00:06:10.600Once the mainstream media was forced to take notice, their coverage was dismissive and critical.
00:06:14.040I mean, the bias was just clear and evident.
00:06:15.940I mean, if you really want to get your blood pressure up, watch the CTV coverage, some of these things.
00:06:20.800And now, the opposition of the convoy is becoming hysteric and even panicked.
00:06:24.900Power brokers such as Justin Trudeau's close friend and advisor, Gerald Butz,
00:06:28.300He took to Twitter to try and label the convoy as being a secessionist movement.
00:06:31.980He sounded very deranged, and he tried his hardest to foster mistrust within the convoy.
00:06:36.660Swarms of all these newly created social media accounts and bots are appearing
00:06:40.060and spreading unfounded rumors about the convoy.
00:06:42.380They're accusing it of being a terrorist movement, even,
00:06:44.380and falsely claiming the GoFundMe site has declined to release the funds raised.
00:06:48.360If you go to WesternStandardOnline.com, you'll find, no, that is baloney,
00:06:51.300and GoFundMe has been releasing funds for this convoy.
00:06:54.560They're still welcoming contributions, by the way.
00:06:57.140So while annoying and almost offensive, the opposition to the convoy has been utterly ineffective.
00:07:01.860If anything, it's galvanizing supporters even further.
00:07:05.280Authoritarians recognize and realize the threat the convoy presents to their world of government control.
00:07:11.020They've been able to tighten the leash upon Canadians for nearly two years with virtually no well-organized opposition.
00:07:16.000The convoys changed all that, and the establishment doesn't know what to do.
00:07:18.860The protest began with truckers protesting against vaccine requirements,
00:07:22.860and it's quickly evolved into a general protest against government pandemic restrictions.
00:07:26.560The nation's finally seeing a tangible and huge pushback against government pandemic restrictions and mandates, which are increasingly absurd and appear to have no end.
00:07:35.580This is it. This is the movement I've been waiting for.
00:07:38.360Ottawa had best get ready, because I don't think they fully understand what's about to hit them.
00:09:13.380He represents, where is it here, Peace River Westlock.
00:09:18.640He has come out and said he would oppose any carbon tax brought in by Aaron O'Toole, his own party leader.
00:09:26.920You'll remember, Corey, that Aaron O'Toole flip-flopped in the election and said his party would bring in their own carbon tax, which many experts said was even going to be worse than the Trudeau one.
00:09:42.460things get worse for O'Toole. We've got a story on the writing of Foothills, which is home to the
00:09:51.000MP John Barlow. His Electoral District Association on Sunday night voted for a motion to demand
00:09:58.980an early review of O'Toole's leadership. They want it all done by June because they seem to
00:10:07.340think we're going to be in another electoral period pretty quick. And who knows, they may be
00:10:12.260right. As you mentioned, we've got lots of good stuff on the truckers. We've got a good story.
00:10:19.180You remember back in 2019, Corey, when the Unite We Rule movement came into Wadawala and held a
00:10:29.020protest there. Well, we've got internal documents from the Privy Council, which shows just how
00:10:34.900how basically afraid the Trudeau Liberals were.
00:10:38.320They were preparing for anarchy with their over-the-top security arrangements.
00:10:42.760And, of course, everything went off peacefully.
00:10:47.000We've got a story on a former chief analyst from Statscan who says,
00:10:51.840hey, if you think inflation is only 4.8%, you're kidding yourself.
00:10:56.600He says the consumer price index does not take in a lot of things that it should.
00:11:01.700And he thinks the actual inflation rate could be what it is in the United States, which is a whopping 10%.
00:11:10.240Our military affairs columnist Dave Makachuk has got an interesting piece today on the defection of a top-ranking Chinese missile technician, missile developer.
00:11:22.960There was lots of hubbub earlier when the Chinese tested a hypersonic missile that was capable of flying around the world and defeating any defenses.
00:11:35.340So this Chinese scientist decided to fact, and there was a big cloak and dagger operation to get him out of Hong Kong with the CIA and MI6 of Britain.
00:11:47.020And just a really, really interesting read from Dave Makachuk.
