An Okotokian believes his business-experience will help Alberta get on track after the next provincial election. “For the last 15 years I have been operating as a project manager, taking the vision of stakeholders in this province, establishing budgets, engaging large teams, creating schedules and bringing jobs in on time and on budget,” said RJ Sigurdson. “I want to use that skillset the same way in government in order to bring back balanced budgets and a better economy for Alberta.” Sigurdson, a project manager and shareholder with Avalanche Air Systems, has entered the race for the United Conservative Party’s nominee for the Highwood constituency for the next provincial election, expected to take place in 2019. The Okotoks resident joins incumbent Wayne Anderson, Dean Leask, owner of Contain-A-Way Services, and Carrie Fischer, who works in Foothills MP John Barlow’s office, in announcing their intention to seek the nomination. Sigurdson isn’t a newcomer to politics. He was the Highwood UCP constituency association president until stepping down a month ago to run for the candidacy. He was also the PC association party president for Highwood until the two parties merged in 2017 to take on as one the NDP government in the next election. “I have been involved in politics formally for about five or six years but ever since high school, I have been as politically active as possible,” said Sigurdson, who calls himself fiscally conservative. “I grew up in a conservative family on the farm.” He took advantage of the Alberta Advantage in going to SAIT, worked in oil and gas, then into construction and becoming a shareholder with Avalanche. “I don’t feel the opportunities are there (anymore),” Sigurdson said. “I believe I have the skillset to assist the UCP in bringing back those core values to Alberta... I believe in an economy-based budget – balanced budgets – free economy, opportunities for Albertans that aren’t just there due to the current NDP government... I think with my hard work-ethic, bringing those skills to the table and assisting the UCP in making those changes and bringing Alberta back to its prosperity.” He said within the constituency the biggest issue is the water issue in Okotoks and rural crime. He said rural crime is an ongoing issue – his family’s acreage was ransacked when he was about 14 years of age while growing up in the Cochrane area. “It [rural crime] is getting worse now,” he said. “We have to find solutions to this.” Sigurdson is also confident UCP leader Jason Kenney, a former federal minister under Stephen Harper, will be the next premier. “Absolutely,” he said. “This is a fresh start for the conservatives and I am grateful that we have a leader – and a grassroots-based party – that is engaging in an open-nomination process as it builds this new party. “I think Jason Kenney can lead us back to the Alberta Advantage... He is the hardest –working man in Alberta.” Sigurdson worked with Kenney’s campaign in the leader’s byelection in Calgary Lougheed in late 2017. The UCP Highwood constituency annual general meeting is June 23 at the Best Western Hotel in Okotoks starting at 10 a.m. The AGM is for the new boundaries for the 2019 election, which for Highwood is Okotoks, Black Diamond and Turner Valley area. High River is part of Livingstone-Macleod for the 2019 election. The new board for the Highwood constituency will set a date for UCP candidate election.
