UCP Leadership Candidates Respond to Questions on Pandemic Policy, Autonomy for Alberta

UCP leadership candidates (L-R) Todd Loewen, Rajan Sawhney, Danielle Smith, Rebecca Schulz, Travis Toews, and Brian Jean pose for a group photo at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. Noé Chartier/The Epoch Times

RED DEER, Alberta—The issue of restrictive pandemic policies under Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) government and the fallout from them was raised during a UCP leadership candidates’ panel at a conservative conference in Red Deer on Sept. 24.

Leadership candidate Leela Aheer, a sitting UCP MLA and former minister, was asked by co-host Lindsay Wilson at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference what her response would be to Albertans who lost their jobs during the pandemic or faced “discrimination” and the loss of bodily autonomy, and how people can be sure it would never happen again.

“First of all, just a massive apology to everyone, because we did the best that we could under the circumstances,” Aheer answered.

The unofficial panel wasn’t set up in the format of a debate. Instead, each candidate went up to the stage individually, and responded to questions by Wilson and fellow co-host Jamil Jivani.

“In terms of bodily autonomy, and I’ve said this 1,000 times, I’m pro-choice on all things. Whether you agree with me or not, I don’t speak out both sides of my mouth. Your body is your body, and I will defend that” Aheer said.

“Then why didn’t you stand up for it?” yelled an audience member, who was then told by the moderators that the format of the event didn’t allow for audience members to shout out questions.

“There were many of us who did. And we have been learning along the way too, and like I said, it’s not perfect, and you have every right to hold me accountable for that. That’s why I’m here,” Aheer said.

Aheer was also asked by Jivani about her previous comments that “white supremacy, homophobia, and racism have been supported and encouraged for too long in politics.”

“There is racism there, all of those things. Conservatives are not those people. We are people of ethics and kindness,” she said.

During her talk, the UCP MLA noted the importance of building relationships in different parts of Canada to be able to get pipelines built and get Alberta’s energy products to other markets, as well as reducing barriers in order to build more refining capacity in the province.

Although the conference wasn’t an official leadership race event, all seven candidates took part. Not all candidates were asked the same questions, though common questions included education and health-care reform, as well as the candidates’ stance on more autonomy for Alberta.

‘Autonomy’

Former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean, who became a UCP MLA in a March byelection, said he can unify the party, which he said is very important to ensure the NDP doesn’t win next year’s provincial election.

UCP leadership candidate Brian Jean (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. Noé Chartier/The Epoch Times

“The best predictor of the future is the past, and in the past, I’ve taken the Wildrose Party with two members, ran an election, won 21 seats, the biggest-ever showing for the Wildrose, and I kept that party together,” he said.

Jean said his training as a lawyer as well as experience as an MP enables him to deal with the federal government and “challenge Ottawa on their constitutional infringement.”

The former MP added that his leadership focus is “about autonomy.”

“Autonomy means freedom of choice, and you can’t have freedom of choice unless you have more money in your pocket. You can’t have freedom of choice unless your doctor can decide what you should have as a remedy, and if you don’t like what that doctor says, you should be able to go to another doctor,” he said.

‘Extremely Different Individuals’

UCP MLA and former finance minister Travis Toews, Premier Jason Kenney’s most senior cabinet member to run in the race, talked about how he is a different politician than the incumbent.

Kenney, who became premier in 2019, decided to step down after receiving just over 51 percent of party members’ support in a leadership review in May.

“I absolutely served in Premier Kenny’s cabinet, and I'll say this: The premier and I both share a deep commitment to foundational conservative values,” he said.

UCP leadership candidate Travis Toews (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. Noé Chartier/The Epoch Times

“But people who know me and the premier know we’re extremely different individuals. I was in the private sector right until 2019; of course, that’s not the premier’s story. And while I’m comfortable in downtown Calgary and Edmonton, my roots are planted deep in rural Alberta. I’m a rancher from the northwest.”

Toews said he opposes the federal government’s plan to cut fertilizer emissions by 30 percent by 2030 as it would reduce agricultural productivity, and that he will ensure that the province sets aside funds during surplus years to pay off debt.

He added that he supports parental choice in education, and that “activist ideology has no place in the curriculum.”

‘Moderate Conservative’

UCP MLA Rajan Sawhney, a former minister of transportation, was asked by Jivani what she means when she describes herself as a “moderate conservative.”

“I always describe myself as somebody who’s very fiscally conservative and very socially moderate,” answered Sawhney.

“I know that we were talking about social conservatism with one of the other candidates earlier, and conscience rights and things like that. And for myself, I like to veer away from those kinds of controversial topics because I don’t think that most progressive conservatives are really interested in, for example, bringing back any kind of legislation related to abortion,” she said.

Sawhney said she’d like to focus on ensuring the federal government doesn’t impede energy projects, and said the equalization formula needs to change.

‘I’ve Forgiven You’

Former Wildrose party leader Danielle Smith was once again asked about her proposed Sovereignty Act.

“The idea behind the Sovereignty Act came from a group called the Free Alberta Strategy, but the mechanism for how it would work would be very similar to what Quebec already does,” Smith said.

“What Quebec does is that if they don’t like a piece of legislation, as we saw most recently with the Emergencies Act, they convened their National Assembly … put forward a motion saying we will not enforce that … and the country didn’t come to an end. … Ottawa just said, ‘OK,’ and that’s what happens when you stand up for yourself.”

UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. Noé Chartier/The Epoch Times

Wilson asked Smith about her decision in 2014 when she was the Wildrose leader to cross the floor and join the Progressive Conservatives in a bid to unite the two parties. The decision proved to be unpopular, with Smith losing the PC nomination for the 2015 election.

Smith said after her loss, she went back to working in the media. Thanks to her work in radio for six years, she said she was able to develop a relationship with the public.

“I’m delighted that a lot of people have forgiven me,” she said.

“People have come up to me at photo lineups and said, ‘I was so mad at you, and then I started listening to you, but I didn’t want to listen to you, but then I liked what I heard, and now I’ve forgiven you, so I hope you win,’” she said to audience laughter.

Provincial Police

Rebecca Schulz, a UCP MLA and former minister of children’s services, talked about the importance of building pipelines to get Alberta’s oil and gas to other markets, and changes to the health-care system, including ensuring every Albertan has access to a family doctor.

Schulz said a provincial police force wouldn’t be a priority for her, noting that’s not what she’s hearing from Albertans as an issue to be addressed when she goes door-knocking, and that municipalities aren’t supportive of it.

“We haven’t done all the work that we need to do to move that forward. There are questions about cost structure, there’s skepticism as to whether or not we can actually administrate it better, because we haven’t seen what it’s going to look like right now,” she said.

‘Rights and Freedoms’

UCP leadership candidate Todd Loewen (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. Omid Ghoreishi/The Epoch Times

The last candidate to speak, Independent MLA Todd Loewen, was applauded as Wilson read that he was kicked out of the UCP caucus for taking a strong stance against pandemic restrictions.

“If somebody came to us three years ago and said these are the things that are going to happen, I think we would have thought it was a conspiracy theory. But a lot of those things actually have come true,” Loewen said.

“It is sad to think of what’s happened with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and how it has been basically ignored. Basically, politicians have used loopholes in that to try to take away rights and freedoms from Albertans.”

Loewen said when it comes to health care, there needs to be more regional decision-making as well as “publicly funded, privately delivered options.”

He added that besides ensuring prosperous oil and gas, forestry, and farming sectors, the province needs to reduce red tape so that the manufacturing sector is not impeded by regulatory processes.

The new leader of the UCP and the next premier of the province will be announced on Oct. 6.