UCP leader Danielle Smith speaks to about 250 supporters of her byelection campaign at a rally Sunday at the Medicine Hat Lodge.--News Photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Danielle Smith gave a rousing speech to supporters in the Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection Sunday speaking about her plans as premier, including her Constitutional agenda and revamping health care.
Her main opponents told the News that voters they are meeting in southeast Alberta are more concerned about solving day-to-day problems than Smith’s plans.
Smith, who became premier Oct. 10, told about 250 party supporters Sunday that during the last week on the campaign trail she had met with a number of local government and social agency officials, but “in the past few week’s we’ve also been putting together the government.”
Smith earned a huge round of applause noting that recently Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has proposed the “Saskatchewan First Act.”
“Don’t be surprised if you see similar language in our legislation when it’s put forward in the fall,” said Smith, who won the party campaign with an Alberta Sovereignty Act as a key plank.
“This scares Ottawa not a little bit. Alberta is going to start speaking to Ottawa from a place of strength… I wouldn’t be surprised to see a whole pile of other provinces put together versions of our Sovereignty Act.”
A large portion of her 15-minute address also centred on her plan for health-care reform, addressing current staff and ambulance shortages by replacing the Alberta Health Services board and top managers and empowering workers.
“The elite AHS management has failed you and failed us, failed doctors and nurses and failed paramedics and social workers that are working so hard,” she told the crowd. “It’s time to say goodbye to the elite AHS management.”
She plans a “grassroots health commissioner” to stabilize the system to work with “ground level” health workers to provide advice.
There was no press availability at the event with Smith, who staged a similar rally on Saturday in Brooks, and held separate meetings with municipal councils in the region. Crews left the hour-long meet and greet in the Hat to door knock.
Alberta Party leader Barry Morishita met with Brooks city council on Monday, and said that after three weeks of door-knocking, voters are less focused with Smith’s major agenda, but on day-to-day issues.
“It’s almost universally about affordability, access to health care, especially in the Hat where it’s a primary care (family doctors) issue, the UCP de-indexing benefits,” said Morishita on Monday.
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s some talk in there about how we interact with Ottawa, but it’s not at the top of the list.”
Morishita said his campaign has counted 3,000 conversations at doorsteps since the election was called.
The campaign for NDP candidate Gwendoline Dirk said they are operating one of the largest campaigns they’ve put on in the region, with more than 100 registered volunteers actively campaigning.
“It is clear that Danielle Smith doesn’t understand people here in Brooks-Medicine Hat don’t want more chaos in their health care,” Dirk said in a statement to the News. “I talk to the people of these communities every day, and what they want is to be able to get the care they need when they need it.
“Right now, no doctors are accepting new patients in Medicine Hat, and residents of Brooks-Medicine Hat don’t know if an ambulance will be there if they call. We need a government that is focused on these frontline issues.
“I remain focused on the frontline health-care workers and the residents of Brooks-Medicine Hat who need a government that supports and respects them.
A forum arranged by the Alberta Teachers Association is scheduled to take place Tuesday in Brooks, followed by a Chamber of Commerce forum in that city on Wednesday. The Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce is set to host a local debate on Thursday.
Those events will include Independence Party of Alberta candidate Bob Blayone, according to sources.
Wildrose Independence Party candidate Jeevan Mangat is also on the ballot in the byelection, which concludes on Nov. 8.
