The National hears from Alberta voters tonight
I’m Adrienne Arsenault and The National is again broadcasting out of Medicine Hat, Alta., tonight. We have a solid conversation with four proud Albertans who have differing political views, but they share the same ambition — to make this province stronger and, by extension, make Canada stronger.
This isn’t a swing riding. It’s reliably conservative, but they don’t want their loyal vote taken for granted. They have expectations that it should be easier to get oil and gas moved, cattle processed here in Alberta — not sent to the U.S. then brought back — and interprovincial trade barriers lifted.
And on the suggestions of secession or a unity crisis ahead, they say they understand the emotion behind it, the feeling of Alberta being misunderstood, but don’t really like that talk of breaking away. Kody Traxel, who works at a cattle feed farm and has worked in oil and gas, was quick to leap in and talk about unity.
“The separation thing, I’m not a fan of it, but I’ll tell you that right now, at this time, it is something very talked about. It isn’t a joke anymore,” he said. “I really think if we don’t tighten up the straps and get back to business and get us working, get affordability down, we’re going to be in big trouble.”
Four hard-working, passionate voters. One good chat. Tonight on The National.
