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1. Have you ever donated to, accepted a donation from, attended one or more meetings of, become a member of, supported in any way, or had the philosophy/platform/messaging of Take Back Alberta and/or the Central Alberta Municipal Conservatives resonate with you? If yes, please feel to elaborate your connection if you wish. If no, please feel free to answer why.
First of all, I never heard of Central Alberta Municipal Conservatives before June 2025. I don’t even know if you can donate to them. Second, as a candidate, accepting a donation from them would be a violation of Red Deer’s Election rules regarding donations from charities, non-profits, or community organizations. I suspect the Elections Commissioner would have already been informed of this action and disciplinary action up to and including disbarment from participation in the election as a candidate would have already been taken. Third, I don’t know what Take Back Alberta is, so I would say no. To be honest since I started my campaign in June 2025 I’ve avoided reading anything on the whole Alberta vs Canada debate as my focus is, and should be, on Red Deer and the future of Red Deerians. Fourth, while not a card carrying “Conservative”, I have been clearly mentioned on the Central Alberta Municipal Conservatives listing. Not all of their views ‘resonate’ with me and I made it clear on several occasions that I am not a hard C Conservative – I’ve been told, between the US/Canada politics, that I’m considered more “soft c conservative, moderate, libertarian or just right of center”. My request for endorsement by the Central Alberta Municipal Conservatives has been clearly posted on my Facebook, their Facebook, and my website. I think I will take their views and write my opinions of them on my website if I have time. 2. Have you signed the Forever Canada petition? Not to my knowledge, the only exposure I’ve had to this petition was 2 women sitting at a table in downtown Red Deer and again a table with two people outside of the Forum the other night. I simply don’t have the time right now to focus on national issues and campaign for my desire to be a Red Deer City Councillor. I had a group send me an email the other day asking my views about separation, and, as I have shared several times now (including on Facebook and my website, as your questions will be) I’ll include my views below. “First off, Alberta separation is really a provincial and federal issue — not a municipal one. But you’re asking a question with a lot of layers. The UCP has been the main political force behind the whole idea of “Alberta sovereignty within a united Canada,” at least until Carney stirred things up again. But remember, the UCP are United Conservatives, not “die-hard Conservatives.” If they were truly die-hard, they’d be backing Poilievre’s recent push for a united Canada that actually works together as one — something he’s been talking about pretty consistently since January. Now, the Alberta Prosperity Project — which has been leading a lot of this conversation — hasn’t even nailed down what a referendum question would look like yet. But to their credit, they’re doing what any group that believes in freedom of choice should do: laying out the options, educating Albertans about their rights, and encouraging open discussion instead of just pushing a separatist agenda. Personally, I think Ottawa has taken from the West long enough. It’s time Alberta stood up and demanded a real seat at the table. I’d describe myself as a sovereigntist. To me, that means believing Alberta has the right to decide its own political future — whether that ends up being full separation, special status within Canada, or simply more autonomy. Being a sovereigntist doesn’t mean I’m out there waving a “separate now” flag; it just means I believe in Alberta’s right to choose its own path. It’s a principled position, not a reactionary one — about reclaiming a voice we’ve been denied for over a century. So, if you’re looking for a straight “Yes” or “No” on Alberta separation, my answer would probably be No. I think we can — and should — “have our cake and eat it too” when it comes to dealing with the federal government.” ... If I do not get a response, I will assume that your answer is ‘yes’ to the first question and ‘no’ to the second. Neither of your questions can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” If someone hasn’t responded to your email, there could be a number of reasons for that. However, it’s concerning to assume their silence indicates either support or opposition. Your first question also raises a legal matter regarding whether a candidate may have accepted a donation from a prohibited donor. Regardless I hope I was able to answer your questions, as with everyone else your questions and my responses will be shared on my Facebook page and website www.kevinmklerks.ca Have a good one, Kevin M. Klerks Candidate for Red Deer City Councillor www.kevinmklerks.ca
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