Paul Martin promises to ease western alienation if PM
Canadian Press
Jul. 12, 2003
Globe and Mail

Paul Martin says that ending the Canadian Alliance stronghold in Alberta is within reach of the federal Liberals if he becomes prime minister.

The Liberal leadership front-runner told more than 150 supporters in Grande Prairie on Friday afternoon that he would try to bring Alberta back into the Liberal fold by not ignoring the concerns of the often-adversarial province.

"'This is a region that is ready to be taken, but we have to first earn that support," Mr. Martin told the crowd gathered at a seniors centre.

For far too long, Ottawa has dismissed Alberta's problems as being regional issues rather than national ones, he said, adding he would do his best to ensure the provincial voice was included in the national decision-making process.

"'The drought in Alberta, its transportation issues, the softwood lumber battle and BSE, are all national issues and should have been be treated as such," said Mr. Martin, wearing a golf shirt with the slogan Alberta Beef.

"'This will be a government that sticks out its hand and asks for you to stand with us. . . the Alberta voice must be heard and discussed at the national table."

Mr. Martin is running against Finance Minister John Manley and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps in the leadership race.

Mr. Martin suggested Alberta wouldn't be the toughest provincial sell on his campaign trail to succeed Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

"There is a tremendous openness in Alberta and a desire to make Confederation work better," he said.

"'I don't believe Albertans want to create firewalls," said Mr. Martin, referring to a comment made in 2001 by Alliance Leader Stephen Harper, who then was part of a group that called for firewalls' to protect Alberta from federal raids on the province's wealth.

Kim Fenton, Liberal party secretary-treasurer in Grande Prairie, echoed the belief that Alberta will vote for a Martin-led Liberal government, after being dominated by the Canadian Alliance and Reform for years.

"Come the next election, things will be very different with Martin as prime minister, not only in the Peace River riding but across the entire province," said Ms. Fenton, who ran as the riding's Liberal candidate in the last election.

"The Canadian Alliance reign is deteriorating and they are starting to get worried about the building wave of Liberal support."

Mr. Martin took the same messages Friday evening to the central Alberta city of Red Deer, where he attended a Liberal dinner serving up beef. He repeated that the West's mad cow crisis is a national issue.

He told reporters later that reopening the U.S. border to Canadian beef is the No. 1 objective.

Organizers at the 220-strong event said they had to turn people away.

"That's quite a change from meeting in a telephone booth," joked Walter Kubanek before he introduced Mr. Martin to the crowd.

Don Simpson, constituency president for Red Deer, said conservatives in the area are now taking a second look at the Liberal party.

Mr. Martin promised that Ottawa, under his direction, would work better with municipalities to help ease their ever-increasing financial burden.

"They are the engines of growth. They're the ones that bear the costs," he said. "If we're going to sit down with the provinces we're also going to sit down with the municipalities and give them a chance to build for the future."