Third-party advertisers and advocacy groups are finding ways to get their messages out during a hotly contested municipal election campaign.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Advocacy and other groups are active in the rapidly advancing municipal election in a host of new election rules and while traditional campaigning is increasingly hamstrung by health restrictions.
A host of social media forums and websites detailing positions on specific topics focus on council and school board races in Medicine Hat, including one that asks for political party affiliations, but is for “members only.”
“Common Sense Medicine Hat” sent out questionnaires to council hopefuls last week; it operates a website, and in brief communication with the News, a site administrator says the group is non-partisan, the survey is for its members’ information and “core volunteers” may determine future plans after the election.
The site appears to be modelled after a site run by the “Alberta Institute,” which consistently argues for reducing the scope of government, reducing taxes, and its officials have issued several statements about the Calgary Municipal election, while it also follows provincial and federal politics.
Officials with that group told the News they provided some organizational advice to the Medicine Hat group, but there wasn’t an affiliation.
There have been no third-party advertisers registered with the city, though some council candidates have raised concerns about the inclusion of party politics in a municipal election questionnaire.
It is also not clear if the survey responses will be posted publicly, as a number of other groups in Medicine Have done recently.
“The School Councils in the Medicine Hat Public School Division” sent questionnaires to 15 public school trustee candidates, with 10 questions ranging from qualifications, curriculum, diversity and indigenous issues, as well as French language instruction. Those responses are posted at the website http://www.mhelxn2021.ca.
The Medicine Hat Retirement Villa hosted a small meet-and-greet for candidates, then organized a large all-candidates speaking event at the Cypress Centre, which was recorded and posted online.
“It was very well received,” said organizer Lorraine Dalla-Longa of the event, stating she felt with the large field of candidates, some introductory process to the general public was required.
Advocacy groups in local elections are not new.
In 2013, the “Move Forward Medicine Hat” group launched what it called an informational campaign to frame that year’s vote in terms of economic development.
That same year, the owners of the River Ridge Condo Community also hosted a meet-and-greet with candidates to discuss their ongoing legal battle with the city over a contested sewer station on their property.
Third-party advertisers are not candidates, but if they spend or raise $1,000 promoting issues or specific candidates they must register with the specific municipality, or the province if they plan to act in 10 or more local jurisdictions.
One group involved on the provincial equalization ballot issue is registered with the address of a Medicine Hat law firm.
This month the Medicine Hat Public Library made a statement that Hatters and its patrons should consider council candidates’ position on its funding.
It solicited comments from all mayoral and council candidates, and posted position statements regarding the library on its website, which were returned by 21 candidates.
The library is a legally separate entity from the City of Medicine Hat, but a grant provided by the city is the largest funding source and several operational agreements are in place.
In late 2020, major budget adjustments led to a $125,000 reduction to the library’s funding.
The Medicine Hat District Labour Council has released a list of candidates they endorse – a common practice in past elections – on its website, though it is not partaking in a “Municipalities Matter” campaign as it had in previous years.
Individual unions as well as corporations are barred from making political donations.
The Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce renewed its “Vote Prosperity Campaign,” which outlines issues it believes are important to business community, and provides backgrounders on issues such as taxation, infrastructure and workforce development.
It provides brief biographies, contact information and videotaped interviews with candidates who responded. Those can be found through its website (medicinehatchamber.ca).