00:11:53.700And you talked about the truck convoy again, Corey.
00:11:59.060Eva, our reporter, has got a story up on GoFundMe.
00:12:03.300There had been mainstream media reports that had been frozen this morning.
00:12:08.540We've talked to the organizer in one of the lead trucks who says, no, no, we're all still good to go.
00:19:36.560They have listings of firearm shows, things such as that.
00:19:39.400Plus, they have legal challenges out there on behalf of firearm owners because, of course, the federal liberal government is trying to take them away.
00:19:45.900They want to take away your right to own and enjoy firearms.
00:19:49.680The Canada Shooting Sports Association is helping you push back.
00:19:52.940Just like with the truckers, we've got to stand up for ourselves.
00:21:33.080And, you know, Corey, you know, I've been such a fighter for economic freedom, individual opportunity and smaller government from the start.
00:21:40.580I mean, when I look at, you know, what's happened in Alberta the last little while, you know, let's look at the corporate losses where governments picked winners and losers.
00:21:51.000You know, not only did Premier Kennedy lose $1.3 billion on the Keystone, when you look at oil movement by rail, I just shake my head.
00:22:00.600And I think of all the empathy for the hardworking taxpayer out there, working hard, raising a family.
00:22:08.460You know, Rachel Notley invested about $2.1 billion in setting up the oil by rail.
00:22:13.520Then Premier Kenney comes along and divests not even all of it for about $2.1 billion.
00:22:18.740The poor taxpayer, there's so much needed accountability and value for tax dollars and lower taxes that it's time to do this.
00:22:28.960Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, to be able to speak, you know, we were wild rosers together in the past.
00:22:33.780And I mean, we're good small C conservatives typically, and we believe in capitalism.
00:22:38.120But crony capitalism is an abomination of capitalism.
00:22:42.260I mean, it's not real capitalism. That's people working inside and cutting their own deals.
00:22:46.780It's not somebody working their way up and creating a product or service that people want to purchase.
00:22:51.700And it almost invariably fails. I mean, we do need somebody holding the government to account on that.
00:22:56.720I mean, the NDP do what they will, but we know that, well, due to their ideology, they would probably be even more involved in affairs with things.
00:23:03.400We need conservative voices of conscience going on in there.
00:23:06.320But anybody speaking up in caucus will perhaps find themselves sitting with you and Todd Lowen in the side seats.
00:23:12.860One more or many more would be would be welcome.
00:23:16.800But yeah, absolutely. Government shouldn't be in the business of business.
00:23:20.500I mean, Ralph Klein said that well, and look what he did by getting our taxes down and putting $35 billion in saving.
00:23:27.820You know, as this government grows and grows and grows, it makes you wonder about the level of the fairness in contracts handed out.
00:23:36.280Hey, you know, Corey, I'd like to start.
00:23:38.140Let's look at the big emitters' carbon tax that they pay and how that money all gets rerouted and re-entended to solar and wind and those kind of renewables.
00:23:49.480I'm told that Alberta is the only jurisdiction in North America that pays for that anymore
00:23:54.320and we ever see a full accounting on where that money goes I don't and you know like like so so
00:24:01.840let's look at also what Premier Kenny and the UCP did with the recall legislation and the citizen
00:24:07.980initiated referendum at the end of last session I believe they're still not proclaimed but
00:24:14.560regardless of that, he set the bar so high on both citizen-initiated referendum and recalling
00:24:20.420your MLA or your premier or your local elected representative that it's almost impossible to
00:24:26.400achieve. And, you know, let's look at some of the values of, you know, direct democracy to hold
00:24:32.560politicians accountable to make sure we get value for our tax dollars. And I think of Switzerland.
00:24:37.560In Switzerland, 50,000 Swiss can sign a petition after any federal law and they can negate or uphold that law.
00:24:47.080Switzerland today doesn't have a carbon tax because after the Parliament of Switzerland attempted to put it in, 50,000 Switzerland people signed a petition and they had a referendum and they ended the carbon tax.
00:24:59.800And my God, you look at how unfair the carbon taxes hit rural Alberta and Alberta in general with our carbon intensive industries.
