A former conservative MLA has announced a new federal party that looks to represent Alberta in Ottawa. “Everywhere I’ve gone for quite a while now, Albertans have said they feel not represented in Ottawa. They want to be a strong part of Canada, but they know that the deal is unfair,” Drew Barnes told CTV News Edmonton in an interview Thursday. Barnes is one of the co-founders of the prospective Alberta Now party that aims to serve as Wildrose Country’s Bloc Québécois. “Quite often, the Bloc Québécois has the balance of power. A lot of times, they are the voice of Quebec in Ottawa,” said Barnes. “You couple that with the fact that many Albertans saying they want real representation for Alberta in Ottawa – Alberta Now is the answer.” Before Alberta Now becomes an official federal party, they must collect 250 signatures to be verified by Elections Canada, which could take months. Having collected nearly half of the signatures required, Barnes says the party is hoping to have all of their paperwork submitted by or before Oct. 19, the day of the Alberta referendum. “It is not a coincidence,” said Barnes. “Albertans have a lot of good ideas and a lot of different thoughts on the best way to make Alberta free and prosperous, whether that’s within Canada or not. “We think the timing is perfect because there is going to be an opportunity to have Alberta needs and views in Ottawa.” Barnes said the party’s main goal is to be truly grassroots, where members have ideas that get a chance to be converted into policy. “It’s about small government and lower taxes, more choice in all programs,” said Barnes. “It’s about the federal government and the provincial government and municipal government staying in their lane. It’s about more power for the province.” Giving Elections Canada a few months to verify signatures, Alberta Now is expected to be up and running come the new year. Alberta Now could split conservative vote: analyst Word of Alberta Now came as a bit of a surprise to political analyst John Brennan who has doubts on the party’s long-term success. “What Drew Barnes is promising is that he will take votes away from Conservatives in Alberta, just like the Reform Party did taking votes away from the Progressive Conservatives in the 1990s,” said Brennan. “That led to three straight Liberal majority governments.” With five political parties already represented in the House of Commons, Brennan also wonders if a sixth is necessary. The analyst also predicts many disgruntled Conservatives to emerge following the Oct. 19 referendum, which could benefit Alberta Now. “(Some voters) are going to be very unhappy and they’re going to be looking for a place to put their unhappiness, and that is something Drew Barnes could potentially tap into,” said Brennan. While Alberta Now appears to be replicating the Bloc Québécois, Brennan believes the party’s message will resonate with some Albertans who may vote for option two in the separation referendum. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
