If you’re interested in changing the political landscape in the province, you’ll pay attention to the Alberta Party, said candidate Andrew Berdahl.
“We’re the ones calling for more rational decision making and increased transparency in our democratic institutions to hold the government more accountable,” said Berdahl, running in the Drumheller-Stettler riding. “We want to see less rigid adherence to political party dogma.”
That means creating a greater emphasis on leadership and communication and less on party influence.
MLAs should be working for the public, not their parties, he added.
Berdahl, 43, has been politically involved for a long time, he said, and over time it became more and more clear what he wanted to represent. The Alberta Party was a perfect match.
Berdahl was elected to Drumheller’s town council in 2007. Her serves on the disaster service committee, community futures, and the municipal planning commission.
“I have lots of experience working with municipal politics and understanding the relationship with the province,” he said. “I also understand what it means to be faithful to the overall goals of a community and how to balance priorities.”
Berdahl said he’d like to see more conversation on rural economic development and concrete ways fiscal responsibility can actually be carried out.
“We live in one of the best places possible,” he said. “But, in terms of culture, I’m concerned about the health of long-term democracy.”
Berdahl also teaches at Drumheller Valley Secondary School and is the head of the Drumheller Outreach School.
He was raised in Edmonton but moved to Drumheller, where his father’s family is originally from, 15 years ago.
He has two children.
rfrancoeur@reddeeradvocate