Liberals’ future ‘businessfriendly’
The Journal put five questions to Liberal Leader Raj Sherman on the provincial political scene in the last 12 months. Q. What was the high point of Alberta politics in 2012?
A. Having a real election, an election where the government almost fell. Actually having a real, contested election, that hasn’t happened since 1993.
There was a possibility there was going to be a minority government if we held our vote. It was a very exciting election. Q. What was the low point?
A. The low point, I believe, was the tone in the legislature in the fall session. It was dominated by government scandals and the two conservative parties throwing mud at one another, and policy important to people really being victim. We attempted to keep the policy on the agenda. I believe ideas and policy were victims in the election, as well as the fall session. Q. What was your biggest accomplishment in 2012?
A. In a very short time span, being a new parliamentarian, unifying our party, getting together meaningful policy, gathering candidates, contesting an election, having our party survive, and as well as a good turnout at the AGM, agreeing to run again as leader for the next election and getting the mandate from the party. Q. What is your main goal in 2013? A: The main goal now is for the Liberal party to form coalitions with groups of individual Albertans on issues, whether they’re seniors, young people/student groups, immigrant groups, parents, business groups, environmental groups, to have the values of all Albertans reflected in the Liberal party. And then represent those values on the floor of the legislature. Q. What is the future of left-ofcentre political parties?
A: We’ll maintain our values of social responsibility, social justice, but we’re going to reflect the fiscal values we need to improve that. It’s the economy, stupid, like Bill Clinton said. Are we capable of managing money, are we capable of understanding the economy, protecting the economy, protecting jobs, balancing the books. So the future for us is to move the party to the centre on the business side, a new business-friendly Liberal party.