Western Standard - June 22, 2022


SPECIAL COVERAGE： Travis Toews Edmonton Campaign Kick-Off

Topics
united conservatism in Alberta
Mentioned
Travis Moore Tracy Allard Cyril Turton MLA Dave Quested Thomas Everson Laurie Hahn Bill Morneau Travis Tays Will Smith James
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Episode Stats


Length

23 minutes

Words per minute

113.64

Word count

2,635

Sentence count

89


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

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

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Topics generated with Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct.
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 Thank you.
00:00:30.000 for Edmonton Center and I'm pleased to be the chair for the Edmonton region on outreach to
00:00:41.520 make sure that we elect Travis as an ex-premier leader of our party and and premier of the
00:00:47.240 province and we've got several dignitaries here I hate doing this because you're gonna
00:00:52.800 miss someone but I'll I'll do my very best here we've got MLA's Tracy Allard Cyril Turton
00:00:59.440 We've got former MLA Dave Quested in the back and former member of parliament, a good friend of mine, Laurie Hahn.
00:01:29.440 And lastly, and not least, but one of my favourite people, because he was the mayor of the best
00:01:38.940 city and the best province and the best country in the world, Bill Smith is here.
00:01:50.560 So I'm really excited today, particularly on National Indigenous Day, to be able to introduce
00:01:55.780 our first speaker who's going to be introducing Travis Moore formally and why are you here today
00:02:01.540 you are here because this is about leadership this is about finding a leader and making sure
00:02:08.940 that we get good leadership in good government and I believe that Travis has that in spades
00:02:15.380 but we're also fortunate to have a community leader that has done so much for his people
00:02:20.940 and for our community.
00:02:23.100 It's fantastic that we have Billy Morin here,
00:02:26.360 Chief Morin, to introduce Travis Tace.
00:02:28.760 And Chief Morin, take the stage.
00:02:43.900 When Travis comes up, these are going to go up like this.
00:02:48.520 Me and James are about the same height.
00:02:50.080 no i'm not travis dave's height either what i said in my language was my name is actually
00:03:02.240 sacred rider is uh my my name uh chief billy moran of enoch crea nation and um wow just feel the
00:03:10.400 excitement in the room um and james thank you for that introduction acknowledge all my conservative
00:03:15.680 friends in the uh in the room tonight uh how many people from here from just like edmonton like just
00:03:22.080 edmonton come on louder like edmonton yeah you know i think as edmontonians you know when i
00:03:35.600 actually actually spoke at piercing and my my comment was there this is not redmonton we still
00:03:41.920 are conservatives i would say this is if not the still largest it's actually probably the second
00:03:47.600 largest or 1b concentration of conservative family in alberta right here right in the city of edmonton
00:03:53.920 and we need a champion we need a champion who can balance rule
00:03:58.320 and urban centers who can balance edmonton and calgary we need a champion
00:04:11.920 and who listens we need a champion who can go to the dinner table but also being the legislator in
00:04:35.520 the corporate tables and i think our next premier has proven that over and over again we need a
00:04:41.280 champion who can balance budgets give him a hand for that you know we know we're heading in a
00:04:45.520 little bit of a different direction and he was there to listen but i got a challenge travis to
00:04:52.160 do was sell me on a vision and tell me about your vision for alberta and uh he used the principles
00:04:58.320 of conservatism um and the history that we've built as conservatives in this province to do
00:05:03.760 and and show me a vision for the province but i'm gonna leave it up to him to say what his vision is
00:05:10.560 and i certainly believe in travis i endorse travis to be our next premier
00:05:14.240 and it is my honor to introduce my friends travis taves your next premier of alberta
00:05:40.560 wow the conservative movement is alive and well in the capital region
00:05:56.880 thank you all for taking time out of your evening out of your schedule on this beautiful evening
00:06:02.800 in june to come out for the mint and campaign kickoff it is so appreciated appreciated it's
