Meet the woman who wants to be Alberta’s next premier.
Danielle Smith was in Drayton Valley this week as she gets to grips with her campaign to become the next leader of Alberta’s United Conservatives.
Smith, who is a former leader of the Wildrose Party, was at the Clean Energy Technology Centre for a couple of hours on Tuesday morning to meet with supporters.
“I love traveling the province and going to all the small towns,” said Smith, who has been on the road for three weeks. “You hear such different perspectives. It is the only way to get an understanding.”
A group of several dozen people attended the event, where Smith took questions and laid out her vision for the future of the province. She said she felt people were feeling run down over the last few years and were looking for someone who could paint a positive future for Alberta. That includes taking a strong stance against over reach from Ottawa.
“We keep acting like we are a junior player in confederation,” she said. “Why are we doing (the federal government’s) bidding?”
“I think what we have done in Alberta is we have been going along to get along – what we need to start asserting is that Ottawa is getting into our (provincial) jurisdiction”
Smith is one of eight people to have so far declared their intention to seek the position that is currently held by Jason Kenney. Kenney announced last month that he intended to step down after receiving lukewarm support from party members during a leadership review. Other prominent names expected to be on the ballot include another former Wildrose leader, Brian Jean, and former cabinet misniters Rajan Sawhney and Rebecca Schulz. The vote is set for October 6.
“The only way to make an effective change is to be elected,” said Smith.
Whoever is successful will automatically become premier, however, they will have to call an election by the end of May next year.
