Welcome, and thank you for your interest! I’m running this campaign to be your Progressive Tory Party candidate here in Sherwood Park. 

I have been involved in local politics for the last 25 years. When I was 16, I was introduced into the political process by a former MLA for the area, Rob Lougheed. I essentially became smitten by the political process of affecting change for the good of the community and knew that is what I wanted to do long-term. I have held various political positions ranging from being a new volunteer in a campaign, a member of the provincial executive of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, and being a nomination candidate for the PCs for the 2012 election.

Having grown up in Sherwood Park since I was 8, I developed a deep love and appreciation for our community and decided I didn't want to leave. My wife, Ashley and I, are the proud parents of two boys currently navigating junior high and high school. We are also fortunate to be homeowners here in Sherwood Park.

Over the past many years, I have worked in various areas. After high school I was in the trades installing, servicing and repairing industrial sized garbage compactors. After Ashley finished her degree in Occupational Therapy, I went to MacEwan University and earned a BA in Political Science and Economics; specializing in the Canadian Constitution and Tax Policy. After that I worked for Revenue Canada in business taxes. I was most recently a policy advisor in two Deputy Premier's offices; serving in both Infrastructure and Public Safety and Emergency Services.

As wonderful as life is for me now, I understand what it is like to struggle. Life can throw curveballs and leave you completely disoriented. I've been there. I know what it is like to live paycheck-to-paycheck, and sometimes being in the position of not knowing where the money would come from for the mortgage or food. With the present affordability issues, this is a reality for many people right now.

More than ever, our province needs people who both know what they're doing in policy and legislation and have also lived the hard, real life scenarios that are impacting people and their ability to put food on the table and a roof over their head. Real solutions don't just happen. They come from people who not only listen to you, but have lived the problems that need to be addressed. That brings me here.

Why I'm Running

Like many, I can no longer support what the UCP has become. As a former policy advisor in the Alberta Legislature, I watched responsible fiscal management get discarded and corruption take its place. I tried to raise concerns about the path that was being taken. When I spoke up, I was dismissed from my job. Not long after, MLA Peter Guthrie resigned from his cabinet post in protest over major procurement scandals and was then completely removed from the UCP Caucus for speaking out. 

Our education system is suffering and the UCP are making a circus of our health care system. They used the “notwithstanding clause” to take rights away from our teachers, and used it against the LGBTQ community three more times for ideological reasons. Many who were justifiably on AISH are having their monthly benefits cut while being forced to work under the new ADAP program. To distract from their unpopular policies in these areas, they are sowing division among everyone that calls Alberta home by spending more than $100 million on unnecessary referendum questions that include the potential for separation from Canada.

On the other side, I cannot support the NDP either. I appreciate their attention and care to social issues. However, just a few governments ago, we saw them spend recklessly as well; just on agenda items that sit on the opposite end from the UCP. As an example, instead of prudently transitioning away from coal, they ignored legal advice and abruptly broke supply contracts that needlessly cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Tens of billions of dollars were borrowed and spent across the board to “fix” problems that were never solved. Given Nenshi’s leadership style as Mayor of Calgary, we have no reason to expect anything different from the NDP now.

For the UCP and NDP, the disdain they have for each other is the majority of their focus. It has become so divisive, and even combative, that it is more about tearing the other side apart instead of building something better for you and your family. I believe you deserve better, and I believe that the Tories are the vehicle for bringing back a responsible, balanced and caring approach to government in Alberta.

There was a time when being conservative meant being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars. It also didn’t exclude you from holding a progressive and socially responsible view. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that you could be both. In fact, most people I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to would identify as being a “progressive conservative.” Sound familiar?

Responsible governance requires engaged citizens and leadership that values integrity. It reflects caring for society and respect for the tax dollars you pay. I know that our Tory Party leader has the values and integrity necessary. His resignation from cabinet demonstrated that. Now, I need your support!

This is the Progressive Tory Party of Alberta, and I am running to reunite both progressive and conservative because there is more that unites us than divides us. I want to be part of bringing integrity and sanity back to government. 

Let’s do it together. I hope you’ll join me!
-Matthew Bissett