Cypress-Medicine Hat voters face interesting question at the polls

By Letter to the Editor on August 3, 2018.

It would be quite interesting if Bob Wanner is the NDP candidate in the Cypress-Medicine Hat constituency. The contest would be an excellent opportunity to clarify recent political happenings in southeastern Alberta.

Was Wanner’s victory in 2015 a random occurrence, or did the voters choose him because he would provide the best representation for our city? His Wildrose opponent fared reasonably well in the vote even though she did not have a very strong grasp of the issues.

Wanner was appointed Speaker of the Legislature, and he has been one of the few brighter lights for the governing NDP. His background in Medicine Hat affairs gives him first-hand knowledge of the needs of the city and with some knowledge for the rural area. He is probably the best candidate the NDP has in southeastern Alberta, and he could provide Drew Barnes, the UCP candidate, the strongest opposition.

The UCP failed to have a candidate selection process in Cypress-Medicine Hat. It is a surprising misstep for a new political party. Even board members were uninformed of this acclamation. Barnes is not disappointed for he didn’t have a contest, which he could have lost.

The next vote will enable the voters to either affirm his rise to his position, or to reject it. He became the Wildrose candidate through a haphazard process during the inept leadership of Danielle Smith, and now he receives an acclamation by another questionable way, which is hardly a grassroots’ process.

The voters, particularly from Medicine Hat, will be able to vote on his unusual business reputation which he developed over the years. Did his rural representation at least parallel or exceed his rather uniformed comments over time for reforming our health care system? In his current role as finance critic, he also appears virtually insignificant. Does his business reputation, his mediocrity or less as a critic and his unusual nominations reflect on the kind of representation he would provide our area?

Southeastern Alberta has had in the past numerous MLAs who were in the PC party, who were recognized in their party for their abilities and who provided reasonable representation for this area: Jim Horsman, Lorne Taylor, Rob Renner and the late Len Mitzel. Of course, to be expected, a group of constituents will disagree.

In the next election, the voters in Cypress-Medicine Hat should consider an important question before their vote. Which candidate will best represent southeastern Albertans in our Legislature?

Larry Samcoe

Medicine Hat

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