00:25:07.560have provided so much opportunity for families and communities. Corey, politicians need more
00:25:13.160accountable. And as you said, in the wild rose, we talked about this lots 10 and 15 years ago.
00:25:19.960Oh, yeah, it's frustrating. And I mean, recall, you know, I get tired and frustrated being baited
00:25:25.960and switched. You know, I mean, that was a campaign promise. I thought it was a good one.
00:25:29.400I understand you don't want to make it too easy. We don't want to go the day after the election and
00:25:33.080have some sort of low bar and we're constantly trying to recall people and pull them out. But
00:25:37.960when a person gets too frustrated, they have to have or should have a mechanism to change it. And
00:25:42.480we have none until the next election, though we were promised it. And not only, as you said,
00:25:46.860they made a cooked legislation. We know the bar is set ridiculously high. Even if they ever actually
00:25:51.600give it full assent, nobody will probably ever be able to reach it. But even then, they're afraid
00:25:56.520to bring it in. They've never actually brought that bill that they haven't done the final step
00:25:59.720on it. You know, the time is going to expire before the next election, before they impose it.
00:26:03.460And that tells me the government is actually quite afraid that somebody is going to successfully
00:26:06.820utilize that against them. Yeah, exactly. They, you know, just proclaim it, make it law and let
00:26:12.300the next government make that law effective, make it so it really has some teeth. You know,
00:26:17.840but Corey, that's an interesting point. I mean, you know, I've heard for months now about how
00:26:22.540Premier Kenney and the UCP hasn't met expectations, how he was given the solid mandate for economic
00:26:28.580freedom, fiscal conservatism, individual opportunity, how he was supposed to pick this
00:26:33.840real fight with Ottawa, and he hasn't done it. And now I'm hearing more and more, it's about
00:26:39.400his broken promises, his saying one thing and flip-flopping. And, you know, we're in a situation
00:26:46.880where, you know, we're going to have to show Albertans that we will give accountability,
00:26:51.260we will give economic freedom and individual opportunity. And, you know, it's time for change.
00:26:58.580Yeah, well, and you were, I believe, on that Fair Deal panel, weren't you traveling a bit, or you took part in some of those meetings, I mean, that was addressing a bunch of issues that Albertans have been very concerned about for decades. And again, none of those recommendations seem to be in process. They talk, they strike another committee, they start another study. Speaking of chrominism, you know, you get your hands on one of those study contracts, boy, you can do really well for yourself. Just ask how it went with the looking at energy issues there with the panel there, too.
00:27:26.340Yeah, Corey, another good point. Like we've got 87 MLAs. You know, I've got a couple of good assistants. I've got lots of resources and I've got lots of desire to serve on those committees. We're already paid by your tax dollars. Use us way more.
00:27:41.440And the fair deal panel was a perfect example. 80% Albertans to the mic and said in one form or another, they want a fair deal with Ottawa, whether it's opening the Constitution and Senate and Supreme Court change, or whether it's, you know, more resource movement and pipelines or more free trade.
00:28:02.64080% of Albertans went and strongly spoke about it. And here we are two years later and nothing's
00:28:09.240been done. Maybe some side of, I think it was $8 million for a report to study the RCMP. And I
00:28:16.860don't know who got that contract, but yeah, the Albertans went to the mic and spoke up. And again,
00:28:25.420Premier Kenney's not doing something about the size and cost of government, not doing something
00:28:30.500about how high our taxes are, not doing something to enhance resource movement and pick a, you know,
00:28:37.680get us a fair deal with Ottawa, including if that means pick a full fight, has left the UCP
00:28:44.500government in trouble. And back to those wild rose, you know, values and policies that we stood
00:28:50.840on 10 years ago, you know, a lot of them are ringing more true today than ever.
00:28:55.400Yeah, and it gets frustrating. I mean, it's not even just not doing it, but the fact that they
00:28:58.720know we want it. That's why they held the panel. That's why they sold it to us during the election.
00:29:03.160That's why it was a campaign plank. And now they're not doing it, which I feel deceived.
