Listen Live

KAREN MCPHERSON LEAVES NDP CAUCUS

In a Facebook post Wednesday Calgary Mackay Nose Hill MLA Karen MacPherson announced her departure from the NDP caucus. She says that she has chosen to sit as an independent and wished her former party colleagues well. McPherson explains her choice by highlighting the fractured nature of politics now in Alberta and around the world saying in a tweet, “Our world is becoming increasingly polarized with pressures of left & right politics. I don’t reflect either of those options.”

“Continuing to do politics the way it’s being done will lead to further polarization. We are missing the middle where we have more in common with each other than we are different. Albertans need political choices that inspire them, not scare them.”

“Health care and education are the two largest items in the provincial budget and, while they are being adequately managed, they need to be transformed. Our economy is slowly recovering from a revenue collapse, leaving deficits that Albertans have deemed unacceptable, and there’s no clear path to alleviating the deficit. The answer doesn’t lie in drastic cuts or in a slow downward trend in rising costs. Things have to be evaluated with a fresh perspective. It’s more important now than it’s been in at least a generation.”

Caucus members have also taken to social media to wish McPherson the best, including St. Albert MLA Marie Renaud.

Premier Rachel Notley has not yet publicly commented on the departure. Former PC member Rick Fraser made a similar announcement in September.

Story by Erica Fisher. 

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Lloydminster fire crews put out minor fire at Grace United Church

A minor fire at Grace United Church in downtown Lloydminster engaged the efforts of Lloydminster fire crews on Thursday, July 3.

Parade Marshals announced for Lloyd Ex

With the Lloyd Ex Fair celebrating 120 years, the prestigious role of the Parade Marshals to herald the start of the summer festival are Terence Bexson of Marshall and Lyle & Alison Lee of Lloydminster.

Nenshi takes aim at Alberta Next

The Alberta Next panel which has a stop in Lloydminster on Aug. 27 is coming in for some stick from freshly minted Alberta NDP MLA Naheed Nenshi. The opposition leader labelled the $2 million dollar UCP government effort as "full of extremist language" and having no place in Alberta.

Let your pictures ExploreSask in photo contest

As you point, focus and click this summer, you may consider putting your skills to the test in the ExploreSask Photo Contest which runs until Sep. 30.

SGI should remove inspection for out-of-province vehicles: Sask NDP

The bigger picture is inter-provincial trade, but if the inspection on a vehicle was removed when it changes owners across the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in Lloydminster, that would be a big help to local vehicle owners in the Border City.
- Advertisement -