Drew Barnes

The conservative movement is restless. In politics, summer is supposed to be the time of barbecues and glad-handing. But away from the carefully orchestrated events hosted by the most partisan insiders, the base is asking questions. Why are we paying so much for power and heat? Why are we having so many grid alerts threatening electricity brownouts? And when exactly did I sign up to support Net Zero decarbonization schemes?

With it comes a chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle, and take some time to recharge. It’s also time for campfires and deep thoughts. And for the politically inclined, it’s a chance to take a long hard look at the issues facing our families, our communities, our economy, and the province we love. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of five things to think about this summer.

To call it shocking would be an understatement. Canada’s largest public sector unions have declared a “summer of discontent” over the idea that, starting Sept. 9th, employees will have to report to their assigned office three days a week, rather than two days a week.

By now, most Medicine Hat residents are well aware of the recent infighting within City Council. Months of behind-the-scenes squabbling between management, elected officials, and the Mayor has boiled over, resulting in an ongoing series of embarrassing headlines and media stories.

Under the Constitution, every Canadian province has the right to collect its own taxes. Quebec, for example, has been collecting its own provincial taxes since 1954. Alberta collecting its own provincial taxes only makes sense. It creates jobs in Alberta for Albertans using tax money that would have been sent to and misused by Ottawa. As our province already collects its own provincial corporate income taxes, an administration system is already in place, minimizing the need for any new expenses

But nothing changed. The 2024 budget, released this week, calls for $73 billion in spending. When you include population growth and inflation, spending remains at NDP levels. Fed up with Jason Kenney’s Ontario-style big spending policies, Albertans expected change under Danielle Smith, who took the reins as Premier in October of 2022.

The Government of Alberta has a responsibility ensure electricity service remains reliable, affordable, and safe. Brownouts and/or rotating blackouts are unacceptable, as are further increases in Albertans’ electric bills. A new approach is needed. Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf must immediately and publicly present a plan to restore affordability and confidence in our electric system.

For a vast country like ours, home to abundant natural resources and one of the world’s leading agricultural industries, continued population growth should come as great news. We have the tools and the skills to feed world markets for years to come.

The Ottawa Brain Trust announced a new methane credit trading system designed to limit the emissions of cattle burps. The idea here is to pressure ranchers into feeding more corn as well as potentially some chemical additives to reduce methane emissions.

"Sure, Smith talks tough when the cameras are on – but she’s more than happy to play ball with the federal government and the World Economic Forum the second you’re not looking."

Carbon taxes and inflation are driving up the cost of everything, the housing crisis has made home ownership a distant dream for our kids, and the gap between rich and poor has never been larger. This might sound like some far off doomsday prediction. It’s not. In fact, it’s a simple restatement of headlines from this year, 2023. The doomsday scenario as we move towards to 2030 is much worse: The disappearance of Canada’s middle class.

Many of us have a personal connection to Canada’s military history. For me, my Great Uncle was wounded in the First World War. My wife lost two people close to her family in the Second World War, including an uncle and her mother’s first husband. I’m sure your family lost loved ones as well. Remembering their courage and sacrifice is a duty we can all be proud to accept.

As a proud former Wildrose MLA, I can tell you for certain that the UCP is in no immediate danger of becoming Wildrose 2.0. But you probably won’t hear that from the CBC. It doesn’t fit their narrative.

Economic freedom is not just a slogan. It is something that can be quantified and tracked, using a variety of indicators, including the size of government, the effectiveness of courts, freedom of trade, and regulatory efficiency. High economic freedom rankings are important because they are closely linked with the reduction of poverty, longer life expectancy, and improved quality of life. Historically speaking, Canadians have enjoyed relatively high levels of economic freedom, although our nation has been slipping of late according to two recent reports.

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took his anti-Alberta condescension to a whole new level, lecturing the government of Alberta for consulting on the creation of an Alberta Pension Plan. Fresh off a Supreme Court ruling detailing how his government violated the Constitution of Canada with regard to its C-69 “no more pipelines” law, the Prime Minister seems determined to repeat his mistake. In his open letter to the Premier, Trudeau stated he has instructed his cabinet and officials to do “everything possible” to ensure the CPP remains intact.

As a group, most small-c conservatives agree on the importance of equality of opportunity. We believe that all people are born equal in the eyes of our creator. As such, we reject the concept of limiting any individual’s opportunities based solely on arbitrary factors like race or gender. As such, we strongly reject concepts like slavery, which denies freedom, or caste social systems, which prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.

Smaller government can’t just mean smaller than the NDP.

If it seems to you like the modern conservative movement is having an identity crisis, you’re not wrong. Nowhere is this more apparent than the waning commitment to free markets. Generally speaking, small-scale conservatives understand that free markets are the most efficient and the most effective way to grow our economy. The forces of supply and demand create competition, which helps ensure that the best goods and services are provided to consumers at the lowest possible price.

Over the past two weeks, the hot topic in media (besides Trudeau’s latest scandals) has been the subject of creating a provincial pension plan in Alberta. So far, the debate has centered on financial details. On this front, the case of a provincial pension plan is clear. Albertans can immediately pay less in contributions and collect more in pension payments under a provincial plan.

If you follow politics locally or nationally, you will notice a trend. The most hotly debated issues tend to fall along ideological and partisan fault lines. These tend to be the most divisive issues, and as a result they are the most likely to affect the outcome of elections. However, with all the attention paid to these hot button issues, there are many others that get ignored to the detriment of us all. One such issue, which cuts to the core competency of government, is the so-called chain of command.

Today homelessness, whether it is related to unemployment, under-employment, addictions, or mental health issues, continues to plague our city despite the best efforts of dozens of dedicated social workers and volunteers. We agree on one thing: Looking away isn’t going to solve this problem. But neither is fighting this cause with one hand tied behind our back.

Hatters deserve the final say on electricity profits. For most Albertans, today’s electricity costs are shocking. The question is, as the owners of their own electric company what do these rising costs mean for Medicine Hat residents? In the short term, the City stands to collect tens of millions in new revenue as prices soar.

If you’re a parent or you’ve ever gone on a long car ride with small children, at some point you have likely heard the aptly titled, “Song that never ends.” For those who’ve forgotten it, allow me to refresh your memory. The lyrics go like this: “This is the song that never ends. It goes on and on, my friend! Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, And they will continue singing it forever just because…”

There’s no nice way to say it: public faith in Canada’s democratic institutions is dying.

There’s an old saying: The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen. This has never been more apparent in Canada.