Hatters are preparing to vote in the May 29 provincial elections.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
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Provincial election debates are kicking off this week in southeast Alberta, starting tonight in Brooks, but there has been a change in the expected lineup.
The Brooks Chamber of Commerce will host candidates in the Brooks-Medicine Hat race tonight, while two other local debates and a provincial debate involving UCP Leader Danielle Smith are scheduled through Thursday.
Tonight’s event in Brooks (7 p.m. at the Heritage Inn) will only be between Smith and Alberta Party Leader Barry Morishita.
On Monday Smith’s campaign officials accused NDP candidate Gwendoline Dirks of pulling out of the Brooks event that morning.
Local campaign team for Dirks confirmed that to the News, but didn’t comment on Dirk’s status for a similar forum in Medicine Hat on Wednesday.
“We are at the halfway point in the election and with current momentum are required to shift the focus of our campaign’s time,” read a statement from campaign official Malissa Dunphy. “She will need to utilize every moment of her time focused on connecting with voters on the ground to maintain this incredible momentum, so we will be adjusting our schedules to accommodate.”
The New Democrats are promising a volunteer blitz across the province on Tuesday.
Last week in Medicine Hat, only the NDP candidates from the area races showed up to a health-care forum at the Medicine Hat Public Library hosted by the Palliser Region Friends of Medicare.
Smith won the fall byelection with abut 56 per cent of the vote, ahead of Dirk, while Morishita, a former Brooks mayor, placed third.
The Brooks Chamber did not return phone calls last week or Monday about whether the event would be live-streamed on social media or be otherwise available.
The Medicine Hat-based debate for the riding will take place Wednesday, presented by the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce.
That event will be held at the Crescent Heights High School theatre, beginning at 7 p.m. following a candidate meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. Attendees were encouraged to register at the Chamber’s website.
The following night, candidates running in the Cypress-Medicine Hat riding will take the stage at the same times. Four candidates in that race are Cody Ray Both (Alberta Independence Party), Cathy Hogg (NDP), Matt Orr (Wildrose Loyalty Coalition) and Justin Wright (UCP).
Also on Thursday, Smith will debate NDP Leader Rachel Notley in a televised debate broadcast from Edmonton (6 p.m., on several networks).
