Republican Party of Alberta leader Cameron Davies believes Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills riding residents are ready for a different party.
"It's time for an Alberta that is truly strong and free," he said in a Wednesday interview. "What we're getting right now from Ottawa is more of the same.
'And, unfortunately, the status quo government in Edmonton, and their failed and flawed policies and talking points, aren't fixing it."
"Strongly worded letters and lawsuits have had their time. That time has come and gone and now is the time for action and that is what the Republican Party of Alberta is offering."
Davies said his party offers a "true conservative alternative and unapologetic conservative values and principles and a party that is going to fight day and night for a sovereign, independent Alberta."
Riding residents have told him they are concerned that misplaced faith is being put in the possibility of the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney being willing to give Alberta a better deal.
"The concern from voters is that Justin Trudeau read the book on how to be a socialist. Mark Carney is the one who wrote it, and we have a provincial government in Edmonton that has high hopes that somehow Mark Carney is going to be better than Justin Trudeau.
"Voters are seeing through that and they are not accepting that and they want change."
Davies, who lives in south Red Deer, about 25 minutes from the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills riding, believes separation support among voters is "far, far above two-thirds.
"It's quite refreshing. People have seen the disastrous Liberal decade of decline and they've seen that eastern Canada and Quebec has doubled down and wanting a continuation of that.
"There's an understanding that we've tried mediation, we've tried reconciliation. None of those things are working so at the very least we have to look at doing things differently and that starts with an independence referendum for Alberta."
He hopes to peel support away from the heavily favoured UCP "one conversation at a time," he said.
"There is an understanding that right now the UCP is not a socially conservative party. They've made it abundantly clear they don't share the values of most rural Albertans.
"They've made it clear that they're not a fiscally conservative party," he said, citing UCP's "bloated" government, the biggest cabinet in Alberta history and ballooning deficits.
"Three's an understanding out there the UCP is not socially conservative. They're not fiscally conservative and the residents Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills have begun asking themselves are (the UCP) even conservative."
"And if they're not, as many believe, who do we vote for next. And that's where the Republican Party of Alberta is stepping forward as unapologetic conservatives.
"We believe in small government, family values, families as the bedrock of our society, medical freedom, property rights and making sure that an Alberta that is independent isn't just lip service. We want to see action on the backs of that."
Davies will face off against UCP candidate and Acme-area farmer and Alberta Grains board chair Tara Sawyer and NDP candidate Bev Toews, an educator and community volunteer, in the June 23 byelection.
The seat will become vacant as of June 1 when Nathan Cooper officially resigns after the premier appointed him Alberta's new senior representative to the United States. Cooper also resigned as Legislative Assembly speaker, a job he has held since 2019. He was replaced on Tuesday by former Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver.
In announcing Toews as candidate on Tuesday, the Alberta NDP called her "a champion for young people and rural communities" with more than 25 years working in education supporting students and families.
“Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills deserves a representative who understands the challenges rural families are facing and is ready to fight for real solutions,” said Toews in a statement.
“From chaos in health care to the rising cost of living, I want to stand up for people in this part of the province and make their voices heard in the Legislature.”
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Toews "knows this community inside and out. She’s spent her life listening, helping, and building. Whether it’s mentoring the next generation, or advocating for her community, she will always stand up for Alberta values.”
“At a time when Danielle Smith’s UCP government continues to ignore the real struggles rural Albertans are facing, and instead pursues chaos, cuts, and corruption, Bev will be a powerful voice for change in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.”
