SPECIAL COVERAGE： Travis Toews Edmonton Campaign Kick-Off
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Summary
Chief Bill Morin of the Enoch-Cree Nation speaks at the Mayoral Campaign Kickoff Event in Edmonton, Alberta on National Indigenous Day. Chief Morin speaks about his vision for the future of Alberta's next premier, Travis Moore.
Transcript
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for Edmonton Center and I'm pleased to be the chair for the Edmonton region on outreach to
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make sure that we elect Travis as an ex-premier leader of our party and and premier of the
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province and we've got several dignitaries here I hate doing this because you're gonna
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miss someone but I'll I'll do my very best here we've got MLA's Tracy Allard Cyril Turton
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We've got former MLA Dave Quested in the back and former member of parliament, a good friend of mine, Laurie Hahn.
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And lastly, and not least, but one of my favourite people, because he was the mayor of the best
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city and the best province and the best country in the world, Bill Smith is here.
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So I'm really excited today, particularly on National Indigenous Day, to be able to introduce
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our first speaker who's going to be introducing Travis Moore formally and why are you here today
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you are here because this is about leadership this is about finding a leader and making sure
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that we get good leadership in good government and I believe that Travis has that in spades
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but we're also fortunate to have a community leader that has done so much for his people
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When Travis comes up, these are going to go up like this.
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no i'm not travis dave's height either what i said in my language was my name is actually
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sacred rider is uh my my name uh chief billy moran of enoch crea nation and um wow just feel the
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excitement in the room um and james thank you for that introduction acknowledge all my conservative
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friends in the uh in the room tonight uh how many people from here from just like edmonton like just
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edmonton come on louder like edmonton yeah you know i think as edmontonians you know when i
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actually actually spoke at piercing and my my comment was there this is not redmonton we still
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are conservatives i would say this is if not the still largest it's actually probably the second
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largest or 1b concentration of conservative family in alberta right here right in the city of edmonton
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and we need a champion we need a champion who can balance rule
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and urban centers who can balance edmonton and calgary we need a champion
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and who listens we need a champion who can go to the dinner table but also being the legislator in
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the corporate tables and i think our next premier has proven that over and over again we need a
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champion who can balance budgets give him a hand for that you know we know we're heading in a
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little bit of a different direction and he was there to listen but i got a challenge travis to
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do was sell me on a vision and tell me about your vision for alberta and uh he used the principles
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of conservatism um and the history that we've built as conservatives in this province to do
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and and show me a vision for the province but i'm gonna leave it up to him to say what his vision is
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and i certainly believe in travis i endorse travis to be our next premier
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and it is my honor to introduce my friends travis taves your next premier of alberta
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wow the conservative movement is alive and well in the capital region
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thank you all for taking time out of your evening out of your schedule on this beautiful evening
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in june to come out for the mint and campaign kickoff it is so appreciated appreciated it's
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incredible to see so many people that have sacrificed their evening for this i deeply
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appreciate your commitment to this movement and thank you uh chief thank you for hosting
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us here today it's so significant on indigenous people's day to actually
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have this event right here on the river cree in the enoch cree nation it is so significant and chief
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I am absolutely honoured and humbled with your endorsement of my leadership today.
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Friends, this is coming from a leader in his community.
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He has sacrificially and humbly provided and demonstrated servant leadership
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as he served the people in his community on this great Cree Nation.
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Positioning this nation for economic growth, for prosperity, for opportunity, for community members today and future generations.
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his dedication to transparency and humility in leadership his commitment to fiscal responsibility
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and we heard that again tonight and promoting economic development for the benefit of this
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community now and for the generations to come again these are the values we share thank you
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chief morin i i also i need to note a chief morin is um is transitioning he has served for seven
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years i believe a stepping into this great position of leadership at the very young age of 28
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that is so significant and providing sound wise leadership for this community and for this nation
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again thank you chief that is truly inspiring and and i do want to extend my congratulations
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to the newly elected chief cody thomas and wish chief thomas every success in his new role as well
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Kim and I are three children and, yes, 11 grandchildren, are proud Albertans.
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We've had an incredible opportunity to pursue careers and business interests
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and raise a family in a province of possibility and prosperity,
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a province where the ideals of freedom and self-determination are held in high regard.
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And until 2019, my career had been spent entirely in the private sector.
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I spent almost a dozen years in public practice, thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Like many of you, we were pulled into our family businesses.
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And since then, my wife, Kim, and I have grown and managed a family
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cattle fishing operation and environmental services company as well in the Grand Prairie
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region, and we've felt so privileged to do so. I've served on a number of provincial and national
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industry boards, including as president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association following BSE.
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There's been a motion in this province the last two years, there was a motion in that industry
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following that event but i did all of this as most as so many conservatives do you know with
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with our head down raising our family pursuing our business interests and not really paying
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attention to government quite frankly the best day was the day i didn't notice government
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as a conservative that was the best day we just i just took good government for granted
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and friends that all changed in 2015 all of a sudden when this province made a sharp left turn
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I sat up and took note because I was concerned that the opportunity the freedom the prosperity
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that my family had enjoyed perhaps even taken for granted may not be there for the next generation
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and so I got like many of you I got involved in the conservative unity effort
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starting at the grassroots and you know well eight or ten a dozen then 20 of us met
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in Grand Prairie this was the really great part I found that there were groups like this meeting
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right across the province all kinds of folks who'd never paid attention to politics were sitting up
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and taking note and asking the question what do we need to do as a movement to ensure that we can
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provide the same opportunities for the next generation that we'd been afforded.
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And I know certainly for our group, and I know for tens of thousands of others,
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it was about unity for conservative-minded Albertans.
