Local candidates make final pleas for support

By Collin Gallant on April 26, 2025.

The 45th General Election will be decided Monday, but not before the candidates in Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner make their last pitch to voters in the city and region.

That comes five weeks after the quick election call at the end of March, in some cases arranging local candidates for the riding and outreach to voters.

Conservative incumbent Glen Motz faces Liberal Tom Rooke, New Democrat Jocelyn Johnson and Green Party’s Andy Shadrach.

Motz spent the last week door-knocking in the Hat and western stretches of the riding, and planned to continue on Saturday, before gearing up for a voter mobilization effort on Monday.

“I’ve said that everybody who puts their hat in the ring deserves credit and kudos – it’s a lot of work to run,” said Motz, who estimates he has knocked on 20,000 doors both in the lead-up and election period. “We’re pleased with what we’re hearing on the doorsteps.”

Motz also noted higher advanced voting locally and nationally in early polls over the Easter weekend.

“It’s speaks to the change that people are wanting,” he concluded.

The Liberals’ Rooke is confident he was able to clearly lay out his campaign platform to voters within the riding through his marketing efforts using various media outlets to reach voters.

Rooke says the riding needs a seat, and a voice, in the House of Commons, as opposed to a conservative “backbencher,” who Rooke believes will be representing the opposition government following Monday’s election.

“I think the people of southeastern Alberta deserve better than what they’ve been getting, and I’m not trying to slight my opposition from that point of view, but unfortunately, he’s been in a position where he has been just a backbencher in the opposition. You don’t get any representation from that,” said Rooke.

Rooke says while campaigning he spoke to several voters who told him they are recognizing that Mark Carney will stand up for Canadian sovereignty and is the only candidate who will stand up for Canadians.

“People are recognizing that’s the kind of leadership they’ve been looking for, and that’s what we’re hearing on the street.” adds Rooke.

Rooke plans to continue door-knocking and camping throughout the weekend. Monday evening Rooke and supporters will be gathering at his campaign office located at 659 Third S. SE at South Railway.

NDP Candidate Jocelyn Johnson says that with family and connections in the area, she’s looking forward to hopefully representing the region and residing in Medicine Hat again soon.

“I think for a lot of people in the community, what I’ve heard is they just, they’re voting with their gut in this election. This is a strange election. The good news is it’s one that a lot of people are paying attention to,” said Johnson. “They’re really voting for whoever they think will provide strong representation, whatever party they choose to elect.”

Johnson assured the Medicine Hat News that while the New Democratic Party is small within Parliament at the moment, the more of them that are able to claim seats on Monday, the more accountability there’s going to be in the federal government.

“I’ve worked as a New Democrat and political offices for over a decade, and I can tell you, we’re workhorses and we treat every resident the same. You know their voice matters to us,” said Johnson.

General election polling takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday at various locations in the riding. Voters should check their voter identification card or the Elections Canada website for their specific location.

Motz was first elected in a byelection in 2016, then re-elected in the 2019 and 2021 general elections.

Kaslo, B.C. resident Andy Shadrack hasn’t waged an active campaign on the ground in the riding, but says his party’s message is that environmental concerns are being discussed in a traditionally conservative riding.

“I’m very impressed with the voters ” he told the News recently stating he has corresponded with “hundreds” of voters who have contacted him with questions.

“Between a quarter and one-third of my (nomination) signatures were Conservative supporters who said, ‘Yeah, I don’t agree with your position but you have a right to run,”

“That reinstates my belief that Canadians at heart still believe in democracy.”