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By Chris Brown

Undecided on spring plans

Barnes won’t seek UCP nomination for spring election

Jan 25, 2023 | 9:48 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes will not be running for the UCP nomination in the riding but his political future remains unclear.

In a statement posted to social media Wednesday, Barnes says while he won’t seek to rejoin his former party “he will continue representing his constituents as an Independent.”

The statement makes no mention of whether he will seek re-election in this spring’s provincial election. On Thursday, the three-term MLA said that since yesterday’s announcement says he’s had contact with two official parties. Barnes wouldn’t disclose which parties but describes them as a small conservative rural party and another with more of an independence mind.

He said he’s also had contact with a loose group of Independents, and he’s strongly considering running as an Independent which he has been since then-premier Jason Kenny kicked him out of the UCP caucus in May 2021.

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“A lot of Cypress-Medicine Hatters, a lot of Albertans have seen the value in me being an Independent, me being not whipped me being able to stand up and say you know when government direction is right or wrong and speak freely for the citizens of Cypress-Medicine Hat,” Barnes told CHAT News. “People like that, so there’s many people around Alberta that would like to see that continue in some shape or form and now that it’s clear that I’m not going to be seeking the UCP nomination we’ll see what develops, we’ll see what ideas come from forward.”

Barnes says he supports the concept of a Sovereignty Act and in the longer term province needs to get what he calls a fair deal with Ottawa. He also supports Premier Danielle Smith’s promise to end vaccine mandates and vaccine passport discrimination.

He says he’s disappointed she’s backed away from that promise and his constituents tell him they would have preferred tax cuts instead of select affordability payments this winter.

At this time, he says, government must immediately address the affordability crisis.

Barnes says he doesn’t have a firm timeline for a decision on his political future but hopes to make one in early March.

Wednesday’s full statement from Barnes is below.