Dear Editor,
It was disappointing, but hardly surprising, to see the politically desperate NDP resort to downright falsehoods.
In her Jan. 24 letter to the editor, the NDP’s MLA Jessica Littlewood falsely claims that United Conservatives would sell ATB Financial. One can only presume this is an attempt to distract from the NDP’s disastrous record.
Since 2015, the NDP government has made life harder for Albertans: their surprise carbon tax has made life more expensive, from gas at the pumps to groceries at the store. The NDP has simply ignored the epidemic of rural crime, a problem that too many Ponoka area readers are familiar with. Meanwhile, NDP reckless spending has led to billions in debt and a series of credit downgrades for our province. These decisions could have generational consequences for Albertans.
Let me be clear: the United Conservative Party has never spoken about selling off ATB Financial and has no such policy. The NDP’s frantic claim is based on an out of context quote dating back 20 years – 20 years before our party even existed.
Other fear-mongering claims by the NDP about our supposed “plans” are also false. It’s hard to argue our party has plans when members have not yet voted on policies. In fact, the policy process for our new UCP is under way. It’s a transparent grassroots process where our members democratically develop policies, not the old top-down approach used by the NDP.
In trying to conjure up fears about a “hidden agenda,” the NDP is resorting to the same tired tactics they tried to use against federal Conservatives for over a decade, peddling allegations about a “hidden agenda” that never actually materialized. If there’s been any hidden agenda, it’s been the NDP’s carbon tax, a massive new tax that they never campaigned on yet imposed on Albertans soon after taking office.
It’s well past time for the NDP government to get serious about the problems facing Albertans today, instead of resorting to alarmist claims to distract from their own record.
It seems that the preferred strategy of operations by the Liberal-left-socialist crowd is to always shame and attack the person rather than talk about the real issues. They endlessly want to dig up, or allege possible dung from 10 or 20 years age to throw at their opponents rather than debate with respect and tolerance for those who see life through a different lens than theirs.
Beware. Those who most preach tolerance at you are doing it to shame you, bully you and shut you down so that you will be silenced and afraid to speak your values, vision, hopes and dreams.
Always be more respectful than them but, be-silent-no-more.
Be proud to be conservative. Be proud of your values, beliefs and culture.
If you wish to speak to me on this subject or any other issue, feel free to contact me at 403 782 7725 or by e-mail at Lacombe.ponoka@assembly.ab.ca or stop in the office 101, 4892 46 Street, Lacombe, AB T4L 2B4.