Michael Laveck for Alberta PCleader
With the PC leadership race, fast approaching, October 1st, 2016, I Michael Laveck am announcing my intention to run as the candidate to lead the Progressive Conservative Party into a new direction, one more aligned and suitable for Albertans.
As a long standing supporter of the party I am proud of the foundational economic policies of our party. I have had long standing associations with the party going back to my youth when I had an opportunity to job shadow Premier Ralph Klein shortly after he took office in his first term. I mentored under the guidance of Don Sparrow, an MLA from 1982 to 1993. Like many Albertans, I struggled with some of the changes in the party leadership and did not renew my party membership. It is now after crushing party defeat in the past election that a clear message by Albertans is clear that the time is now for change. With the leadership race predominantly being run by members of the old regime and or a controversial candidate hoping to change the very name of the party I would like to offer the membership an alternative. I believe that I can offer a new perspective for the Progressive Conservatives and ultimately Albertans to rally behind.
One of the first issues we need to address as a party is the elitism that we are portraying. As it states in the rules of the party “All candidates will have to post a $20,000 performance bond — refundable if they comply with all the rules — in addition to the $30,000 non-refundable entrance fee”. This idea is not being negated by our current policy, but deflecting the average tax payer from participating in the leadership race based solely on financial status. The current party rules for a financial deposit of $50,000, is an unnecessary roadblock to enticing new and viable candidates. I am an average citizen of this province. In order to overcome this hurtle I will need to support of people across this province both in membership support as well as financial support.
I am an advocate of strong fiscal responsibility. I want to ensure support to all in our current economic crisis. We need to plan for our future, to protect and develop our infrastructure, to support the growing needs of our aging population, and advocate for the changing structure of families in Alberta. I support our schools educating our youth as unique individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender orientation, and any other defining differences. I believe our social systems need to redefine the definition of family when assessing access in order to become more diverse and proactive of the future needs of new and current family dynamics. These are issues close to my heart as I have personal ties to the LGBTQ community as well the Polyamourous community.
Change needs to come from within our system before we can effect change for our Province. Help me begin that change and support me in the decision that I have made to declare my intentions as a candidate for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party.