00:06:08.400 incredible to see so many people that have sacrificed their evening for this i deeply
00:06:13.760 appreciate your commitment to this movement and thank you uh chief thank you for hosting
00:06:21.440 us here today it's so significant on indigenous people's day to actually
00:06:26.880 have this event right here on the river cree in the enoch cree nation it is so significant and chief
00:06:38.400 And let me say this, Chief Morin.
00:06:43.140 I am absolutely honoured and humbled with your endorsement of my leadership today.
00:06:51.280 Friends, this is coming from a leader in his community.
00:06:56.760 He has sacrificially and humbly provided and demonstrated servant leadership
00:07:03.420 as he served the people in his community on this great Cree Nation.
00:07:07.580 Positioning this nation for economic growth, for prosperity, for opportunity, for community members today and future generations.
00:07:18.260 These are the values we share.
00:07:19.940 his dedication to transparency and humility in leadership his commitment to fiscal responsibility
00:07:33.760 and we heard that again tonight and promoting economic development for the benefit of this
00:07:39.560 community now and for the generations to come again these are the values we share thank you
00:07:45.560 chief morin i i also i need to note a chief morin is um is transitioning he has served for seven
00:07:59.720 years i believe a stepping into this great position of leadership at the very young age of 28
00:08:08.280 that is so significant and providing sound wise leadership for this community and for this nation
00:08:16.600 again thank you chief that is truly inspiring and and i do want to extend my congratulations
00:08:23.560 to the newly elected chief cody thomas and wish chief thomas every success in his new role as well
00:08:37.560 Kim and I are three children and, yes, 11 grandchildren, are proud Albertans.
00:08:48.480 We're lifelong Albertans.
00:08:50.520 We've had an incredible opportunity to pursue careers and business interests
00:08:55.200 and raise a family in a province of possibility and prosperity,
00:09:00.320 a province where the ideals of freedom and self-determination are held in high regard.
00:09:07.560 And until 2019, my career had been spent entirely in the private sector.
00:09:13.060 I'm a CPA by profession.
00:09:14.840 I spent almost a dozen years in public practice, thoroughly enjoyed it.
00:09:19.180 But the entrepreneurial pull was great.
00:09:21.600 Like many of you, we were pulled into our family businesses.
00:09:26.720 We're thankful we were.
00:09:28.280 And since then, my wife, Kim, and I have grown and managed a family
00:09:32.720 cattle fishing operation and environmental services company as well in the Grand Prairie
00:09:38.580 region, and we've felt so privileged to do so. I've served on a number of provincial and national
00:09:44.280 industry boards, including as president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association following BSE.
00:09:51.040 There's been a motion in this province the last two years, there was a motion in that industry
00:09:55.140 following that event but i did all of this as most as so many conservatives do you know with
00:10:02.940 with our head down raising our family pursuing our business interests and not really paying
00:10:08.960 attention to government quite frankly the best day was the day i didn't notice government
00:10:12.560 as a conservative that was the best day we just i just took good government for granted
00:10:19.420 and friends that all changed in 2015 all of a sudden when this province made a sharp left turn
00:10:28.060 I sat up and took note because I was concerned that the opportunity the freedom the prosperity
00:10:34.120 that my family had enjoyed perhaps even taken for granted may not be there for the next generation
00:10:41.520 and so I got like many of you I got involved in the conservative unity effort
00:10:47.120 starting at the grassroots and you know well eight or ten a dozen then 20 of us met
00:10:52.380 in Grand Prairie this was the really great part I found that there were groups like this meeting
00:10:58.120 right across the province all kinds of folks who'd never paid attention to politics were sitting up
00:11:05.680 and taking note and asking the question what do we need to do as a movement to ensure that we can
00:11:12.940 provide the same opportunities for the next generation that we'd been afforded.
00:11:18.460 And I know certainly for our group, and I know for tens of thousands of others,
