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Wildrose leader makes her case in Redwater

Danielle Smith concerned about upgrader deal

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FILE PHOTO/St. Albert Gazette

LEADER VISITS - Wildrose leader Danielle Smith spoke to residents in Redwater on Feb. 1, as part of a province-wide tour she is making in a lead up to the provincial election.

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Wildrose leader Danielle Smith talked to local supporters in Redwater last week, taking aim at two ridings where her party hopes for success in the upcoming election.

Local candidates Travis Olson and Link Byfield were on hand as Smith spoke to about 40 people in Redwater as part of a provincial tour leading up to the spring campaign.

Smith said she believes Albertans were ready to see what Premier Alison Redford had to offer, but she has not lived up to their expectations.

“I think Albertans are fair minded, they wanted to give the new premier a chance, but after three months we have seen the kind of party she is going to lead and the kind of leader she is going to be.”

Just kilometres away from where North West Upgrading will start construction on its refinery, Smith said told the audience she has lingering doubts about the deal between the company and the Alberta government that paved the way for the plant.

Smith said she supports the Bitumen Royalty in Kind program that will allow companies to pay their royalties in bitumen rather than cash. She said her concern is the deal with North West does more than just provide bitumen and puts taxpayers’ dollars at risk.

“We don't believe the government should be trying to pick winners and losers. We don't believe the taxpayers should be backstopping that program.”

She said her party is willing to look at varying royalty rates for companies, but also wants to streamline the regulatory process for upgraders and refineries.

“Why would anyone want to invest $3 billion in an upgrading or refinery project if they can't make their first dollar back in sales? This is the reason why we don't have any of these projects here.”

Smith also took several questions about ambulance dispatch. She said not all municipalities are going to want to return to the old system, but she is committed to working with them to find the right local solutions.

“We want to work with each municipality and find out what is going to work best for them,” she said. “There are very good reasons to have local dispatch. If you live and work in a community you know the roads.”

Smith said she is hopeful her party will be able to elect both Olson and Byfield, because there is a reception to the Wildrose message in the Sturgeon area.

“The more I travel, the more I hear about the frustration people have.”

Byfield, who is running in the Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock riding, said he is confident the Sturgeon area can be a breakthrough area for the fledgling party.

“I don't think we have a good chance, I know we have a have a good chance,” he said. “I think a lot of people have turned direction and come to us because the PC have just made too many mistakes and they are not undoing them in any appreciable way.”

Byfield said at the doors he is hearing people who are simply tired of the status quo.

“It was kind of like how the Social Credit lost in 1971. People didn't hate them, they were just tired of them.”

Olson, the candidate for Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater, also said the people he talks to are disappointed with the current government and open to new ideas.

“There is almost no one who says they are a devout PC supporter,” he said. “They have to make up their mind about us and a bunch of that is getting the information out.”

Olson said having Smith come to the riding is important, helps create attention and also gives voters an idea of what the Wildrose is about.

“When they get to meet Danielle they get to see what a true conservative leader looks like and I think that is something that has been missing in the province for the past six years.”