Debate lineups leave many wanting after NDP candidates pull out

By COLLIN GALLANT on May 17, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Organizers are disappointed and opponents are critical that local New Democrat candidates pulled out of three election debates that kicked off Tuesday in southeast Alberta ridings, but a political science professor says the effect on the race may be negligible.

Officials with the Gwendoline Dirk and Cathy Hogg campaigns said they will miss the forums put on by Chambers of Commerce in Brooks and Medicine Hat to concentrate on door-knocking efforts.

That led to a harsh critique by United Conservative campaign staff on social media and some accusation of flip-flopping.

“There’s been a back and forth from them, but the premier is here and ready to go,” Michaela Frey, Smith’s campaign manager, told the News by phone prior to Tuesday nights forum in Brooks.

That was to be only a two-person affair, with Smith facing former Brooks mayor Barry Morishita, the leader of the Alberta Party who is seeking the Brooks-Medicine Hat seat in a three-person race.

The Medicine Hat Chamber is set to host a similar debate tonight at the Crescent Height’s High School theatre, before hosting Cypress-Medicine Hat candidates on Thursday.

Morishita said, “Forums are one way of direct accountability for what you’re saying and your solutions and defending positions in the election.”

“Elections are about getting the message out there, so unless they’re concerned about the message, I don’t know what (the NDP’s) reason is,” he said.

NDP campaign officials said the decision was based on a need to spend more time “on the ground to maintain this incredible momentum” door knocking and meeting individually with voters.

Trevor Harrison, a political science professor at the University of Lethbridge, said it is not common for candidates to avoid debates, but there is likely reasoning behind the move.

He said that having a premier running for re-election in a riding that often leans to her side of the political spectrum could have something to do with it.

“Smith already gets a lot of publicity to begin with … and she is a practised media personality. There might not be a lot gain (in a debate) over spending time meeting voters one on one,” he said. “Not to foreclose on the contest, but a lot of people have probably made up their minds.

“People who would be mad at a candidate (sitting out a debate) would probably be mad at them anyway.”

Medicine Hat chamber officials confirmed to the News that Thursday’s debate will include only UCP candidate Justin Wright and Alberta Independence Party candidate Cody Ray Both.

“We certainly like to see all the candidates take part,” said Chamber of Commerce executive director Lisa Kowalchuk. “From the (spectators’) viewpoint, there’s likely an expectation that they want to hear from all the candidates. It’s disappointing.”

CHAT TV news anchor Dan Reynish will moderate both tonight’s Brooks-Medicine Hat forum and Thursday’s event for the Cypress-Medicine Hat race.

Another late entry to the Cypress-Medicine Hat race, Wildrose Solidarity Coalition candidate Matt Orr, a farmer from the Fort Macleod area, previously told the News he was seeding this week and wasn’t sure of his campaign’s activity level.

Taber-Warner Forum

The Coaldale Chamber of Commerce will host an election forum on Thursday evening at the Gem of the West Museum in that city, the business group announced Monday.

Six candidates are running in the riding that includes the County of Forty Mile. They are incumbent Grant Hunter (UCP), former MLA Paul Hinman (Wildrose Loyalty), Brent Ginther (Solidarity Alberta), Jazzmin Hintz (NDP), Joel Hunt (Green) and Frank Kast (Independence Party of Alberta).

The lineup for the event is not finalized.

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