00:29:06.820And that gets me upset. But I mean, another point, though, I mean, there are a lot of good MLAs in
00:29:11.720that government. I mean, there were good, dedicated, genuine people. We don't hear from
00:29:15.740them. It's a very top-down controlled caucus. But we've seen a lot of cracks going on in there,
00:29:20.900too. I mean, is there perhaps a chance for change? And we've got this leadership thing coming up. I
00:29:25.140I know Premier Kenney's doing everything he can to run the process in his favour,
00:29:29.620but we might see things change pretty quickly here.
00:29:33.400Yeah, you know, you're absolutely right.
00:29:52.940Of course, I'd be voting for a review.
00:29:55.140But, you know, if they just, when you look at all the games that the Premier and the leadership team have played, you know, going on CEA meetings, you know, putting in the gates and the structure to protect his leadership, if instead, if they'd have just governed with a strong conservative mandate that 56% of Albertans gave him, you know, that would be way, way better for our kids, our families and our communities.
00:30:20.680And that's a shame. And I think that's where the lost opportunity, that's where Albertan's frustration comes from. I just had a solid conservative rancher call me and say that he absolutely, you know, will never support the UCP again because they've done more damage than the Notley government, which is hard to hear.
00:30:41.780And, you know, people are looking for those economic freedom, individual opportunity values, and we're not getting it.
00:31:00.680It was his to lose, and he's been losing it.
00:31:02.960We're down to a record low number for a government in power, and we could be in for a terrible mess in a couple of years if we don't sort that out.
00:31:11.780but they don't seem to be paying attention.
00:32:05.560I have Albertans every day drop in or phone and make suggestions and ideas.
00:32:09.300And I'm grateful for that. And there's going to be a lot of talk in the next little while about the direction to go. We'll see if the UCP leadership review triggers anything. Time will tell. But again, Corey, you know, Albertans are telling me time and time again that they expect Alberta exceptionalism to have the chance to come through.
00:32:31.960You know, we're the best risk takers in all Canada. We're the best at developing agriculture, oil and gas and forestry. And we have a government taxation is too high. Spending is too high. Regulation is through the roof. And the talk is the opposite of getting it done. And they're wanting change quick.
00:32:50.120yeah well and as we're getting to the end here i know um things are still so fluid in the next
00:32:56.180year and change but you're sounding like i guess in one form or another who knows how it'll be but
00:32:59.520you're still planning to represent uh cypress medicine hat as their as their member of the
00:33:04.220legislature uh in the next election then yeah i'm i yeah i'm i still believe i have the ability and
00:33:11.380the energy to serve cory i'm so grateful for the chance to represent cypress medicine hat for 10
00:33:16.300years. And, you know, just yesterday at the trucker rally here in Medicine Hat, thousands
00:33:21.980of people out in support, hundreds of trucks on their way to Ottawa. You know, the fact that
00:33:27.020these people have raised, I think it's over $4 million now, and it's like $75 at a time.
00:33:33.700They've set up a great committee and a structure to make sure the money goes to where it needs to
00:33:39.040go. You know, these are everyday, hardworking, risk-taking Albertans that I'm grateful they
00:33:45.640come to me and tell me their ideas and their opinions and their needs. And that's rewarding.
00:33:50.820And at this point in time, I'm very much enjoying it and very much believing that I have the energy
00:33:57.360and the ability to serve. So let's see what the future brings. Great. Well, thank you very much
00:34:03.280for coming in and talking to me today. Before you go, where can people, I mean, I know we can't find
00:34:07.680out what you're up to through the UCP site. So where can they see what you're doing and keep in
00:34:12.100touch with you, Drew. Yeah, I appreciate that, Corey. Please, you can call me at 403-528-2191
00:34:18.980or better yet, just email me at drew.barnes at assembly.ab.ca or Drew Barnes, Cypress Medicine
00:34:26.800Hat MLA. I would appreciate hearing from each and all of you, your good ideas, your needs,
00:34:32.220and your thoughts. Thank you very much. Great. Thanks, Drew, for being the conservative voice
00:34:36.140of conscience out there in that big, lonely legislature. I'm sure we'll talk again soon.
