UCP Ag Critic Quits To Sit As Independent

On Tuesday morning, the United Conservative Party's Agriculture Critic called it quits with the party to sit as an independent.

Drumheller-Stettler MLA, Rick Strankman, says the hyper partisan self-centered politics has side-stepped the direct representation of Albertans.

"Certainly the UCP party is receiving lots of provincial notoriety because of Albertans frustration with the NDP government and more over the economy, but I still have a deep, heart felt principle that those everyday Albertans need to be directly represented."

Strankman believes he can best serve his constituents outside of the party, as the UCP is not following grassroutes principles.

Strankman was also one of the farmers jailed in 2002 after being charged for taking wheat across the U.S. border in protest of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly.

He says business will carry on as usual in Drumheller-Stettler riding.

"I have great enthusiasm for agriculture as I always have. There is the potentiality for significant irrigation projects that could be developed out here to provide long term stability for the residents. That has been talked about for generations,even before my beginnings in the province. It think it's high time people quit talking about stuff and do it."

Strankman hasn't made a decision whether he'll be running in the upcoming election.