New Conservative leader Erin O’Toole wants western alienation to be addressed by the federal government and our Member of Parliament couldn’t agree more.

Kamloops Thompson Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod says the sense of apathy from Ottawa towards the West exists here and is felt even more in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“Certainly there are some areas in BC, some people in BC but it’s something that’s very, very pervasive in these other provinces and I think it’s a feeling that the government doesn’t understand their concerns, doesn’t understand their issues and frankly doesn’t care about their issues,” she said, on the NL Morning News.

McLeod says O’Toole, unlike the PM, knows what’s going on from coast to coast.

“Very aware and certainly has been talking about the forestry crisis. I mean one of my complaints in the last election is the Prime Minister didn’t even seem to know there was a forestry crisis,” she added.

“I’ve had many conversations in terms of what’s happening in our area and how the forestry crisis is impacting us.”

In speaking with Justin Trudeau after he was named leader, O’Toole told the Prime Minister he expects western alienation to be addressed in the speech from the Throne on September 23rd.