New UCP candidate for Lethbridge West wants to bring positive change to riding
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on April 14, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com She had planned to seek the nomination in Lethbridge West for the UCP last summer but a personal matter prompted her to change her mind.Now Cheryl Seaborn – who resigned as constituency president last year to mount a run at the nomination – will challenge incumbent NDP MLA Shannon Phillips for the seat in the Alberta legislature.
Seaboard is a registered nurse and University of Lethbridge alumni who has lived in Lethbridge for 25 years. She is also a recent recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for her work building positive relationships with the Kainai Nation.
“The west is best,” joked the long-time West Lethbridge resident during an interview at City Hall Wednesday where she was present to hear deputy premier and Minister of Infrastructure Nathan Neudorf talk about government funding for the design of a new cardiac catherization lab at Chinook Regional Hospital.
“Most people are unaware that I did the consider the nomination actually last summer. So for personal reasons, I had to pull back at that time. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t already been considering it,” Seaborn said.
“I was excited to do it and I’m really looking forward to representing Lethbridge West and creating some positive change there and some positive momentum,” said Seaborn.
She was constituency president for about 3.5 years until she ended that relationship last summer due to her potential run for the nomination.
For the candidate, a big challenge is making sure the public gets to know her.
“Ultimately I need to get out to the doors and meet people and help them to see what my vision is and just who I am and what I represent. It’s a short timeline and I need to be able to get out and I need to meet people.”
Seaborn’s gotten positive feedback early into her candidacy.
“It shows that there is momentum and it shows that there are people there waiting and wanting some positive change to happen in Lethbridge West. So I’m hopeful to be able to bring that change,” added Seaborn.
Health care is one of the biggest issues that needs to be dealt with in the upcoming election, she said.
“I’m a registered nurse and I worked in health care until about a week ago and so I understand health care. I understand the complexities of health care. As a manager for Alberta Health Services, you get to see things that maybe aren’t always right up front and I think it’s top of mind for people.
“People want access to free public health care and fortunately Premier Smith came out yesterday (Tuesday) – and I’m proud to be a part of a party that says that’s something we stand behind.”
Seaborn said shortages in all areas of health care are a concern, adding the physician shortage in Alberta existed long before the UCP came into power.
“We already had a physician shortage then, it just wasn’t as publicized. I think COVID really accented that and it’s really a North American-wide phenomenon that we’re seeing happen,” she said.
“The premier and caucus have worked really hard to bring physicians to the area. . .there is work being done, there is a plan,” she added, saying health care is a passion for her.
The economy is another issue here with voters.
“We have poor fiscal policy coming to us from the Liberal/NDP coalition and that is affecting people in a very, very deep way. People are finding it harder to put gas in their vehicles, to go to work, they’re finding it harder to feed their families, they’re finding it harder to pay their rent or their mortgage.”
Seaborn said she’s happy to be part of a party that is looking to mitigate some of the effects of the economy “by helping with electrical rebates, utility rebates and not allowing us to be taxed anymore for our gas, all of those things.”
The candidate added there is more work to be done and it will get done under a UCP government.
“The people of Lethbridge West are the ones that are going to let me know what their concerns are and if I’m fortunate enough to be elected, to bring back to the legislature in Edmonton.”
Seaborn was selected to represent the riding after the resignation of Torry Tanner following the surfacing of videos showing her making inflammatory comments about Alberta students being exposed to pornography and being helped to change their gender identity by teachers.
Following that resignation, Premier Danielle Smith said she’d be working with the constituency and party to appoint a replacement candidate.
Seaborn and her husband John have five children and and six grandchildren. For 24 years, they’ve owned a successful business in the area. Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter 4
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