The residents of Airdrie-Cochrane have reason to be proud of their MLA Peter Guthrie. In recent weeks, Mr. Guthrie made a series of difficult but principled decisions that deserve recognition.
First, he stepped down from his role as Minister after being unable to secure support from fellow MLAs to launch a public inquiry into the AHS controversy and broader procurement practices. Then, after being suspended and silenced by the UCP government for over a month, he took the opportunity to speak publicly in the Legislature. For doing so, he was expelled from the UCP caucus and now sits as an independent MLA. His actions required real courage—courage grounded in doing what he believed was right. We all know this was right.
To be clear, I did not vote for Peter. But on the two occasions I requested a meeting, he made time to sit down with me. Of the roughly 50 emails I’ve sent his office over the past five years—most of them critical—his responses were respectful, thorough, and often followed up with the relevant Minister. In fact, I would say that Peter responded respectfully each and every time. Many of the responses were crafted (canned response) by the party but some were actually quite clear. That kind of engagement is rare and meaningful.
In a political landscape where integrity can feel like an endangered quality, Peter Guthrie stood by his principles, even at great personal and political cost. That deserves our appreciation and respect. Thank you, Peter, for putting integrity first.
Douglas Iverson
Rocky View, AB