00:11:21.900 it was about unity for conservative-minded Albertans.
00:11:31.440 So like many of you, I stepped up to work on the unity movement, but then I stepped up also to
00:11:38.120 throw my hat in the ring as a candidate in the 2019 election. And it was certainly a privilege
00:11:44.880 to form government and an additional honor for me to serve Albertans as the Minister of Finance
00:11:52.600 and President of the Treasury Board. And since 2019, we've implemented an ambitious platform of
00:12:00.020 reform, including positioning Alberta's economy for exceptional growth, diversification, job
00:12:08.600 creation, and putting this province on a sustainable fiscal trajectory. The results of our economic
00:12:15.420 reforms have been self-evident. Most banks are predicting that Alberta will lead the nation this
00:12:21.600 year and next in real GDP growth. Our unemployment rate is the lowest it's been since early days
00:12:28.860 2015 and for the first time in over a decade we presented a balanced budget
00:12:42.860 and i might add i might add we used a 70 dollars 69 dollars and 66 dollars
00:12:50.940 in terms of our energy assumptions in this budget not the hundred dollars we're seeing today so
00:12:57.260 folks that's good news with respect to potential surplus positions for the people of Alberta.
00:13:04.540 We suspended the provincial fuel tax recognizing that affordability is the number one issue
00:13:10.220 facing Albertans today and many small business owners today. We helped Albertans offset rising
00:13:15.980 electricity costs and introduced a cap on gas consumers so all natural gas consumers in the
00:13:23.660 the province can benefit from an owned resource. We've created agencies like the Alberta Indigenous
00:13:30.220 Opportunities Corporation to ensure that access to capital is not a barrier to partnerships in
00:13:36.420 energy, transportation, agriculture, or telecommunications projects. And we reduced
00:13:42.560 our corporate tax rate and created the most business-friendly jurisdiction in the country,
00:13:48.060 leading to a flood of investment pouring into this province, economic growth, and expanded fiscal capacity.
00:14:02.820 And friends, that expanded fiscal capacity means so much to the delivery of important services in this province,
00:14:11.320 such as health care and education.
00:14:13.860 because you know what we're projecting that the government will actually raise more corporate tax
00:14:21.020 revenue at an eight percent rate than the previous government did at 12 that shows the strength of an
00:14:27.900 increasing strong economy in this province but there's been more we've reached agreements with
00:14:39.400 our great public sector workers in this province, with nurses, with healthcare staff, with teachers,
00:14:44.900 without labor stoppages or disruptions, providing stability in these essential services.
00:14:52.320 And while bringing fiscal discipline to this province, we've increased spending in healthcare
00:14:57.300 and education, which are so critical to Albertans from corner to corner. And I do want to pause to
00:15:05.400 just acknowledge the great contribution that many of our public sector workers have made in
00:15:10.480 the last two years. I think of teachers and especially nurses and frontline health care staff.
00:15:22.140 So many have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve Albertans sacrificially
00:15:28.440 and at great cost. And for that, I extend my gratitude of thanks.
00:15:36.740 Now, while we've made significant progress on a number of fronts, the pandemic has been
00:15:41.780 an incredibly challenging time. In meeting with Albertans all across the province,
00:15:46.800 I've heard heartbreaking stories of so much loss experienced in so many ways.
00:15:54.620 In many communities and many in families and businesses, the feelings of grief and deep
00:16:00.480 frustration continue to linger. Division has crept into our communities, our businesses,
00:16:07.140 and in some cases, tragically, even our families. There's not been a time in this generation when
00:16:13.820 healing and reunification have been so necessary across society and certainly within this
00:16:21.480 conservative movement as well. Five years ago, Alberta's grassroots conservative movement united
00:16:27.480 under one banner, focusing on the principles we hold in common, responsible fiscal management,
00:16:34.500 individual freedom, and limited government. And this great conservative movement must once again
00:16:40.960 focus on the values that unite us instead of the issues we divide.
