OPINION: I Don't Care Who You Vote For

There has been alot of talk over the last few weeks about needing to buy a membership and vote for the next leader of the UCP and ultimately the next Premier of Alberta.

We've heard, 'If you want to stop candidate 'X' you need to take out a membership and vote against them'. I've honestly had enough. Enough fo the scare tactics, enough of the bullshit - pardon my language - and enough of the, 'if you dont, democracy wont survive'.

I honestly couldn't care if you buy a membership, or dont buy a membership to the UCP Leadership Race. It's not my job. My - in my head that is - job to inform the people of this great country and help them make their own decision.

The Twitter Gods - those who believe their follower count is indicative of what their self worth is - believe that you need to buy a membership because it will stop the evil scary politician from winning and destroying us. They want you to envision a post-apocalyptic world where we scavenger for food and water, and are begging you to take out a membership to stop them.

If you vote for Danielle Smith, good for you, if you vote for Rachel Notley, good for you, if you buy a membership in a party because you believe in stopping someone good on you mate. Just dont expect me to tell you to do it.

I have had numerous leadership candidates on the show and have spoke to them about their leadership aspirations. At the end of each of our episodes we tell people where they can find more information, where they can buy a membership but we do no tell them to buy a membership. Why? Because I believe the voting public gets it right each time.

They got it right when they voted for Donald Trump (under their system he won fair and square. It's not the votes that matter but the electoral college math), they got it right when they voted for Justin Trudeau (again under our system most votes never wins its always most seats, and they got it right in 2015 when they voted in Rachel Notley. It's not my job or my responsibility to hand hold my audience, I am there to inform the public, period.

I have heard from people who say that it's the only chance you have to vote for the Premier of Alberta. So what? If the majority of the people in a party vote for a certain person let them be Premier or Prime Minsiter.

The Chicken Littles of Twitter are getting on my nerves with statements like, Healthcare will collapse, Education will stop, we will be in endless legal battles with Ottawa.

So?

If you think your opinion is right put your name on the ballot, stop sitting on the sidelines and put your name down to run. I did and got my ass handed to me in 2015. If you want to stop someone don't do it by yelling into the vacuum of Twitter and Social Media, shut up, step up, and let the voters decide.

Those people seriously need to get a life. I was interviewed by a podcast in late 2021 and they asked me my opinon on former Jason Kenney staffer Matt Wolf. I said I didn't know him, I didn't think about him, and I didn't really have an opinion because there are bigger issues going on in this world that someone who is saying so-called controversial things on social media.

I have no skin in the game when it comes to this leadership race. I am not a member of the party, I am not a member of any party at this time actually - first time in a very long time.

For transparency sakes, I have been a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, the Conservative Party of Canada, The NDP, The Ontario Liberals, the Ontario PC's, the Rhino Party, the Green Party of Canada, the Saskatchewan Party, the Saskatchewan NDP, the Alberta Liberals, The Alberta Party, the Alberta NDP, the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta and the United Conservative Party. You name it I've probably taken out a membership in the party.

Main reason, members get discounts for attending events. As a broke university-student you need to find ways to be cut corners and costs. So I became a member of all the parties and BAM massive discounts on tickets to events and get to take photographs.

When I see people yelling into the abyss of Twitter, I sit back in my chair and think to myself, "Life must be pretty freaking good if you can just bitch and complain to twitter to get the likes and followers."

So with the leadership race membership cut off coming up for the UCP, I leave with this, "Buy a membership, dont buy a membership I couldn't care. I have other bigger issues to worry about."