Travis Toews is one of six candidates who are running for the UCP leadership race in October. On Saturday, he hosted a meet and greet at Glitch Gaming Lounge in Airdrie and spoke about what he would bring to the table if elected as UCP leader. 

"Stable, responsible, principled and proven leadership. That's what sets me apart from the other candidates I believe," he said. 

Toews believes with his experience in both urban and rural communities he has what it takes to lead all of Alberta and not just one set of people.  

"I've been the Minister of Finance, with my professional background, I’m very comfortable in downtown Calgary or Edmonton or even urban centers. But my roots are planted deep in rural Alberta. I'm a rancher from the Northwest." 

Toews heavily focused on the long-standing issue of healthcare during his time in Airdrie, as he described the current system under AHS as a system that is currently failing. Toews described the culture in AHS as toxic due to hands being tied to make decisions.  

While in Airdrie, Toews said his plan was to review the credentials for foreign doctors and to cut the tape allowing more physicians to get to work.  

“We have a shortage of physicians in the province, while we have physicians sitting at home waiting to work”.    

Acknowledging that while Toews doesn’t have the answers for all of the issues, he recognizes that this is a very complex issue that will require time to fix.  

“I don’t have all the solutions, there will be people who are health care professionals on the front lines, that I believe will hold some of the most important solutions on healthcare reform."

The position will be hard for any of the six people running for premier including Leela Sharon Aheer, Todd Loewen, Rebecca Schulz, Rajan Sawhney, and Danielle Smith.

The leader will be elected on October 6.  

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com