Don’t look at the label; look at the ledger
By Lethbridge Herald on March 13, 2026.
For many in our province, the word “Liberal” has become synonymous with a federal approach that is out of touch, expansionist, and fundamentally indifferent to our economic realities. It is a sentiment that has fueled understandable frustration and, for some, a desire to reconsider our place within the federation. But as we approach a pivotal autumn, it is time to ask ourselves a difficult question: are we reacting to the political party we think is in charge, or are we observing the actual results being delivered by the government in power?
If you examine the ledger rather than the label, the reality is far more complex than the traditional partisan divide suggests. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, the federal government has quietly, but decisively, begun to pursue an agenda that looks less like the progressivism of the past and more like the pragmatic, centrist stewardship that defined the Red Tory tradition of the Progressive Conservatives.
Consider the federal bureaucracy. For years, the complaint from the centre-right has been that Ottawa is bloated, over-indexed on process, and resistant to fiscal discipline. Yet, the current administration has embarked on a concrete, multi-year plan to reduce the public service by 40,000 positions by 2029. This is not merely a rounding error; it is a structural re-sizing or right-sizing that directly addresses the concern that the state has grown faster than our economy can sustain. When a government sets hard caps on operational spending growth and mandates deep-dive savings reviews, it is utilizing the toolkit of a fiscal conservative, not a classic liberal.
Beyond the numbers, look at the priorities. The current government has moved away from the identity-focused discourse of the last decade, shifting its focus toward “abundance liberalism”; it’s an approach centred on national infrastructure, resource development, and productivity. By repealing the consumer carbon tax and signaling a commitment to large-scale energy and industrial projects, the Prime Minister is executing a policy agenda that many small-c conservatives have championed for a generation.
Look no further than the agreement reached between Ottawa and Alberta Friday, March 6. By adopting a ‘one project, one review’ approach, the federal government is doing something we haven’t seen in years: it is actively removing the bureaucratic hurdles that have held back our energy sector. This is not the action of a government trying to expand its reach; this is the action of a government acknowledging the necessity of efficient, predictable, and pro-growth regulation. It is a pragmatic shift, and it is a result that anyone who believes in a strong Alberta can support.
It is a fair question to ask: if the government is pursuing the fiscal restraint, resource development, and institutional stability that you want, does it truly matter what party label the Prime Minister uses?
Some will argue that this is simply political maneuvering. But in governance, policy is politics. When a leader acts to shrink the state’s footprint, prioritizes GDP growth over administrative expansion, and embraces pragmatism over ideology, they are fulfilling the core tenets of the Progressive Conservative legacy.
This presents a challenge for those in our community who feel politically homeless. The current federal Conservative leadership has, in many ways, shifted away from the traditional, institution-focused pragmatism of the past in favor of a more populist approach. Pierre Poilievre doesn’t embrace conservatism as much as he espouses his idealism. He criticizes bureaucrats, central banks, academic and cultural elites and is opposed to globalism.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Carney, a former central banker in both Canada and the UK, is embracing globalism in his search for an expanded trading relationship while he occupies a sensible, pro-growth centre.
Prime Minister Carney’s government still contains progressive elements, including national daycare support and a federal dental plan. While his first budget does show fiscal expansion, the Prime Minister has changed budgeting to show a new separation of operating versus capital spending to improve transparency and make it easier to track long-term investments versus day-to-day spending. The central banker mentality accepts higher debt levels as an increase in public investment in the short and medium term prompted by the US trade tariffs. To reduce reliance on US-Canada integrated supply chains, Carney has embarked on global missions to expand alliances, an ambitious push for trade diversification not seen since the Brian Mulroney era.
The Conservative Party of Canada has changed a great deal under Pierre Poilievre. And the Liberal Party of Canada has as well. Prime Minister Carney can almost be seen as following in the footsteps of Joe Clark or Brian Mulroney. For many Albertans, those changes align closely with long-standing economic priorities.
Before we commit to a path of separation or reflexive opposition this fall, we owe it to ourselves to be dispassionate. If the federal government is already implementing the shift toward efficiency and economic focus that we demanded, why gamble on the uncertainty of radical change?
Politics often invites us to vote for labels. But governing is about results. If the federal government is now delivering the policies many Albertans have demanded for years — faster project approvals, trade diversification, and a renewed focus on economic growth — then the ledger deserves as much attention as the label.
The “Liberal” banner may be there, but the actions on the ledger tell a different story. It is time to stop judging Ottawa by its name and start judging it by its results. Judge the Prime Minister, and everyone, by his or her actions. If you are a believer in sound management and a strong, productive economy, you may find that the federal government you were waiting for is already in office.
Ken Moore has a Political Science
degree, worked as a CFAC Television news director and covered municipal and provincial politics.
17-16
An excellent letter , obvious conclusions to anyone paying attention..
however, using a often restated quote :
“You can’t use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn’t use reason to get into”, this message is wasted on those inside the UCP , MAGA echo chamber..