The Alberta New Democrats have officially nominated Gwendoline Dirk (left) as the party's candidate for the Brooke-Medicine Hat riding. Lethbridge MLA Shannon Phillips looks on.--FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The Alberta New Democrats have one local candidate in place ahead of the 2023 election and could have another soon, party officials tell the News.
Gwendolin Dirk was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding on Thursday night at an event that drew 80 local supporters to hear MLA Shannon Phillips speak.
As many as four individuals are now being vetted to seek the nomination in the other southeast Alberta riding of Cypress-Medicine Hat.
“I would expect by the fall there would be a nomination meeting and I’ll have a running mate,” said Dirk on Friday, stating earlier, “there’s a lot of excitement for an election.”
“A lot of people are feeling left behind and unheard, and they’re struggling and looking for a change toward economic security, stability and opportunities for young people.”
Party Leader Rachel Notley has said she would like to have candidates nominated in all of Alberta’s 87 ridings by the fall, and to get the party on an election footing this summer while the United Conservative Party chooses a new leader.
The election is expected in late May 2023.
Dirk told the News she has been doorknocking already, and is getting good response from many, and at least a fair hearing from those who identify as not being NDP supporters.
The former high school teacher and college instructor ran for a trustee seat in on the Medicine Hat Public School Board last fall and was appointed this year to the Medicine Hat Police Commission.
She completed a masters degree in education last year, and said her focus is on a strong system in Alberta.
“It’s very close to my heart, at this point my biggest concern is curriculum change that’s being imposed on children and on teachers.
“You can be sure that if (Leader) Rachel Notley and the NDP form the next government we’re committed to reversing that, going back to the (in-place) curriculum in the first 100 days, then going back to stakeholders.”
Dirk was raised in Saskatchewan and has lived in Medicine Hat since 1992.
Her common-law partner, Peter Mueller, unsuccessfully ran for the party in Cypress-Medicine Hat in 2019.
Alberta Party Leader and former Brooks Mayor Barry Morishita is also nominated in the riding. Current MLA, Michaela Frey of the UCP, is expected to run for re-election, though there is no indication when a nomination process may take place.
In Cypress-Medicine Hat, UCP riding association officials told the News the week they will conduct a nomination this summer to replace Drew Barnes, who now sits as an independent. He told the News he is considering seeking a fourth term as the region’s MLA as an independent or under an alternate party banner.
The Medicine Hat riding was won by NDP candidate Bob Wanner in 2015 in a hotly contested three-person election by a few hundred votes over Wildrose Party candidate Val Olson.
Since then however, the riding was redrawn to divide the northern portion of the city into the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding, with the remainder moving to Cypress-Medicine Hat. With only one major conservative party on the ballot in 2019, the United Conservative Party candidates handily took back both ridings as the New Democrats lost power.
