Smith leadership what Alberta needs: MLA Hunter

By Trevor Busch
Taber Times
editor@tabertimes.com

With Premier Danielle Smith facing a leadership review at the upcoming United Conservative Party AGM Nov. 1-2 in Red Deer, Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter feels Smith has done a good job since taking over the UCP leadership in 2022.

“Very impressed,” said Hunter. “As you know, I was supporting Travis Toews in that leadership originally. Travis and I were good friends and I really didn’t know Danielle Smith at the time, but as I’ve gotten to know her and watch what she’s doing, I think that she’s the right person for the job right now.”

Hunter believes the province needs a warrior to face Ottawa, and he sees the right streak of militancy in Smith through her dealings with the federal government.

“Alberta needs a very strong, capable premier to be able to push back on some of the encroachments that we’re seeing from Ottawa, and she’s doing a great job on that front. And she’s the type of person that I believe really cares about Alberta. I mean, we really need to have a premier that really loves Alberta. And I believe that that’s who she is. She cares about everything – she wants it to be the best place in the world to live.” 

Long-standing issues like health care are being tackled head on by Smith, argues Hunter.

“She’s focused on trying to be able to to revamp the healthcare system. It’s not acceptable when someone has to wait 18 months for a hip replacement – that’s not good healthcare. She’s trying to fix it so that we can fix some of the problems with healthcare. And I know that reorganizations are not easy, and you know you’re not going to make everybody happy there. But it was – I think most people you talk to even within AHS said, ‘It’s gotten so big that the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.’ And there was lots of good things going on in healthcare, I’m not saying that it was all bad. And I think Premier Smith is tackling a very, very tough file, but she’s doing it with a really good minister, Adrianna LaGrange, who is doing it carefully, trying to get lots of good feedback.”

The AGM is being held at Westerner Park in Red Deer, and will also feature a keynote address from Smith, policy and governance debates, special guest speakers, and presentation of the Strong & Free Awards.