Mayor elect Linnsie Clark addresses a crowd of supporters at Paradise Valley Golf Course on election night, Oct. 18.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
Hatters voted for change in the fall of 2021, and the woman who led that call has been named the top newsmaker of the year in Medicine Hat by the News editorial board.Linnsie Clark, 41, became the city’s first female mayor with a resounding win at the polls, defeating two-term incumbent Ted Clugston and three others with two-thirds of the votes cast.The lawyer in the city’s solicitor office rose from having a relatively small public profile to winning two out of every three votes.From being quoted only once in the News over four years since the Medicine Hat native returned to the city, Clark made top headlines in 2021. She spent the day after the October election with an interview on national newscasts to discuss her win and others by women across Alberta in municipal elections.“It was pretty normal year up until about halfway through, I mean, it was a usual year, then it went into the campaign,” Clark told the News in a new-end interview.“I’ve done more interviews than I can count and met more people than maybe ever before.”“If COVID hadn’t have been an issue, I’d have had more opportunity, and I hope in 2022 to have more, to engage more with the business community.“It’s certainly a different experience, and I’m not sure how long it will take to feel normal (as a politician), but I already find it very fulfilling.”Clark campaigned on a promise to bring a more holistic approach to public engagement, economic development and a strategy toward “healthy community,” including council taking a more active role to tackle social problems.The Medicine Hat election didn’t take place in a bubble.Across the province, more women ran for office, and won, in municipal elections, including new Mayor Jyoti Gondek in Calgary, and others. And a significant number of Albertans voted for small “p” progressive politicians at the municipal level.The same pattern also appeared in the local council the race in Medicine Hat, as did the general turnover.Six of eight current council members were elected to their first term in office, and for the first time council shows a majority of female members.In fact, there are as many women serving on the current council as has previously served since the first woman, Lillian Gust, was elected in 1951.New first-time councillor Allison Van Dyke began 2021 leading an online campaign to maintain public ownership of the utilities. After her election in October she was named chair of the utility and infrastructure committee, making her the most powerful elected official overseeing the 110-year-old power company.“I feel like people are watching Medicine Hat — I know they are,” said Van Dyke. “Provincially and federally, there’s been a lot of interest about having such a large turnover, and having so many women elected, it’s a bit of a younger council.“I’m very optimistic, and I think it will be a benefit to Medicine Hat.”Clark wasn’t the only Hatter to wind up in the top headlines of the 2021.— Area MLA Drew Barnes continued to be a vocal critic of Premier Jason Kenney, a stance that led to the Cypress-Medicine Hat representative being voted out of the United Conservative caucus last spring. Since then, the three-term MLA has sat as an independent and aligned with fellow UCP exile Todd Loewen to critique the government and push for “Fair Deal” actions, such as moving toward an Alberta pension system, provincial police force and other issues to boost autonomy.— On the federal scene, Conservative MP Glen Motz won his third election in four years in September as the Liberals retained but could not build on a minority mandate during an early election call.— Dr. Paul Parks became a vocal advocate for vaccines and for action to halt the spread of coronavirus in the city during a deadly fourth wave. The head of emergency medicine at Medicine Hat Regional hospital and others were widely quoted locally and throughout the province.— In the wider discussion of the pandemic, doctor and Medicine Hat native Gabe Fabreau was widely used as a source of information by media outlets as the 42-year-old MD advocated for vaccine uptake and vaccinations among the immigrant community and temporary foreign workers.— Gen. Wayne Erye, who went to high school in Medicine Hat, assumed top command of the Canadian Armed Forces becoming chief of the defence staff in October.— Hatter MacKenzie Porter scored her first No. 1 hit on Billboard’s U.S. country chart with the duet “Thinkin’ Bout You.” Porter also appeared on late night talk show Jimmie Kimmel Live to perform the song with fellow artist Dustin Lynch.Another Hat-reared country star, Terri Clark, joined with Alberta county stars in an online release to oppose coal mining in the province.
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TrueAlbertan
2 years ago
Meritocracy be damned, let’s install politicians based on their gender or the colour of their skin. Alison Redford and Rachel Notley are proof that female politicians can be every bit as crooked and self-serving as their male counterparts!
I think Mayor Clark is the best opportunity for Medicine Hat since 1906.
While she may not have the political experience, (and that’s a good thing) she has the legal, behind-the-scenes experience on how the city was ……. “fill in the blank.”
Meritocracy be damned, let’s install politicians based on their gender or the colour of their skin. Alison Redford and Rachel Notley are proof that female politicians can be every bit as crooked and self-serving as their male counterparts!
Did Clugston get in on merit?
I think Mayor Clark is the best opportunity for Medicine Hat since 1906.
While she may not have the political experience, (and that’s a good thing) she has the legal, behind-the-scenes experience on how the city was ……. “fill in the blank.”