Jim Prentice faced provincial voters for the first time and came out on top winning the byelection in Calgary-Foothills.
Prentice was elected to lead the Progressive Conservatives on September 6 but did not hold a seat in the Legislature.
Prentice announced that the province was under new management and began making changes almost immediately.
His campaign promised Albertans quality education and health care and focused on five priorities:
• A focused commitment to sound, conservative fiscal principles
• Ending entitlements and restoring the public trust
• Maximizing the value of our natural resources sector and respecting property rights
• Establishing our province as an environmental leader
• Increasing Albertan’s quality of life by leading in health care, education and skills training
Prentice welcomed supporters to join him at a celebration in Calgary on Monday night and won the riding with 6898 votes.
“Six weeks ago we began the process of reconnecting the government with the needs and priorities of Albertans. We placed Alberta under new management with new leadership, with new voices and with a new way of doing things,” said Prentice. “That’s why we took decisive action to bring real and tangible changes to Alberta and we did so immediately after I won the leadership of this party.”
He says his team knocked on 5000 doors and did not take this byelection for granted.
“Under my leadership, we are never going to take Albertans for granted, ever,” said Prentice. “I am very aware that you have placed an enormous amount of trust in me and an enormous amount of trust in this government and I’m honoured and I’m humbled. I take this trust very seriously and I will work each and every day to honour and to try and live up to the public trust that has been shown for our party in these byelections.”
On Tuesday morning, Prentice appeared on CTV Morning Live and said he was humbled by the results and very happy as well. "I knocked on over 6,000 doors and I heard the same message door after door."
He said that Albertans accept the government as being under new management and he says he's in a position of trust that needs to be fulfilled.
Going forward, Prentice says that the government is going to face a dual challenge of the slippage in international oil prices and the effect that will have on the province. "Oil is now below $80 a barrel for the first time in recent memory and there's been incredible population growth in this province. We have an infrstructure deficit in terms of schools and senior's care facilities."
Despite the slip in oil prices, Prentice told CTV that the announcement he made during the byelection campaign will stand. "They are fully within the budget and fiscal framework. The slippage in prices will require discipline in government spending. The Alberta government is in very good shape. The first six months of this year, we ran a very sizable surplus."
As for the call for another general election, Prentice said he'll stick to the schedule. "I've had enough electioning for the moment. It's been a lot of work. I'm just happy and humbled by what happened yesterday."
The PCs captured 44 percent of the total votes and won in all four ridings.
