News Release

September 27, 2004
Link Byfield declares Senate candidacy

Edmonton - Veteran Edmonton journalist and former magazine publisher Link Byfield announced today he will be running in the race for Alberta "senator-elect" in the next provincial election, expected in late November.

"Alberta is heading into another decade of crisis like the 1970s," said Byfield. "Resource revenues are high, and Albertans need a strong, clear voice defending their constitutional rights."

Byfield, 52, published the widely read newsmagazine Alberta Report for 18 years. He is now chairman of the Citizens Centre, a nonpartisan group promoting responsible government. His father Ted Byfield was a pioneer of the Triple E Senate reform movement in the 1980s.

Byfield is running as an independent candidate. His campaign chairman is the Hon. Grant Hill, a member of the Privy Council who was elected federally three times for Macleod.

"As senator-elect I will press for two things," said Byfield, "provincial rights and a new federal vision. If we Albertans don't respect our own rights, neither will Ottawa. And if we don't point out to the whole country that Ottawa's huge fiscal transfers are ruining the regions they're supposed to help, no one will."

Byfield noted that in the past four decades, federal intrusions have almost obliterated the original constitutional understanding that Ottawa would deal with issues of sovereignty while provinces look after their own economic and social development.

The Alberta government announced the Senate election only two weeks ago, leaving scant time for candidates to organize. Byfield said his campaign will be based on town hall meetings around the province. These will be co-hosted by the Citizens Centre and the Alberta Residents League. He urged people willing to help set them up to call the Citizens Centre office in Edmonton, 1-866-666-6768.

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For more information:

Link Byfield
780-908-2202 (cel)
byfield@linkbyfield.ca
www.linkbyfield.ca