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Glasgo says economy the biggest issue for voters in Brooks-Medicine Hat

Mar 21, 2019 | 3:14 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB —Michaela Glasgo says there have been three issues she has been hearing as she’s been knocking on doors in the Brooks-Medicine Hat

“People are concerned about jobs, the economy and pipelines,” she says. “We need to make sure we’re getting Albertans back to work.”

Glasgo, who served as the press secretary for the United Conservative Party’s Drew Barnes when he was a MLA,  was selected as the nominee for the party in July 2018. She will be seeking a seat in the provincial legislature, running against Lynn MacWilliam (NDP), Jim Black (Alberta Party) and Todd Beasley (independent).

Glasgo says, if elected, the party would focus on economic growth. The party previously announced its Job Creation Tax Cut, which would cut corporate taxes from 12 per cent to eight per cent over four years. They’ve also promised a repeal of the province’s carbon tax.

“Our very first step in reigniting Alberta’s economy is scrapping the carbon tax,” she said. “That’s coming on the very first bill of our United Conservative government. That will allow investors to come back to Alberta with less regulatory strain, as well as less burden on the regular Alberta person, taxpayer, everyone in between.”

Glasgo says the party will also continue fighting the tax federally if elected, noting the United Conservative Party received intervenor status in the challenge to the carbon tax federally.

“So far, we have been litigating this case in court, and we’re hoping that we bring this carbon tax away from Albertans, and that we can block Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax,” she said. “But, also the other part of that is making sure we have a Conservative government elected in Ottawa as well. So after we are finished our election here – and hopefully we’re successful with the United Conservative Party government and Jason Kenney as Premier – we’ll go on to help our federal partners, and make sure we can have Alberta have a strong voice in Confederation by having a Conservative government in Ottawa.”

In January, Glasgo made headlines across the province for a Tweet she posted regarding the carbon tax, claiming it would cost her church $50,000 in one year. The tweet has since been deleted.

Backlash was swift, and within hours of it being posted, Glasgo took to Facebook to clarify, stating the $50,000 amount included not only the carbon tax levy, but all operating expenses for the church.

“I think one of the strongest qualities that your representative can have is humility,” she said. “I have committed myself to a higher standard before I entered politics, and I’m going to keep committing myself to that standard going through here.

“I want to bring that humility into the legislature by being able to apologize, and that’s exactly what I did. I did make a mistake, admitted to that quickly, and i completely apologize for that. On top of that, I know that the carbon tax, it doesn’t change the fact that the carbon tax is a tax on heating people’s homes, and driving their kids to hockey. We need to make sure that we have a strong government that’s willing to take that burden off of the average person.”

Under the current carbon tax in Alberta, single Albertans who make a household income of less than $47,500, and families whose combined household income is less than $95,000 per year, receive rebates from the provincial government several times a year.

Glasgo adds she is looking forward to continuing to knock on doors in her riding through the rest of the campaign. She has two campaign offices, one in Medicine hat (717 20th Street Northeast), and the other in Brooks (440 2nd Street West)

She also can be found on Facebook.