Alberta Legislature

By Charles Lefebvre

Election 2019

Barnes says Alberta ready to speak out on issues following federal election

Oct 22, 2019 | 3:52 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The MLA representing Cypress-Medicine Hat says Alberta is ready to get loud about the issues they’re facing after the federal election.

Drew Barnes offered congratulations to Glen Motz, who will represent the riding of Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner for another term.

“I’m so pleased to see the people of southeastern Alberta have sent back a Conservative with strong fiscal convictions and a voice for our area. I’m glad for that,” he said over the phone from Edmonton.

However, Barnes says he was disappointed in the overall result, which saw the Liberal Party of Canada win a minority government.

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“Canada has shown, especially for Western Canada, that not using our competitive advantage of the best people, agriculture products and oil and gas only works to our detriment,” he said. “I guess we’ll see what the future brings.”

Barnes says the results in Alberta and Saskatchewan, in which all but one seat went to the Conservatives, showed people in those areas feel the Conservative party is the best option for them.

He says he is not expecting a challenge with regards to the Trans-Mountain Pipeline expansion, and says he will hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to his word that the pipeline will be built.

“He used $4.5 billion dollars of our (tax) dollars to purchase it, he’s talked long and often about support for the Trans Mountain Pipeline,” he said. “His party’s 150 plus seats and the Conservatives 120 plus seats, that’s a vast majority of Parliament that believes in pipelines.”

Barnes says politicians at both the provincial and federal levels in Alberta are prepared to advocate for the province’s interest, including oil and gas development and deficit spending.

“My full expectation is that, now more than ever, we’ll have to make sure Alberta’s voices, and Alberta’s needs and Alberta’s difficulties are at the national table to make sure that every Alberta family has the opportunity to live life to the fullest,” he said.