On a break from canvassing in Macleod — a largely rural Alberta riding that stretches from the south of Calgary to the U.S. border and includes several First Nations’ reserves — John Barlow, a local newspaperman-turned aspiring Conservative politician, said something unexpected.

In the nascent stages of his byelection campaign, he told iPolitics, one of the main concerns constituents keep raising is affordable housing — not, say, the RCMP firearm seizure that became the focus of the Conservative nomination battle.

“It surprises people. We have some seemingly affluent communities, but we still have those issues,” Barlow said in a phone interview from the riding over the weekend.

And if he’s elected in the byelection, which, barring disaster, any risk-averse gambler would judge a sure thing in one of the safest Tory ridings on the map, he assures it’ll be on the agenda he brings to Ottawa along with other constituent priorities — among them the Western Canadian grain backlog and the continuation of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.

“I’m really the hood ornament here. I’m the one who’s their advocate and speaking on their behalf. What your personal opinion is — of course you have to take that into consideration — but you definitely have to poll your constituents and speak with their voice,” he said.

In that regard, he sounds quite a bit like Liberal candidate Dustin Fuller — the young regulatory technician with Calgary-based Husky Energy and Barlow’s only opponent so far.

The Green Party and the NDP have yet to nominate candidates.

Fuller, a University of Lethbridge alumnus, is offering what at first blush appears to be western populism in Liberal garb, and he isn’t convinced the well-connected Barlow can be that same grassroots representative.

“I truly believe I am able to bring the priorities and the interests of Macleod to Ottawa and not be given a binder that says ‘Prime Minister’s Office’ — here’s my talking points — being a trained seal,” he told iPolitics.

“It’s to hear from people within the communities on what can be done to make things better. Should the government be doing a little bit more? Should the government being doing less? Or should it stay the hell out of the way?”

Of course Barlow, a career journalist who’s continuing to work in a more limited capacity with the local Okotoks Western Wheel during the campaign, objects to the suggestion that he’ll be any sort of lackey.

On the other hand, he also doesn’t believe there is a dearth of independence within the Conservative caucus.

“I’ve been quite proud of how the Conservative caucus has worked. You’re able to speak your mind and there are free votes in the House, except for integral issues like the budget. I absolutely feel that I’m free (to) speak to how my constituents feel, and I totally plan do to that,” he said.

For as much as Fuller might scoff at the idea of Barlow operating with any kind of independence, however, Barlow was equally dismissive of Fuller’s claim that Albertans have abandoned their suspicion of Liberal energy policy.

This despite the Liberals finishing fourth in the riding in the last two federal elections — behind both the NDP and the Greens — losing by 32,625 votes in 2008 and 38,109 in 2011.

“There has only been maybe a handful of people who have brought up the National Energy Program,” Fuller said of references on the hustings to Pierre Trudeau’s 1980 policy — the legacy of which has contributed to making the party being almost unelectable federally in the province.

“And my response is, ‘You know, Justin was ten and I wasn’t born yet. I have no attachment to the National Energy Program… and being in oil and gas for the past three years, I’ve been able to appreciate the vast size of the industry and how many people it employs.”

Just because they aren’t bringing it up, though, doesn’t mean it’s no longer an issue, Barlow countered.

“There’s no question. People remember the NEP absolutely devastated Western Canada. The impact of that is still felt quite strongly, especially in Alberta,” he said. “People don’t want to risk going back.”

On the subject of resentment brewing beneath the surface, however, Fuller isn’t alone in having to put out old fires.

There’s no denying that the Progressive Conservative-Wildrose divide at the provincial level appears to be taking its toll on Conservative unity at the federal level and forcing many to walk on eggshells.

Having run against Wildrose leader Danielle Smith in the last provincial election, there are some of the blue Tory bent who weren’t particularly keen on Barlow being their candidate.

And coming after Ron Liepert, a former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister, defeated five-term MP Rob Anders — an outspoken Wildrose supporter — for the nomination in Calgary Signal Hill, some see the federal Conservatives tilting a little too close to the centre.

Though Fuller says he’s come across people who have issues with Barlow as a candidate because of his PC ties, he said he wasn’t particularly interested in internal Conservative politics.

For Barlow’s part, all that division is being blown out of proportion.

“You’re obviously going to have debates among different candidates and their teams — and I think that’s healthy — you want to have lively discussions,” he said.

“Now that my nomination is over, I have members of both the parties on my campaign team. I have four Wildrose and one PC MLA in my riding; all of them have come out publicly to support me. We’re all on the same team at this level.”