By Medicine Hat News Opinon on November 1, 2019.
With Elections Canada having officially released the final count from the Oct. 21 election, I am grateful of your support and humbled to have received nearly 80% approval from voters in the Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner riding. Representing the best interests of everyone in this expansive riding is a privilege I take very seriously. I thank everyone who cast a ballot, my amazing team of campaign volunteers and all the candidates who were willing to participate in the democratic process. While the outcome of forming a Conservative government was not achieved, gains were made. The Conservatives earned more votes than any other party, increasing our ballot count by nearly 600,000 from 2015, while Justin Trudeau lost one million votes. We surpassed the Liberals by securing the popular vote with 34.4%, registered the third most votes ever cast for a political party in an election campaign – including the Conservative majority of 2011 – and will form the largest and strongest Official Opposition in Canadian history. There is little doubt the Conservative movement across Canada remains strong and motivated. Having received only 33% of the popular vote following four years of mismanagement and scandal, the Trudeau Liberals earned the weakest mandate to govern in Canadian history. Their destructive campaign methods have divided our country like at no other time in history. Reckless Liberal policies have crushed investment, killed more than 100,000 quality energy sector jobs, and burdened Canadians under debt that will impact future generations. The West clearly passed judgment on the Trudeau Liberals election night. To remain in government they must get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. Among many others changes, they must also rewrite the investment-killing legislation of bills C-69 and C-48, policy designed to shut down Alberta’s energy sector by prohibiting export of our natural resource commodities to international markets. Trudeau must stop attacking the energy sector and recognize that when Western Canada succeeds, all of Canada succeeds. Energy resource jobs create employment and wealth from coast to coast. It is also the backbone that enables Alberta to contribute billions of dollars more annually to the Government of Canada’s equalization plan than they receive back in benefits, yet our ability to create wealth is being restricted by irresponsible policies and provinces who benefit from our equalization generosity. Conservatives hear the frustration, anger and fear from the West. We will return to Ottawa with a renewed optimism in the future of our party and country, intent on holding Trudeau to account by forcing him to change his reckless approach of dividing Canada with failed policies. However, should he continue to govern with the arrogance of the past, we will be ready when the time comes and his government falls, to take the fight back to the Liberals – and give Canadians the government they deserve. Glen Motz is Member of Parliament (CPC) for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner. 9