00:35:38.040Well, the word got spread through Facebook. It got spread through Twitter. It got spread through rumble videos or all of these alternative forms. And if we as citizens keep those active, we don't have to be reliant on that sick old institution of mainstream media to feed us the information.
00:35:53.780Yeah, the Casey Madhu thing, you know, it's difficult. I noticed Cheryl had also mentioned, you know, she likes him and I liked him. I mean, he was good. He was standing up to municipal politicians when he was in that role. He doesn't back down. Unfortunately, just one of those political, terrible missteps. And when you're in the role, though, of a justice minister, you have some very serious and different obligations on you.
00:36:17.240I mean, you just have to really watch for every possible form, you know, to make sure it never seems like you're interfering with the justice system in the slightest way for on your own behalf.
00:36:27.100I mean, it's important to have that separation.
00:36:28.860And I was very disappointed that Mr. Maddu seemed to have lost his common sense there when he made that phone call and he's paid a price for it and the county government's paying a price for it.
00:36:41.480And it's just not a good scenario altogether.
00:36:43.680a very otherwise effective member of the legislature
00:36:47.640and one of the lone ones at Edmonton is now a sideline.
00:36:50.660Again, it's his own fault, but I don't like seeing it.
01:10:51.160But now we're seeing, well, no, clearly the Omicron cuts through vaccinations like a hot knife through butter.
01:10:55.960So at least that justification for forcing vaccination upon students really doesn't hold water anymore at this point.
01:11:03.000As you said, for distance learning, I mean, that's ridiculous.
01:11:05.180You can't catch COVID through a computer or a camera.
01:11:09.860But why are they, do you feel they're being, and actually just to throw in while I'm at it, George Kaposki, I think it is, was asking about faculty and staff.
01:11:18.500Are they under the same restrictions and are you concerned about that?
01:11:21.620And again, why do you think they're being so digging their heels in on keeping these restrictions going?
01:11:31.220Might have had a bit of that internet freeze.
01:11:34.420So I think those two are actually connected.
01:11:36.260i think the faculty and staff would be a large factor in motivating these universities
01:11:41.460i think that most average common sense people would say surely if hs when you do
01:11:54.340deal with acute care settings emergency if if hs i'll just continue corey hopefully it sorts itself
01:12:01.140out if hs in these acute care settings and dealing with vulnerable populations when it
01:12:05.460it comes to covid if they can find a way to allow flexibility for their staff to continue working
01:12:10.500then surely so can universities right so can somebody who's doing you know uh
01:12:20.580yeah we're getting those uh internet gremlins going on up there from up in lacrete but the
01:12:25.220the point that dan was making and that was in the letter i believe in some other communications on
01:12:29.540his facebook page was yeah if we can make those accommodations for nurses uh ahs employees people
01:12:35.380in hospitals understanding the importance of them being in their jobs or participating why can't we
01:12:42.180apply that to post-secondary students i mean it only makes sense you know we can keep people safe
01:12:47.620we can move ahead if we can do for ahs why not for students and faculty uh yet they're still
01:12:52.420got their heels uh you're looking a little more clear there dan how's it going well we'll give
01:12:55.700it a go i'm sorry about this we got to get minister service alberta getting some high speed up
01:13:00.660i'll get on that nag yeah yeah no i think you're exactly right the point you were finishing there
01:13:05.380uh or summarizing for me if hs can do it so can universities i think that sometimes the faculty
01:13:11.220uh and and the administration might be wound up um my fear is that there's going to be a section
01:13:16.820of alberta's population that um coming out of this omicron where we have every sign to say that we're
01:13:22.260in a very good spot um we have to learn to live with this uh and we can't just keep blocking
01:13:27.700things down and putting restrictions in um it looks as though we're in a spot now where what
01:13:33.140What might hold us back are people who have been wound up by the media, people who and I hope it's not the faculty of these post-secondary institutions that are motivating this, who aren't going to want to go to a normal way of life again when it is safe and where there are opportunities to be flexible and provide education for these kids.
01:13:49.840So my plea to these presidents that I wrote with Joe Scow is be common sense about this.
01:13:55.820Take an approach where you can say, take the politics out.
