Maxime Bernier, leader of the People's Party of Canada, speaks at a rally Sunday afternoon at Henderson Lake. - SOUTHERN ALBERTA NEWSPAPERS PHOTO Dale Woodard
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A crowded right side of the political spectrum is a symptom of general frustration across all of society, said local MP Glen Motz, the day after a fringe party leader visited the Hat looking to woo voters to a harder line on a variety of so-called Western Canadian and conservative issues.
“There are a lot of issues with people, during the pandemic and before, losing trust in government, and in most cases rightly so,” said Motz on Monday, the day after a visit by People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier. “People have lost trust in a lot of different things. There’s a lot of misinformation and mistrust, and the pandemic hasn’t helped.
“But I’ve been around the riding now that restrictions have lifted and support is certainly there. I haven’t noticed a withdraw of support from conservatives.”
Motz prefaced that by stating he’s had increased calls from supporters and others, which he said was based on misinformation.
The party was forced to explain an apparent about-face by CPC Erin O’Toole on carbon pricing in the spring, and Bernier and others have been relentless in their criticism on social media on a host of issues.
Local PPC candidate Brodie Heidinger said that in general, “the political landscape hasn’t seen this much action in years.”
About 80 people attended the Sunday rally in Riverside Veterans Memorial Park, and he sees the PPC message connecting with disenchanted voters.
“I’m tired of big government and promises of change every election that don’t get delivered,” he told the News.
“I think (the CPC) has moved too far left. They know how to conduct a poll, then make a decision for whatever may work at the time.”
Motz, who secured 80% of the vote for the Conservatives in the last election, defended his party and the work done by the Alberta MPs in caucus.
“Our plan for equalization, the need to address Western alienation, those things have been front and centre for me and my colleagues (in the federal party),” said Motz on Monday.
“We’ve made sure the west has a voice and it’s absolutely necessary.”
Bernier’s visit to Medicine Hat was part of a tour that also visited Taber and Lethbridge. Here, he met briefly with MLA Drew Barnes, who himself is sitting as independent after disputes with the UCP government.
“It’s very important to me and the people of Cypress-Medicine Hat that we prioritize Alberta and get a better deal,” Barnes said Monday, also citing PPC plans to cut spending and taxes.
“The PPC and Maxime Bernier believe in those things, and I was happy to be there to listen to his ideas.”
Barnes stopped short of calling his interest in the party an endorsement, but said he has long worked with local PPC candidate Heidinger.
“I’m so please that people like Brodie and Maxime are stepping up,” he said. “Albertans are starting to step up to say free enterprise should be bigger and government smaller.”
He said that extends to the provincial political scene, leading to greater debate, organizing and action.
A flurry of political action, and “new media” outlets are aimed seemingly at outflanking main conservative parties on the right.
Two new federal parties and at least one provincial party claim to speak for some Albertans’ wish to gain greater autonomy from Ottawa, change equalization formulas and a host of other issues – such as climate change, gun rights, and even international trade – that have been political watchwords in the province for decades.
They have also been fierce in criticism of the United Conservatives and federal Conservatives, especially O’Toole.
The federal “Maverick Party,” led by former Conservative MP Jay Hill, promises zero compromise, and to create a voting block in the west to promote what they call Western Canadian issues.
In Alberta, former local CPC nomination contestant Paul Hinman is promoting the Wildrose Independent Party as a more-conservative alternative to the UCP.
Also on Monday, video circulated of former CPC leadership challenger Derek Sloan telling supporters his own federal party would be operating early next month to combat what he called misinformation over the pandemic.
Bernier was recently arrested in Manitoba for breaking pandemic rules for gathering sizes.
Bernier launched the People’s Party after leaving the Conservatives following his own second place finish in the leadership race that saw Andrew Scheer take over the party.
He also visited Medicine Hat in 2019, prior to that year’s election, on a cross Alberta tour to drum up support of the party that he had just formed.
Eventually they captured just 1.6% of the national vote and no seats.
Locally in 2019, Motz earned just more than 42,000 votes during the 2019 election. First-time People’s Party candidate Andrew Nelson counted about 1,350 votes, finishing fourth behind the second place NDP and third-place Liberals.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified MPP Randy Hiller as leader of the Maverick Party.
