A well-known local political face has thrown his hat into provincial politics, as former city councillor James Burrows has been announced as the candidate for the Wildrose Alliance in the riding of St. Albert.
The party announced on Thursday that Burrows would be their candidate in the riding in the next election, potentially facing off against current Progressive Conservative incumbent Ken Allred.
Burrows was a three-term city councillor who was narrowly defeated in the last municipal election, just 14 votes out of a possible council seat.
Burrows said he attended the Wildrose convention earlier this year and was impressed with the party and the people it had attracted.
“I was really impressed with what I saw,” he said. “I find most of the people that I met to be mainstream forward-thinking Albertans like me.”
Burrows said he believes the PCs have lost touch after too many years in power.
“Time and time again over the last three years, I think the Stelmach government has failed us, and I really believe Danielle Smith, with her leadership and her vision, can move us forward.”
Burrows said he also doesn’t believe simply changing their leader will help the Tories reconnect with voters.
Burrows, who dealt with Allred during his many years on council, said he is an excellent MLA, but the government he represents is on the wrong track.
“I positively like Ken as a person. I think he has been a great MLA for our city, but I think he is constrained within the modus operandi of the party,” he said. “Overall he has been a great MLA for our city, but I just think moving forward we need a new government.”
Burrows said some of his biggest concerns with the current government are over Bill 36, the controversial land-use legislation, and Bill 50, the critical infrastructure legislation.
He said they narrow landowner rights and are a sign the government is running short on ideas.
“They are just fundamentally wrong in a free and democratic society,” he said. “It is representative of a government that has been in power for way too long.”
Burrows said he was the only person to put his name forward for the Wildrose nomination in St. Albert, which gave him the spot through acclamation.
Burrows was once an Alberta Liberal party member, but he said, prior to joining the Wildrose Alliance, he hadn’t held a membership since 2005.
He said the Wildrose Alliance is the party best suited to govern the province.
“I think the Wildrose is the best party for representing Albertans, mainstream Albertans.”
