Albertans are being asked to speak up about what matters to them.
The Progressive Conservatives launched a new public engagement initiative last week, seeking input from Albertans on a wide range of policy areas.
The initiative called ENGAGE states the Progressive Conservative caucus's vision for Alberta as it relates to individual policy areas. Each section includes an assessment of where previous governments succeeded and where they fell short. It also provides a number of ideas and suggestions on how to move forward.
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake Wildrose MLA Don MacIntyre said the initiative is too little, too late.
“This is a party that was so out of touch with Albertans that they were soundly rejected in the May 5 election last year,” said MacIntyre. “It appeared that when ENGAGE first came out, they were trying to lead us to believe that they are now interested in Albertans once again.”
MacIntyre noted a recent vote in the Alberta legislature that he said is a prime example.
On April 4 the entire PC caucus stood with the NDP, the Liberals and the Alberta Party and unanimously voted down recall legislation.
“(That legislation) would have empowered Albertans to have a direct say in the performance of their elected officials,” said McIntyre. “Actions speak louder than words. This initiative sounds nice but their actions in the legislature, in standing with the NDP and against empowering Albertans, tells me that this is nothing more than a Progressive Conservative sham,” he added, noting that the Wildrose Party voted unanimously in favour of that piece of legislation.
MacIntyre pointed out that the Wildrose was the initiator of the original movement to consolidate the conservative family (during the last election). The Wildrose membership, he said, has made it clear that to have any consolidation of the conservative family it must take place at the member level – the grassroots level.
“Wildrose's membership continues to grow dramatically,” said MacIntyre, noting the move of former members of the Progressive Conservatives to Wildrose. “This is entirely a grassroots movement and that's where it must remain.
“Small-c conservative people (across the province) are joining Wildrose because they see us as the last remaining home,” he added.
MacIntyre said he feels that the Progressive Conservative Party has been on a leftward slide for several years and now there is no place for conservatives in the Progressive Conservative Party.
“If they truly wanted to know how Albertans felt about things, they would have supported recall legislation two days ago,” he said. “What kind of conservative party is the Progressive Conservative party anymore.”
Interim leader and MLA for Calgary-Hays, Ric McIver, said Albertans have told the Progressive Conservative Party they want constructive solutions to challenges they face.
“We hope that, through ENGAGE, our ideas will spark discussion amongst Albertans on how to approach these issues and improve the way government operates,” said McIver. “We also hope that this initiative encourages people to get involved in policy development and to take an active role in shaping Alberta's future.”
"This is a party (PC) that was so out of touch with Albertans that they were soundly rejected in the May 5 election last year."Don MacIntyre Sylvan Lake-Innisfail Wildrose MLA
