One of Danielle Smith’s first steps as the new leader of the United Conservative Party was to announce she will run in the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding.
MLA Michaela Frey stepped down Saturday to make way for Smith, who won the UCP leadership race on Thursday.
“We need strong representation in Brooks-Medicine Hat,” Frey said. “We need somebody who understands that rural Alberta needs to be treated fairly, that Alberta needs a strong place in confederation, that without a strong Alberta, there is no strong Canada,” Frey said.
Smith won the leadership on the sixth ballot, capturing 42,423 votes to beat Travis Toews, who earned 36,480 votes.
Smith promised during a news conference Saturday that she will be a strong voice for rural Alberta in addition to serving as premier designate.
“I know that our rural ridings don’t feel like they had a strong voice at the table, especially during the pandemic,” Smith said. “Their voice will be heard, it will be prominent, and it will be respected.
Smith said she will be a strong MLA for her riding.
Smith, who will become Alberta’s 19th premier, succeeding Jason Kenney, said the fact she lives in the Livingstone-Macleod riding and has the duties of premier will not hamper her role as MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat.
“I’m prepared to travel a lot,” Smith told reporters. “People will be able to have full access to me.”
“The interesting part of a riding that is as diverse as this is that there are many other rural ridings that have the same issues,” Smith said. “If we can solve some of those issues here then I think we’ll be able to solve them for all the municipalities.”
“I feel very confident that I will be able to represent this riding well.”
Smith listed as priority issues the twinning of Highway 3, linear assessment in rural Alberta, mental health and addiction, and cleaning up orphan wells.
“Those would be the first ones that come to mind for me,” Smith said.
Smith also said she supports the proposed move to an Alberta provincial police force to replace the RCMP.
Smith said it is time that policing meets the needs of a modern Alberta.
“I think that begins with an Alberta provincial police force,” Smith said.
Smith said she looks forward to the day Alberta can cancel its contract with the federal government for the services of the RCMP.
Smith expects her government will be able to convince rural municipal leaders to support a provincial police force.
“I think when we are able to demonstrate that we will get higher value, better policing, and it won’t cost municipalities any more we will be able to get that buy-in,” Smith said.
Smith, 51, entered Alberta politics in 2009 and became leader of the Wildrose Party.
Smith was elected Highwood MLA in 2012 and served as leader of the official opposition until 2014 when she crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative Party.
Smith lost her bid for re-election in 2015 and later became a talk show host on a Calgary radio station.
Smith campaigned against Toews, Brian Jean, Leela Aheer, Tod Loewen, Rajan Sawhney and Rebecca Schulz.
