Will Brooks-MH be just a three-horse race?

By COLLIN GALLANT on October 14, 2022.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Three candidates have already announced they will run in the Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection, and that might be the entire field, according to a survey of Alberta’s other political parties.

The race, including new Premier Danielle Smith seeking a seat in the legislature, Alberta Party Leader Barry Morishita and New Democrat Gwendoline Dirk, may be a three-way contest as other smaller parties focus on the spring general election.

Others appear to somewhat endorse strong stances on provincial autonomy or COVID measures taken by Smith.

Meanwhile, reporters at two press conferences this week raised question about a potential vote split between the opposition NDP and Alberta Party in the riding.

Dirk told reporters her party presents a viable option to those who want to cast votes against Smith.

“I believe the NDP is a party that’s ready to govern,” said Dirk on Wednesday. “That’s important, because in May (general election), many Albertans are hoping the NDP forms government. I want to have a seat at the table for Brooks-Medicine Hat.”

Moroshita has told the News his party presents an option for voters apart from the two-party dominated system.

“The (UCP) want sovereignty, the NDP want recklessness, we are building a coalition of moderates, centrists, liberals, PCs and others who want pragmatism and compassion in politics,” he said after the UCP leadership race.

Smith meanwhile, has defended the decision to run in the riding rather than a vacant seat in Calgary, saying she feels more comfortable in a rural riding and is confident she can hold the support of the generally conservative riding.

Some right-of-centre politicians in other parties say the pressure needs to kept on the new premier.

Paul Hinman led the Wildrose Independence Party this summer, but is now contesting the results of a leadership change in court.

He ran in the 2022 Fort McMurray byelection, and said while he supports many of Smith’s positions that won the seven-person UCP leadership race, he feels his party’s positions need to be outlined to voters.

Smith “was the best of the bunch, as far as Wildrose can see,” said Hinman, “But we still have a premier that says we need to get to net-zero.

“The idea of gaining control of pensions and employment insurance is great, and I hope she gets the (provincial) police force. But we can’t have Ottawa telling us we can’t develop our resources.”

Rick Northey is listed as the present leader of the party, but could not be reached by the News on Thursday.

Hinman said his legal action will next be heard Oct. 20, while the deadline for nominations in the byelection is Oct. 21. That is likely not enough time to come to a decision or mount a campaign.

The new leader of the Independence Party of Alberta, Artur Pawlowski, has controversially opposed AHS mandates against public gatherings and other pandemic measures.

He didn’t specifically endorse Smith on social media this week, but congratulated her on the party win and called on her to move forward quickly on campaign planks related to public health orders.

“We look forward to the clot shots and mandates coming to an end as soon as possible,” he wrote on social media, adding those charged with health code violations have been “unjustly prosecuted.”

“They deserve to have the many charges against them dropped and be compensated for their losses.”

The Liberal Party of Alberta told the News in a statement their focus is on readying the party for the spring 2023 general election and “offering Albertans a moderate alternative to the polarized politics they see in the legislature.”

“As such we will not be running a candidate in this byelection. We will however, be running a candidate in Brooks-Medicine Hat in 2023,” said interim leader John Roggeveen.

During the 2019 election, the first under the current boundaries, UCP candidate Michaela Frey won with 60 per cent of the vote and a 9,600-vote lead over the NDP candidate. Todd Beasley, who ran without party affiliation after he was disqualified from the UCP nomination contest, was third, followed well back by entries by the Alberta Party, Alberta Liberals and Independence candidate Colin Pacholek.

Pacholek’s name was included in polling phone calls received by some Medicine Hatters this week, but the Redcliff man could not be reached by the News.

The Communist Party of Alberta typically runs one or two candidates in major centres, and will await the general election set for May 2023.

“It’s not particularly interesting race for us (in Brooks-Medicine Hat) because it seems like a foregone conclusion,” said Noami Rankin, the party’s leader, from Edmonton.

“It’s a rather typical way conservatives change leaders.”

Messages left with the Green Party of Alberta were not returned.

Official candidates must be nominated by 2 p.m. on Oct. 21.

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