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So like many of you, I stepped up to work on the unity movement, but then I stepped up also to
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throw my hat in the ring as a candidate in the 2019 election. And it was certainly a privilege
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to form government and an additional honor for me to serve Albertans as the Minister of Finance
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and President of the Treasury Board. And since 2019, we've implemented an ambitious platform of
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reform, including positioning Alberta's economy for exceptional growth, diversification, job
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creation, and putting this province on a sustainable fiscal trajectory. The results of our economic
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reforms have been self-evident. Most banks are predicting that Alberta will lead the nation this
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year and next in real GDP growth. Our unemployment rate is the lowest it's been since early days
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2015 and for the first time in over a decade we presented a balanced budget
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and i might add i might add we used a 70 dollars 69 dollars and 66 dollars
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in terms of our energy assumptions in this budget not the hundred dollars we're seeing today so
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folks that's good news with respect to potential surplus positions for the people of Alberta.
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We suspended the provincial fuel tax recognizing that affordability is the number one issue
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facing Albertans today and many small business owners today. We helped Albertans offset rising
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electricity costs and introduced a cap on gas consumers so all natural gas consumers in the
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the province can benefit from an owned resource. We've created agencies like the Alberta Indigenous
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Opportunities Corporation to ensure that access to capital is not a barrier to partnerships in
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energy, transportation, agriculture, or telecommunications projects. And we reduced
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our corporate tax rate and created the most business-friendly jurisdiction in the country,
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leading to a flood of investment pouring into this province, economic growth, and expanded fiscal capacity.
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And friends, that expanded fiscal capacity means so much to the delivery of important services in this province,
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because you know what we're projecting that the government will actually raise more corporate tax
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revenue at an eight percent rate than the previous government did at 12 that shows the strength of an
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increasing strong economy in this province but there's been more we've reached agreements with
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our great public sector workers in this province, with nurses, with healthcare staff, with teachers,
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without labor stoppages or disruptions, providing stability in these essential services.
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And while bringing fiscal discipline to this province, we've increased spending in healthcare
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and education, which are so critical to Albertans from corner to corner. And I do want to pause to
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just acknowledge the great contribution that many of our public sector workers have made in
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the last two years. I think of teachers and especially nurses and frontline health care staff.
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So many have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve Albertans sacrificially
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and at great cost. And for that, I extend my gratitude of thanks.
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Now, while we've made significant progress on a number of fronts, the pandemic has been
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an incredibly challenging time. In meeting with Albertans all across the province,
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I've heard heartbreaking stories of so much loss experienced in so many ways.
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In many communities and many in families and businesses, the feelings of grief and deep
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frustration continue to linger. Division has crept into our communities, our businesses,
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and in some cases, tragically, even our families. There's not been a time in this generation when
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healing and reunification have been so necessary across society and certainly within this
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conservative movement as well. Five years ago, Alberta's grassroots conservative movement united
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under one banner, focusing on the principles we hold in common, responsible fiscal management,
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individual freedom, and limited government. And this great conservative movement must once again
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focus on the values that unite us instead of the issues we divide.
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You know, the passionately held principles of conservatives have sometimes made peaceful coexistence within a large and diverse party uneasy and occasionally fractious.
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But while that significant diversity comes with unique challenges, I believe it is also what makes us fit to govern.
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We must lead with strength and humility and return to the values that define us.
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Now there are some who believe they no longer have a place
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or perhaps disregarded. And to those who feel disenfranchised, I want to extend a call home.
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We're better together and so much stronger in our unity.
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Since forming government three years ago, even as we faced the seemingly overwhelming challenges
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of the pandemic and the largest energy price collapse really in history certainly modern
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history in spite of those challenges we've taken a province that was on a downward economic and
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fiscal spiral and by holding fast to our principles we've set Alberta on a new path
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we've balanced the budget and put Alberta on a sustainable fiscal trajectory of growth
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opportunity, and hope. We will no longer undermine our long-term ability to care for the most
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vulnerable. We will no longer spend more than we make, and we will no longer burden future
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I believe stable, responsible, strategic leadership is critical to the well-being of our province.
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We cannot afford to see the gains that we've made erased.
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And we must prove what I wholeheartedly believe,
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we are unequivocally and without doubt the best option for Albertans
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to have the support of so many of my fellow MLAs.
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and thank you for taking the time, making the trip to be here.
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Together, we reflect the great diversity of the province
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Some hail from the north, some from the capital region,
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Some are cabinet ministers, some have previously served as cabinet ministers,
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but most are MLAs, like me, who are new to government since 2019.
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They bring a fresh perspective, being fresh off the private sector.
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They bring great ambition and a deep commitment to the people of Alberta.
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now we we don't agree on everything but we absolutely agree on what matters and those are
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those deep conservative principles that bind us together the principles of fiscal responsibility
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the principle of individual freedom and liberty and the principle of limited government
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Now, as Conservatives, we know that the only path forward is through unity.
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And as I look around this room, I believe it's the beginning right now,
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reflected in my colleagues in the diversity of cultures and experiences represented here today.
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We're committed to unity. We're moving forward in unity.
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We're securing a future for the next generation because tonight, we stand united.
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I believe in servant leadership, and I believe in humility as a guiding principle in government.
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Together we hold the answers for the challenges that we will inevitably face.
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And so my invitation to all conservative-minded Albertans is this.
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Let us seize this moment, this opportunity to step into the next chapter of our history united, laying aside our differences to focus on our shared vision.
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A hopeful future for our children and grandchildren on the foundation of a free and prosperous Alberta.
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Well, folks, that's what leadership looks like.