By Emily Jaycox For the Independent

Latecomer White Sands resident Jason Hushagen has decided to put his name in the hat for the upcoming provincial election.

Hushagen, a self-employed oilfield operator, decided to run for the Alberta Independence Party (AIP) for Drumheller-Stettler about a month ago.

The goal of the party is that “Alberta will get to make its own decisions and not be dictated to by the federal government,” said Hushagen.

Hushagen says the party line is “neither left, no right, but pretty much straight down the middle.”

If elected, the party’s first order of business would be to hold a referendum on separation from Canada.

According to the party’s website, the process from start to finish would be completed in four months.

If Albertans vote for separation, Alberta would then join the United Nations and build pipelines to tidewater, says Hushagen.

The AIP plans to increase oil royalties to 10 per cent and lower the corporate tax to eight-and-a-half per cent for Alberta-based companies and nine per cent for foreign companies.

The party then plans to end equalization payments and repeal the carbon tax.

“As a party we’re going to eliminate the carbon tax.”

Hushagen says unemployment is the number one issue facing Alberta today.

The party would “fully fund” healthcare and education, Employment Insurance and support continuing education and training programs to help workers keep up with emerging technology.

Hushagen says the party is neutral on Bill 6, which deals with mandatory insurance for farm workers.

“I don’t have an issue with Bill 6,” he said.

“I think it’s a good idea for farms to have WCB qualifications.”

As far as personal rights, Hushagen says, “We believe that nobody should have the right to trample on anybody else’s rights.”

Hushagen says to those that are tired of federal rules that don’t necessarily help Albertans, that the AIP is “an option now.”