Express Staff
United Conservative Party incumbent Todd Loewen was elected Wildrose MLA in 2015 in what is now the defunct electoral district of Grande Prairie-Smoky.
Born and raised on a farm near Valleyview, Loewen still lives in the area where he runs a small business.
With the re-drawn electoral district, he is now running in Central Peace-Notley, which incorporates Fox Creek, Valleyview, Spirit River, Fairview and Falher.
“The Peace Country has so much to offer this province and this nation,” Loewen says.
“We have hard-working, talented people who know how to get the most out of a land rich in natural resources. And, in all areas of this new constituency, from Fox Creek to Fairview, we understand the value of our oil and gas, forestry, and agricultural sectors, along with the many other businesses and industries that benefit from a strong and productive economy.”
Loewen is a strong supporter of Alberta’s energy sector and an advocate for the approval of all pipelines.
He also supports the elimination of “out-of-touch environmental regulation such as the multi-billion dollar carbon tax.”
He strongly believes in creating an economic environment free of excessive red tape and high taxes so Alberta can once again have a prosperous economy that attracts investment.
“We can get the economic engine of Alberta fired up again and bring back the lost revenue that went away when so many people lost their jobs and businesses,” he says.
“I am proud of the work we do here in the Peace Country and in all of Alberta. The whole nation should understand the value of our natural resources and see that when Alberta thrives, we all thrive together.”
Loewen also suggests that foreign interests who want to see Alberta’s oil and gas land-locked fund many of those who oppose the province’s oil and gas industry.
“We cannot let this slander and manipulation continue, “he says. “A UCP government will have a multi-point ‘fight back’ strategy that includes countering these smears and taking steps to push that foreign money out of politics.”
He also sets his sights on opponents of Alberta’s oil and gas industries and pipeline expansion here in Canada.
“Unfortunately, it seems that opponents of Albertan prosperity are also found right here in Canada. We know that Trudeau has vowed to ‘phase out’ the oil sands and has no interest in defending our right to sell our resources to market through pipelines. His actions have consistently made energy development more difficult, if not impossible, pushing tens of billions of dollars in investment to other places in the world.”
He also suggests that Alberta can no longer afford a government that “plays nice” with Trudeau, and that the province needs to stand up to the Prime Minister’s hits on our economy.
“The NDP carbon tax, meant to appease Ottawa and buy so-called “social license”, has failed and brought with it nothing but economic pain and misery for northern Albertan families who rely on fuels for their vehicles, homes, and businesses. We will immediately scrap this punishing tax,” he says.
Loewen also supports a rather radical response if Canada does not permit pipelines and development in this province.
“We are prepared to play Alberta’s strongest card: forcing a referendum on equalization that will allow us to renegotiate the billions of dollars that flow out of our province. If the country cannot respect our place in Confederation, we will change the generous arrangement that provides so much wealth to other provinces.”
Loewen says the UCP has a detailed plan to get the economy back on track, make life better for families again, and stand up for Alberta’s interests.
He says he believes in strong communities, supported by good public services and that he believes in keeping important services such as health care, education, and seniors’ care, right here in rural Alberta as much as possible.
“These things are important to me and I want them to last. This is why the UCP wants the government to be fiscally responsible and careful with our tax dollars,” he says.
“It’s also why we want to bring back a strong economy that can help us pay for these services.”