00:16:51.480 You know, the passionately held principles of conservatives have sometimes made peaceful coexistence within a large and diverse party uneasy and occasionally fractious.
00:17:05.680 But while that significant diversity comes with unique challenges, I believe it is also what makes us fit to govern.
00:17:15.000 We must lead with strength and humility and return to the values that define us.
00:17:20.320 It's imperative that we take time to listen
00:17:28.940 to our members and to all Albertans
00:17:32.300 and we must learn from our missteps.
00:17:40.080 Now there are some who believe they no longer have a place
00:17:43.960 in this great conservative movement
00:17:46.160 feeling wrongly characterized, labeled
00:17:48.300 or perhaps disregarded. And to those who feel disenfranchised, I want to extend a call home.
00:17:57.100 We're better together and so much stronger in our unity.
00:18:08.300 Since forming government three years ago, even as we faced the seemingly overwhelming challenges
00:18:14.360 of the pandemic and the largest energy price collapse really in history certainly modern
00:18:19.940 history in spite of those challenges we've taken a province that was on a downward economic and
00:18:26.920 fiscal spiral and by holding fast to our principles we've set Alberta on a new path
00:18:33.360 we've balanced the budget and put Alberta on a sustainable fiscal trajectory of growth
00:18:38.780 opportunity, and hope. We will no longer undermine our long-term ability to care for the most
00:18:46.920 vulnerable. We will no longer spend more than we make, and we will no longer burden future
00:18:52.700 generations with a debt they did not incur.
00:18:55.020 I believe stable, responsible, strategic leadership is critical to the well-being of our province.
00:19:10.760 We cannot afford to see the gains that we've made erased.
00:19:15.280 And we must prove what I wholeheartedly believe,
00:19:19.000 that when we go to the polls next spring,
00:19:21.600 we are unequivocally and without doubt the best option for Albertans
00:19:26.100 and for the future of this great province.
00:19:45.180 Now, it's an incredible honor
00:19:47.380 to have the support of so many of my fellow MLAs.
00:19:53.260 Many of them are here today,
00:19:55.280 and thank you for taking the time, making the trip to be here.
00:19:59.160 Together, we reflect the great diversity of the province
00:20:03.280 and this conservative movement.
00:20:05.900 Some of us are rural, some are urban.
00:20:08.560 Some hail from the north, some from the capital region,
00:20:11.920 some from central Alberta, some from Calgary,
00:20:14.080 and some from the south.
00:20:17.380 Some are cabinet ministers, some have previously served as cabinet ministers,
00:20:22.680 but most are MLAs, like me, who are new to government since 2019.
00:20:28.900 They bring a fresh perspective, being fresh off the private sector.
00:20:33.180 They bring great ambition and a deep commitment to the people of Alberta.
00:20:37.920 Thank you for serving.
00:20:38.880 now we we don't agree on everything but we absolutely agree on what matters and those are
00:20:52.320 those deep conservative principles that bind us together the principles of fiscal responsibility
00:20:58.860 the principle of individual freedom and liberty and the principle of limited government
00:21:08.880 Now, as Conservatives, we know that the only path forward is through unity.
00:21:15.860 And as I look around this room, I believe it's the beginning right now,
00:21:20.900 reflected in my colleagues in the diversity of cultures and experiences represented here today.
00:21:27.520 We're committed to unity. We're moving forward in unity.
00:21:31.080 We're securing a future for the next generation because tonight, we stand united.
00:21:38.880 I believe in servant leadership, and I believe in humility as a guiding principle in government.
00:21:51.000 And I fundamentally trust Albertans.
00:21:54.840 Together we hold the answers for the challenges that we will inevitably face.
00:22:01.180 And so my invitation to all conservative-minded Albertans is this.
00:22:06.260 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.
00:22:19.480 A hopeful future for our children and grandchildren on the foundation of a free and prosperous Alberta.
00:22:26.720 Thank you and God bless Alberta.
00:22:36.260 Well, folks, that's what leadership looks like.
00:22:59.020 Again, thank you, Travis.
00:23:00.980 Thank you so much for running.
00:23:02.200 He now Travis is going to take care.