The latest candidate to throw his hat in the Highwood constituency provincial election race wants to ensure residents have a choice when they go to the ballot box on April 16.
“Part of the reason I wanted to run is I do believe in democracy and everybody should have the right to vote for anyone they want,” said 47-year-old Ron Kerr. “Unfortunately, nobody was able to step up to run for the Alberta Party, so when they called the election I put my hat in the ring.
“I am not a political person, but I want people to have the chance to vote for the Alberta Party because I feel they represent a lot of good things.”
Kerr is the fourth person to enter the race. He is joined by RJ Sigurdson, UCP; Eric Overland, NDP and Dan Irving, Alberta Independence Party. He lives just north of Okotoks with his wife, Adele McQueen, – a Comp grad – and their daughter near the Okotoks Agriplex.
Kerr, a homebuilder with Hopewell Residential in Calgary, said the party appeals to him.
“They are a fiscally responsible, centralist party – they are not extreme right or left – they are looking out for Albertans first and foremost and that is what appeals to me,” Kerr said.
He also likes the Alberta Party’s stance on social issues.
“They are about inclusion, not exclusion,” Kerr said. “They want transparency, it’s not going to be backroom politics.”
He supports social issue causes such as Gay Straight Alliances at schools and students’ sexuality being protected.
“It sounds silly saying kids are our future, but they are the future and they should be protected,” Kerr said. “Being a kid is hard enough in this day and age if they can form an alliance with a bunch of other kids and feel like they are in a safe place, that’s ultimately is a good thing.”
He said the Alberta Party does share many social values with the NDP, but the parties differ when it comes to the bankbook.
“I think Rachel Notley is an intelligent lady, she’s proven that,” Kerr said. “But it should be said Alberta is open for business and we want to be a pro-business, pro-entrepreneurial province and get people back to work.
“That is the downfall of the NDP, that they are not as pro-business.”
He admits knocking off Sigurdson would be a huge upset – akin to his alma mater Rundle College beating the Foothills Falcons or Holy Trinity Academy Knights in football.
“Absolutely, but like Wayne Gretzky said you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take,’’’ Kerr said. “If nobody put their name on the ballot it’s a shoe-in for RJ. I am sure he is a great person, but I don’t think that’s very democratic.
“I want to raise a little bit of awareness on the Alberta Party and their values. I think most of Albertans would agree with the ideas of the Alberta Party if they looked into them.”
The Alberta Party had three MLAs sitting in legislature when the writ was dropped on March 19. They are Greg Clark, Karen McPherson and Rick Fraser.
