The federal Conservatives have been campaigning in Alberta ahead of the referendum, urging people to vote against a second separation referendum. MP Dane Lloyd joins Alberta Primetime’s Michael Higgins to discuss the campaign. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Michael Higgins: What’s at the heart of your party’s message here and has it changed? Has it evolved as the campaign progressed? Dane Lloyd: This summer we consulted with Albertans, and the message that we heard was loud and clear: Albertans don’t have a problem with Canada, they have a problem with Ottawa. That’s why, in early September, we launched our Conservatives for Canada campaign. We’ve knocked on tens of thousands of doors, we’re literally running out of literature as fast as we can print it. We just launched our ad campaign in the advance polls. We’ve reached over half a million people, and we expect that to grow in the coming days. The message is clear that we want a stronger Alberta within a United Canada. This has been such an uplifting campaign to talk to Albertans about at the doors, and we’re going to continue the fight going into Oct. 19. MH: What do you make of the message the prime minister is currently delivering as he makes the rounds? DL: It’s critically important that every federal leader in this country and provincial leader comes out and supports a stronger Alberta in a united Canada. For our leader, Pierre Poilievre, this is his third speech that he’s given in support of Canadian unity. He’s been out door knocking, he’s visited communities across Alberta. It’s great to see that the prime minister is now here in Alberta making the case for Canada. We want to work towards a stronger Alberta within a united Canada, and Conservatives for Canada have been fighting for months to get that result. MH: Was there ever thought given to your leader making a joint appearance with the prime minister, extending a shared unity message, while both are here in our province? DL: As I said, our leader has been in Alberta three times, starting back in June when he gave a stellar speech in Calgary. He gave yet another great speech in Calgary today. All the federal parties are unified in the message that we need to keep Canada united, but it’s the Conservatives for Canada and our leader, Pierre Poilievre, that are fighting for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada. One-point-four million Albertans voted Conservative in the last federal election, we’re engaging those 1.4 million Conservatives, and we’re, in fact, engaging all Albertans and urging them to get out and vote for Option 1 (on Question 10), for Alberta to remain part of our great country, Canada. MH: We spoke back in July when you were named referendum lead for your party. How do you reflect on those past few months? What did that role look like in getting out the vote, making that case for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada? DL: It has been a tremendously uplifting experience. Any time I can get out at the doors and talk to real Albertans about the issues that are important to them (is great). And the message that they told me, as I said, is that they don’t have a problem with our great country, Canada, they have a problem with Ottawa. They want to see change in Ottawa and so when we’ve been going out of the door, we have been getting overwhelming support for our message for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada. As we get into the final days of this campaign, my message to Albertans is: get out and vote. The advance polls close on Saturday and Oct. 19 is the last day to vote. Let’s send a strong message that we believe in our country, Canada, by having a decisive vote for Option 1. MH: In door knocking, how much of that focus is on the issue of separation, and how much on the remaining nine questions on the referendum? How are those questions factoring into your conversations? DL: We’re not here to talk about the nine questions, we’re here to focus on the existential issue, which is the unity of our country, and I am laser focused on the mission. If we don’t have a united Canada, all these other issues are moot points. We need to ensure that we have a strong Alberta within a united Canada, and that is my mission to ensure that we have a decisive victory on Oct. 19th for a united Canada. MH: As an Alberta MP, how concerned are you over the eventual outcome of the separation question? To what degree is it keeping you up at night? DL: Maybe you can tell by my eyes, but I have been fighting so hard to ensure that we get a strong, decisive result. And I can’t say that I’m not concerned, but I can tell you that when I go to the doors and talk to real Albertans, it has been the most uplifting experience. People are true patriots for our country, Canada. Yes, they have issues with Ottawa, but they want to send a message that we love our country and we want a stronger Alberta, too. So yes, it’s concerning, obviously, but this has been such a positive experience, and we want to drive that positivity going into Oct. 19th. MH: What do you see your task becoming, if it is that Albertans vote to send the issue of separation to a second, binding referendum? What kind of responsibility then falls on the shoulders of all in the federal political establishment, your party included? DL: That’s a Tuesday morning question, or whenever we find out the results of this referendum. But I can tell you that Conservatives are the party of confederation. Conservatives for Canada believe in this country, and no matter what the results of this referendum may be, we will not stop fighting for our great country, Canada. We will not stop fighting for a stronger Alberta within a united Canada.
