No stranger to the political scene, Calgary Conservative MP Rob Anders announced on Aug. 7 he’s joining the race for the Bow River Conservative nomination.
This is the second constituency the longtime MP for Calgary West has run for this year. Anders lost his bid for the new riding of Calgary Signal Hill in April to former Alberta finance minister Rob Liepert.
Anders said he wants to continue on the work he’s done throughout his career advocating for property rights, low taxes, gun rights and traditional family values, which he said are values he believes the constituents in Bow River support.
“I think if people are looking for a proven Conservative who will advocate for property rights and gun rights, who is socially conservative and certainly has the bonafide credentials (as an MP), and who will fight for pro-life issues and such, I’m certainly their guy,” he said.
“When I first moved to Alberta, the area was very much the land of pick-up trucks and people who work hard for their living and who are more open to gun ownership… I feel that original spirit of the West still when I’m out there,” he said.
He added he’s a “strong social conservative” and a pro-life advocate.
Anders said he thinks the people in the Bow River riding are “very conservative” and contending against the Liberals and Democrats won’t be a ‘worry.’ He said he will push to ensure another Stephen Harper majority government.
Anders said he’s lived in Chestermere for “several years.”
Anders was first elected to the Reform Party of Canada in June 1997, and served as a member of the Official Opposition. He was re-elected to represent Calgary West in 2000 when his affiliation changed to Canadian Alliance, and in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper.
In the early stages of his career, he served as a deputy critic for Human Resources and later for Citizenship and Immigration and as the Official Opposition Critic for National Defence.
Throughout his political career, he has garnered some controversial attention, including being the only MP to refuse consent for a bill presented in parliament in 2001 that would grant honourary Canadian citizenship to South African leader Nelson Mandela.
Anders has been involved with various organizations, including the Fraser Institute, the Progressive Group for Independent Business, the National Firearms Association, Responsible Firearms Owners of Alberta, the Canada Family Action Coalition and the Alberta Debate and Speech Association.
It’s expected the Bow River Conservative Party of Canada will officially announce its call for nominations this fall.
