UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith delivers remarks at a rally in Medicine Hat. (Photo Courtesy Gates Guarin)

By Gates Guarin

UCP leadership hopeful Danielle Smith holds ballot drop-off, rally in Medicine Hat

Sep 28, 2022 | 4:23 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – United Conservative Party leadership candidate Danielle Smith campaigned in front of a large crowd Tuesday evening in Medicine Hat. Smith was in the city as part of a stop for UCP members to cast their leadership ballot for the next leader of the party.

Smith had a busy campaign day, starting her day in Stettler and hosting meet and greets in Three Hills, Drumheller and Brooks before capping off the day here in Medicine Hat.

During the rally, Smith touched on her plans for recruitment and retention of doctors, saying a 30-day review is needed for health-care facilities and that the province hasn’t been getting the “straight goods” from Alberta health services.

“We’ve got to be using our facilities to their full value, and I think what we’re probably going to find is that the only way we can do the recruitment of staff is to have local administrators of local boards who are making local decisions in the interest of the local community,” Smith said. “I think that the health superboard has been a disaster, and we’ve got to start getting more of those decisions closer to home.”

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Smith has campaigned on a focused platform of ideas she believes are the most pressing in the province. Her platform includes fixing provincial health care, a guarantee of no further COVID lockdowns or restrictions and further pressing for autonomy through her proposed provincial Sovereignty Act, a platform piece which has dominated discussion and debate.

Fellow leadership hopefuls like Brian Jean and Travis Toews have been critical of Smith’s Sovereignty Act plan. Premier Jason Kenney has also voiced his concerns, saying at a news conference earlier this month the act would “effectively take us to the brink of separation from the Canadian federation.” When asked how she would unite her party should she become premier, Smith remained confident she could get the job done.

“All of the candidates have talked about autonomy, have promised no lockdowns and have also talked about restructuring the health-care system,” Smith said. “We all have slightly different ways we’d go about it, but I think we’ve got a lot of common cause on that.

“Everybody has heard loud and clear from Albertans from this process that those are the three things we’ve got to concentrate on, and we will in the fall session,” Smith adds.

Smith was also asked about the twinning of Highway 3, an issue on the minds of many in attendance. “Municipalities shouldn’t be sitting around waiting for governments to decide on high priority projects, especially when it has to do with safety., Smith said.

Ballots must be in by Oct. 3 by 5 p.m. The next leader of the United Conservative Party will be announced on Oct. 6 in Calgary.