Still photo taken from a video on the Todd Loewen Facebook page.

By Curtis Galbraith

UCP Leadership

Same issues coming up around Alberta says Loewen

Aug 16, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Central Peace-Notley MLA Todd Loewen says he has travelled all over Alberta during his campaign to take over the leadership of the United Conservative Party.

He says the response has been “really good.”

“People are interested in change. They haven’t been happy the last couple years (with) the direction of the government and I guess they haven’t been feeling like they’ve been listened to. There is some frustration out there with people.”

Loewen says what he calls “some common themes” come up wherever he goes.

“A lot of it (is) our dealings with Ottawa, how Ottawa is treating Alberta. That’s always one big issue”

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“Another issue is inflation and the rising cost of things and how it is affecting the average family. Health care always seems to be a big issue, too.”

He says several problems have led to the temporary closures being seen at emergency rooms.

“One of the problems is we are not graduating enough health professionals in Alberta. The requirements to get into post-secondary in Alberta for health courses, say to be a doctor or a nurse, are quite high and that drives a lot of our students either to choose other occupations or to go elsewhere to get their education. The process for them to come back is long and arduous.”

Loewen says the province needs to help doctors that want to come to Alberta so they can start their practices sooner.

Loewen commented on Premier Jason Kenny calling the idea of a Sovereignty Act “nuts”, as unacceptable.

He says Kenney is a lame-duck premier who should be focused on finishing his term, “but he seems to be incapable of not putting his nose in everywhere he possibly can on his way out the door.”

“I think it is unfortunate that he is still acting as premier (and) leader of the party. I think that should have ended when he received that dismal vote of support from the party members.”

Loewen says he likes the part of the proposed Sovereignty Act that would allow Alberta to say no if the federal government encroached on provincial jurisdiction.

He says he would like to focus on things like an Alberta Pension Plan and things he thinks can be accomplished without a constitutional crisis or a battle in court.

Loewen describes the federal government’s stance on cutting fertilizer use “a horrible policy.”

The federal government wants farmers to cut fertilizer use by 30 per cent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“I think it’s crazy to think that we would be trying to meddle in their affairs and try to tell them how to do business,” he says.

“Fertilizer is expensive. Farmers are not out wasting it or using it as inappropriately. They (use it) as efficiently as possible so it gets the job done.”

Loewen says farmers have already reduced fertilizer use because of better equipment and technology and they should be thanked and rewarded rather than punished.

The new provinical UCP leader and premier will be announced October 6.

“As I’ve travelled Alberta, one of the main things is (that) the people of Alberta have lost trust in government and in politicians and that’s something that needs to be regained. I believe that there is an opportunity for Albertans to choose a new leader that they can trust,” adds Loewen.