office for the very first time.
He is the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake riding candidate for The Independence Party of Alberta; a party, according to its website, committed to separating from Canada and creating a sovereign nation, “without exception.”
“Looking at the principles and the goals of the independence party it kind of resonated with me,” said Reid. “One of them that resonated with me was the ability of the constituents to recall the elected candidate if they become an MLA.
“Constituents can recall them at any time during that four-year period and question their motives or their decisions,” he added. “If the constituents feel that the individual is not forthcoming, then they can have him fired.”
Reid is also a huge believer in property rights; especially landowners’ rights to protect their own, whether it’s a car, house or land.
“You should be able to stand by your property. That’s your castle,” said Reid.
As for the party’s mission to separate Alberta from the current Canadian nation, he believes the relationship between the province and Canada is unworkable with the “present” federal government as there is “ongoing corruption.”
“And along with that, for too many years almost $600 billion has gone to the central government, of which probably two thirds of that have gone to Quebec,” said Reid, adding about $30 billion of that total has gone from Alberta to Ottawa. “I think that money could very well be put back into Alberta to help our health, education system, or infrastructure.”
Nevertheless, the people of Alberta will ultimately decide the province’s future through a referendum, noted Reid from the party’s official platform.
“It’s up to the population of Alberta to determine if they wish to stay or not,” said Reid. “To be realistic is that maybe one, two, or maybe three people get in and we can start making a small difference.
“As long as we can make a small positive difference for Alberta and the people of Alberta, that's worthwhile to me.”
