Highwood voters share thoughts on election

In a riding that’s been conservative for years, some Highwood constituents are seeking continuity in next week’s provincial election while others want change.

Black Diamond resident Nancy Murray said she’s heading to the polls in the April 16 provincial election with change on her mind.

“I’m looking forward to the provincial election,” she said last week. “I’ll be voting because I think we need change - mainly the economy. We need more jobs, more stability and the pipeline.”

Turner Valley resident Gail Briggs said she’s always voted blue, and will likely do the same when filling out her ballot next week.

“I’m not sure about any of them,” she said of the Highwood candidates. “I don’t know if any of them can do any good. I will probably vote conservative like I’ve done for years.”

Briggs said she would like to see the Trans Mountain pipeline go through in Canada. Canadian crude oil has fallen to record lows as the country struggles with a lack of pipeline capacity due to fierce opposition and protests.

“We have our own business and it depends on oil and gas,” she said.

Twenty-five-year-old Black Diamond resident Francis Branconnir said although he hasn’t been following the provincial election closely, he wants to see change.

“I have no job right now – there are no jobs right now,” he said. “When he (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) came into power everything went downhill. I want the pipeline. It’s a lot safer and environmentally friendly and will create jobs.”

The election weighs heavy on Black Diamond small business owner Jack Wilson’s mind. He lives in Millarville.

Among his concerns are the carbon tax and minimum wage.

Wilson describes the carbon tax as “nonsense.”

“To me it’s a sales tax and nobody wants to talk about a sales tax in Alberta,” he said. “If you’re going to have a sales tax have a sales tax, don’t present it as a carbon tax.”

As for the recent increase in minimum wage, Wilson said the government went about it the wrong way. He said there should be a lower wage for entry-level workers still in high school.

“Absolutely, there should be a different wage for young people,” he said. “There are lots of unemployed people at 25 years old and there’s no consideration for entry level people trying to get into the market.”

According to Turner Valley Mayor Barry Crane, Alberta has been conservative for too long.

“I totally don’t want to see blue across the board,” he said. “I think a minority government is the best case scenario for our province right now. A minority government will ensure everyone in the province is getting represented equally.”

Crane said it would result in partnerships and co-operation that truly speak to what Alberta represents, while moving the Province forward.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there and it’s hard to get clear messaging, even though we have all these tools like social media, radio and television,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who leads it. It doesn’t matter if it’s orange or blue, as long as it’s minority.”

When it comes to platforms and issues, Crane considers the most important being education, health and investing in new technologies for oil and gas.

Black Diamond Mayor Ruth Goodwin has high expectations of the candidate earning the MLA title in the Highwood next week.

“We will expect to be heard, understood and that a follow through with an action plan be formed and implemented in a timely manner that reflects strong and effective consultation - not one-way communication - with our community residents, business, stakeholders, our municipal governance representatives and administration staff,” she said.

Goodwin said one of the main points the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) is advocating for during the election, on behalf of municipalities, is equitable, adequate and predictable infrastructure funding.

“Sixty per cent of Alberta’s public infrastructure is owned and maintained by the municipalities, and funding is required to maintain those services,” she said. “The Town, through the AUMA, advocates for improvements, funding, legislative change and other needs of communities like us.”

Black Diamond and Turner Valley were previously part of the Livingstone-Macleod riding, but with the boundaries changing for the 2019 election are now part of Highwood along with Okotoks and DeWinton.

Highwood candidates include Erik Overland, NDP; RJ Sigurdson, UCP; Ron Kerr, Alberta Party; and Dan Irving, Alberta Independence Party.

The Priddis area is now part of Banff-Kananaskis.

For details on where to vote on April 16, or during the April 9-13 advance polls, go to electionsalberta.ca