Content provided by 99.5 Drum FM: 

We have asked the same five questions to all of the candidates of the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills riding to provide a profile for voters in our area. 

Please provide a background about yourself: I recently served as the MLA for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.  My family and I currently live in Olds and have been in the community for 8 years.  In the region, prior to living in Olds, I lived in Carstairs.  Grew up all around Alberta, graduated from high school in Saskatchewan and then shortly after graduating I moved back to Alberta.

What is something that you stand for?  I am passionate about public service and serving the public.  Obviously, doing everything I can to put the needs of the people of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills first is what I endeavor to do.  With respect to the upcoming election, focusing on jobs and the economy.  Getting the economy back on track.  Creating a climate where investment will return to the Province of Alberta.  Reducing the tax burden in the repeal of the carbon tax.  Defending rural Alberta and in particular, working to see a decrease in rural crime and ensuring the rural Albertan way of life.

What do you feel is important for our constituency?  Everywhere around the constituency that I go, people are predominately focused on one thing, getting our economy back on track.  The UCP has a very detailed plan on how to do that.  Repealing the carbon tax, creating an investment-rich environment, reducing the regulatory burden on job creators.  Getting the economy back on track is for sure the number one issue.  Obviously, pipeline access is the second issue.  The third issue is quite likely Alberta having a strong voice in confederation.  Standing up to Justin Trudeau and the Ottawa Liberals that have tread on Alberta for the last four years that want to take our equalization payments when times are good and when times are bad have been punishing us with pipeline access.  We need strong leadership to be able to defend Alberta's interests in Ottawa.

How do you plan on helping your constituency?  First and foremost the way we help people in politics is to listen to people.  Get a real sense of needs and concerns that constituents in rural Alberta and particularly Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills have, and then acting upon some of those things.  I think there a number of examples of that over the last number of years.  I've had the real opportunity to help a bunch of folks on a very individual level as well as has advocated for rural health care.  Ensuring that our rural hospitals stay open.  Also protecting rural properties and the challenges we have seen over the last couple of years in rural crime.  We need to advocate stronger on behalf of rural Albertans and make sure rural Albertans feel safe in their homes.  

What inspired you to become interested in provincial politics?  I think my kids, in many respects, are a lot of the motivation that I need.  I have such a passion to try to leave Alberta better than we have found it.  Certainly, there has been lots of good years in Alberta over the past four generations.  I believe that the best of Alberta is yet to come.  I want to make sure our legacy isn't one of billions and billions of dollars of debt but it is a legacy of job creation, a legacy of a strong vibrant diverse economy.  It is a legacy that all Albertans are welcome and it's a legacy that there is a bright, bright future for my children and frankly for all constituents of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills children.