Calgary, AB (January 9th, 2018): Rick Fraser, MLA for Calgary-South East, has announced that he is running to become leader of the Alberta Party.
“I am excited to announce the start of my leadership campaign today, as well as my acceptance into the Alberta Party caucus. When I left the UCP caucus in September, I spoke about the issues and values that were important to me and to my constituents. Upon careful consideration, I am convinced that the Alberta Party shares many of the same values. I have great respect for Greg Clark and the work he has done as former and interim leader to build the Alberta Party, and I believe that my experience as both a paramedic and a politician will serve the party well in preparing us for the 2019 election.”
“In the letter announcing my decision to sit as an independent, I said that politics in Alberta was becoming increasingly polarized, and that we needed to approach politics differently. The Alberta Party has always pushed for the idea that politics is about bringing Albertans together, rather than dividing them. That is the kind of approach we need in this province, and bringing Albertans together will be my goal, both during the campaign and hopefully as leader of the party.”
“We will be rolling out more details in the coming weeks, but my campaign will focus on positioning the Alberta Party as the party of good fiscal management, science based environmental decision making, and forward thinking social policies. We must continue to invest in education and healthcare, while also introducing cost-saving and efficiency measures. We recognize that we cannot have lasting prosperity in this province if we don’t take care of our air and water, and will ensure our natural resources are developed responsibly. Lastly, we will not run away from addressing social issues that are important to Albertans.”
“It is for all these reasons and more that I cannot sit on the sidelines of this leadership race. With the support of my family and friends, I plan on bringing this message to Alberta Party members across the province, and to all Albertans in the run-up to the next election. I look forward to this chance to bring Albertans together.”
Rick Fraser was elected as an MLA for Calgary-South East in 2012, and served as Associate Minister of Flood Recovery, Associate Minister of Public Safety and Deputy Government Whip. After graduating from the University of Alberta Augustana Faculty paramedic program,Mr. Fraser worked as an advanced care paramedic for over 12 years, during which he also served two years as president of the Calgary Paramedics Union. Born and raised in Calgary, Rick and his wife Mishelle are raising two sons in Calgary’s southeast side.
