Rebuilding trust with Albertans and restructuring a government that some people have come to see as arrogant is among the top priorities identified by UCP leadership hopeful Rebecca Schulz.
“Albertans have said they want to see a different tone, a different approach – that they feel like the government had really grown out of touch and entitled; some have said arrogant,” she told the Albertan on Tuesday, Aug. 16 during a brief interview after addressing a crowd of about two dozen people at Cedar’s Pub in Sundre.
“And I say, ‘You know what? I hear you; we can do better on that front.’”
Schulz also made a campaign stop in Didsbury yesterday (Aug. 26).
Primarily motivating her to run for the province’s top spot, she said, is her love of Alberta and a desire to help ensure a prosperous future.
So, the former minister of Children’s Services stepped down from her previous role to run for the party’s leadership.
“There needs to be a restructuring in terms of how the political staff works,” she said when asked what would be among her first orders of business if elected.
“There are a few public servants that I think will have to enter early retirement. We have a huge agenda.”
Originally from Saskatchewan, Schulz said she has heard from Albertans that “the same old, same old” isn’t working.
She added unity among Alberta’s conservatives is key to winning the upcoming provincial election next spring.
“We can win in the next election as long as we choose the right leader who can actually beat Rachel Notley, and then put a plan in place not only to competently govern for the next six to seven months, but to campaign and win in every corner of this province,” she said.
Asked how she envisions bridging the gap between progressive small ‘c’ fiscal conservatives and social conservatives, she said, “When I look at conservative values, and what we stand for when it comes to economic growth and jobs and opportunity, and making sure that we still have that entrepreneurial spirit where less government is better government and government is helping to remove barriers so business can do what business do best, non-profits can do what they do best – I believe the vast majority of Albertans think that that’s important.”
Voters also want a government that cares about people and listens to them, she said.
As for how her leadership approach would differ from the example set by the government over the past three-plus years, Schulz said the majority of the UCP leadership candidates mostly agree on a spectrum of issues. So, the priority seems to be picking a leader who has the best of odds of securing electoral victory in 2023.
“I don’t believe everybody in this race can,” she said, adding the UCP needs a leader who resonates with a majority of voters.
Asked whether defeating Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley is more important than a solid policy platform proposal, she said, “They’re both important as we move forward, because if we can’t win the next election, our policy and our platform doesn’t really matter.”
The other UCP leadership candidates are: Leela Aheer, Todd Loewen, Rajan Sawhney, Brian Jean, Danielle Smith and Travis Toews.
Party members will be electing a new leader on Thursday, Oct. 6 through a mail-in ballot with an option to vote in-person at one of five polling locations across the province.