01:13:58.560These are just young kids looking to get a career.
01:14:00.940They're looking to try and provide for their families.
01:14:02.800they want to get ahead. They want to be that next generation, maybe the first generation
01:14:06.140in their family to get post-secondary education. Let's not deprive them of that. Let's not deprive
01:14:11.780Alberta of the workforce and the talent that we need to build this economy because the biggest
01:14:16.680problem that we have right now is labor shortage in our province. That's a good problem. Our
01:14:20.400economy is red hot. It's been red hot for the last year. COVID just has blinded so many of us to not
01:14:25.360be able to see it with our frustration, but it's piping up. So let's not put ourselves in a worse
01:14:30.600spot. And so these presidents and these institutions have an obligation. They have an
01:14:34.860obligation, a societal obligation to try and fit in as much flexibility as possible for these kids
01:14:40.400and to do it in as common sense a way as possible. I mean, these are public institutions. We pay for
01:14:45.800these with our tax dollars, right? They're largely subsidized. And I think that they
01:14:49.600should be considering how to serve all Albertans with that.
01:14:54.080Absolutely. And I do appreciate that. I mean, as a more middle-aged guy myself,
01:14:58.440okay a couple of years in a it's been horrible at the restrictions and job pressures and things
01:15:02.360like that but it is just a couple of years at this point in my life uh it doesn't have the
01:15:06.200impact like somebody who's in their late teens early 20s you only get that once and uh you you
01:15:11.320miss out on these years of university and there's much work or college or trade schools all sorts of
01:15:15.480things and it isn't just the educational part there's a social aspect there's networking there's
01:15:20.920being there in person that's a lot of the benefits you gain from those educational years that these
01:15:25.080guys are missing out on them they can't get them back absolutely i think that government in any
01:15:29.800form shouldn't be trying to pick winners and losers but god forbid we definitely don't want
01:15:34.120post-secondary institutions now looks like kind of ah there we go okay well maybe uh we've gotten uh
01:15:48.280your points in the one i really appreciate your coming on i i like i said i feel your pain very
01:15:52.840much we have a similar service where we are uh i'll start dragging other uh mlas on to talk
01:15:57.400about that rural internet service i'm not self-interested happy to come back i'll i'll
01:16:01.880try and make sure i'm in better reception next time um and uh real grateful that you guys are
01:16:06.200speaking out on this because there's a lot of common sense albertans out there average folks
01:16:10.680that are concerned with this you can be pro-vax anti-vax you could not care about any of the
01:16:15.080politics you could be apolitical and just have a kid who wants to be able to go to university
01:16:19.560or get their degree. And I think in the end, that's got to be part of my job is talking for
01:16:24.840them. Absolutely. I mean, it's just got to keep the interest of the students in mind paramount
01:16:30.160over the parties, the politics or, you know, ideological views on medication. So I really
01:16:35.000appreciate you coming on to join me. Where can people, I noticed you were active on Facebook
01:16:38.860and some other areas, where can they keep up with what you're doing then? Yeah, follow me on
01:16:42.640facebook um uh search of dan williams uh you'll find me at mla peace country and uh yeah real
01:16:49.840happy to have folks follow along i'm going to continue being as thoughtful but let's be honest
01:16:54.220speaking truth to power and reasonable as possible when it comes to this i i see a lot of movement
01:16:58.360in our direction um as reasonable conservatives talking about um the path forward here uh so i
01:17:04.860think i think folks should be ready for um a good spring and good years to come i sure hope so we're
01:17:10.000all tired of everything else. So I'll let you get back to things up there in La Crete, Mr. Williams,
01:17:14.880and hopefully talk again soon. Thanks. Appreciate you having me. Great. So yes, that was Dan
01:17:21.940Williams. And I mean, I do like to remind people because, you know, we're pretty prickly with the
01:17:26.440UCP at times, but you know, we've got to remind there are some members back there, they're speaking
01:17:29.820up, they're doing their jobs. And it was good to see, you know, I mean, these guys have got to
01:17:34.760speak up for these students, as I said, and as Dan said, you only get one opportunity for these