Debate descends on the Hat

By COLLIN GALLANT on July 27, 2022.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Candidates to lead the province may take off the gloves during a party leadership forum tonight in Medicine Hat, but several are also planning to kick up their heels and campaign during Stampede Week in the Gas City.

The seven candidates will answer questions and debate on stage for two hours at the HALO Hanger at the Medicine Hat Regional Airport at 5 p.m. That will also be livestreamed on the party’s website (unitedconservative.ca) but Hatters are likely to see potential leaders downtown, on the exhibition grounds and even back later in the week as they tour the southeast.

Afterwards, an official candidate meet-and-great is scheduled for those party members who registered at a local hotel. Some candidates who returned calls from the News will hold their own after-debate events, then round out the visit by door-knocking or shaking hands on on the exhibition grounds.

The campaign team for Leela Aheer said the Chestermere-Strathmore MLA would be on the Stampede grounds on opening day today in the early afternoon, before visiting downtown and Station Coffee, then preparing for the debate.

Specific issues for Medicine Hat, according to a statement from Aheer, “ensuring health care is available and accessible when families need it, especially emergency care and family doctors is top of mind; as is finding a path forward to improve safety and convenience of getting around the province, like Highway 3.”

Calgary Shaw MLA Rebecca Schulz who kicked off her campaign in Medicine Hat in June will appear at the Mezz Restaurant on Second Street at 8 p.m. after the forum

“Our first campaign stop was in Medicine Hat after I announced in my home riding, and it’s always great to be back,” said Schulz on Tuesday, of a June event alongside Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Frey, who endorsed the former Children’s Services minister early.

“What I’m hearing is healthcare is top of mind not only in southern Alberta but across the province – EMS dispatch and doctor shortages are big issues to address – and also questions of affordability,” she said.

Brian Jean, the former Wildrose Party leader and recently elected UCP MLA will travel today for the debate, then take part in a meet-and-greet at a local hotel after the 7 p.m. end of the forum.

His campaign team is planning to meet supporters and the public at a downtown coffee shop following Thursday’s parade before travelling back to northern Alberta.

Jean also cited health care and inflation, but also provincial autonomy as top concerns in the region.

“On top of that, they know that it has been a long time since southeastern Alberta had a senior minister in the government,” said Jean. “I commit that if elected leader I won’t treat southeastern Alberta as the other forgotten corner.”

Former finance Minister Travis Toews is scheduled to begin his day Wednesday in Strathmore after meetings in Lethbridge and Raymond on Tuesday. The events section on his campaign webpage shows events Thursday in Brooks and Bassano, before a return to the Hat on Friday for an event at a downtown restaurant and bar, Local.

Candidates Rajan Sawnhey and independent MLA Todd Loewen did not return messages from the News on Tuesday and do not have event listings on heir campaign websites.

Another former Wildrose leader, Danielle Smith, had a town hall scheduled in Lethbridge on Tuesday evening, then no publicized events until a series of town halls in eastern Alberta, starting Aug. 2 in Drumheller.

Polls suggest that Smith, Jean and Toews are front-runners in the contest that sees voting end on Oct. 2 and the final tally released Oct. 6.