Over taxation, crime and economy are a few of the issues Dawn Berard said are important to her in the upcoming election.
The Freedom Conservative Party (FCP) candidate for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre says she and her party are looking to bring “more Alberta, less Ottawa” control.
“If Ottawa does not want to negotiate within one year, Albertans will vote [in an independence referendum],” said Berard in an email.
Berard, who is running in her first election, says she chose to run with the FCP after doing research of all the different parties.
“I felt FCP goals are, by far, more in line with Albertans’ needs than other parties,” explained Berard. “I chose FCP because I believe they best represent what Albertans want.”
Berard added she volunteers with many organizations, including Clearwater County Rural Crime Watch as a board member for the past five years.
“Rural crime issues are important,” Berard said. “FCP’s (strictly regulated) right to property and self-protection policy are one of the many things attracting me to the FCP.”
She said “there are so many issues, too many to mention,” all of which are of equal importance to her.
“To name a few, Alberta’s crumbling economy is leaving out residents with little to no funds along with diminishing health care, over taxation and a lack of pipeline development,” said Berard.
Berard added she, like many Albertans, fears vote splitting.
She explained the FCP is only running candidates in “strong conservative communities” to prevent vote splitting from happening, which she described as “a very savvy strategy.”
Berard said the “short list” of what the FCP has in store is to fix the economy, lower taxes, restore democracy and accountability, quality education and health care, rights and justice, a future for seniors, as well as provincial immigration control, which would “see Alberta immigration levels scaled on unemployment rather than annual quotas.”
She also said the FCP is the only major party who will fight in court to fully kill the carbon tax.
She says the FCP will bring back the Alberta Advantage 10% Flat Tax, abolish small business taxes and bring back the 10 per cent corporate tax.
Berard added the FCP will also balance the operating budget within one year and the consolidated budget within three years.
“We will balance the budget by ending all corporate welfare and cutting wasteful spending,” explained Berard.