Bob Blayone speaks at an Independence Party of Alberta event in Medicine Hat on Oct. 17, 2022. (Screengrab From Facebook/An Independence

By Chris Brown

Independence Party of Alberta fielding candidate in Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection

Oct 19, 2022 | 2:29 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A former supporter of the UCP is running to represent Brooks-Medicine Hat as a member of The Independence Party of Alberta.

Bob Blayone currently lives in Peace River but will be in the riding for the next three weeks campaigning for the vacant Brooks-Medicine Hat seat. He says he and his wife are committed to moving to Medicine Hat should he win the byelection on Nov. 8.

Blayone, former president and a co-founder of the Alberta Prosperity Project, says he became disillusioned with the UCP over its handling of COVID-19 and the public health measures. He says the government “ruled with an iron fist” through the pandemic.

He took exception to that approach and walked away from the party. Blayone says The Independence Party is about bringing back accountability and the individual rights and freedoms of all Albertans

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“Whether it’s COVID or these climate change policies coming forward now or parental rights or land rights or any of that, the Independence message, it boils down to our individual sovereign rights and freedoms,” Blayone says. “So we have a component of the solution of referendum in our platform but a very strong presence of bringing back accountability into our government, government structures.”

READ MORE: Who votes in Brooks-Medicine Hat?

An event was held by the party in Medicine Hat on Monday evening and another will take place Wednesday in Brooks. Blayone says he’ll be holding more of those events as well as breakfast and lunch community meetings during the campaign.

The NDP’s Gwendoline Dirk, Alberta Party’s Barry Morishita and Danielle Smith of the UCP are also running in the byelection.