Former mayor Chris Spearman running for Liberals in Lethbridge

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on March 25, 2025.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Former Lethbridge mayor Chris Spearman will be representing the  Liberal Party of Canada in the Lethbridge riding when voters go to the polls April 28 to elect a new federal government.
Spearman, who now lives in the Pincher Creek area, didn’t run for re-election in the 2021 municipal election and has since become a strong advocate for a safe water supply in the Oldman River.
The Lethbridge riding is represented by three-term MP Conservative Rachael Thomas who was first elected to the House of Commons in 2015.
Spearman, who served two terms as mayor here, spearheaded numerous  initiatives including the establishment of the Reconciliation  Lethbridge Advisory Committee and the adoption of the Blackfoot  greeting “Oki.”
In 2022, Spearman was awarded Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun for his  efforts in strengthening Canada’s relations with that country.
Aside from his role in municipal politics, he has served with the Holy  Spirit Catholic School Board, Economic Development Lethbridge (of which he was a founding member in 2003) and other advisory committees and boards.
And he has served spokesperson for the Water for Food group, which is opposed to coal mining on the Eastern Slopes.
Spearman knows he’s running in a riding where no Liberal has ever been elected federally and in an interview with The Herald, he said it’s important for him to run a centrist campaign to attract a wide range of voters, including Conservatives and  more left-leaning voters.
“I’m not embarrassed to run as a Liberal,” says Spearman, who feels he  has much to offer the riding given his previous experience in government and also in business where he spent 32 years at Black Velvet Distilleries. He also organized the industrial association of Southern Alberta to advocate for good conditions for food processors to locate  here.
“I have a diverse business background,” and as mayor attended numerous events during nights and weekends, he said.
During his time as mayor, Spearman led initiatives to attract millions of dollars in federal and provincial money for Lethbridge and says he made sure that Lethbridge got its fair share of tax dollars invested back into the city.
“I think I’ve got a balanced background and a diverse experience.”
He said Liberal leader Mark Carney is infinitely more qualified to lead the country than Conservative Pierre Poilevre.
“It’s going to be much easier for (Carney) to build relationships and new trade routes” with his background, he said.
If Spearman wins and Carney loses, he said he will reach out to co-operate with the government Canadians elect to do the best he possibly can for Lethbridge.
His biggest disappointment with Thomas, said Spearman is that, like Poilevre, she has limited experience and was never involved in the projects Spearman was successfully able to get done when he was mayor.
“She was never part of it, she never got involved, she never helped me get the money. . .Rachael Thomas has served for 10 years and really has no accomplishments,” said Spearman. “But she shows up to every grand opening.”
What prompted Spearman to run in part was the Grassy Mountain mine situation.
“Politicians today aren’t responding to the people they represent and the thing that really flagged that for me was this coal issue to be honest. I’ve written to the premier, I’ve written to the Minister of Energy, I’ve written to MLAs and I have not got an answer back to any of my letters,” said Spearman.
“So I just find that when you have a serious issue, when you’re going to have an industry that has the potential to harm your existing industry and the potential to harm your water supply for 200,000 people you should get answers from your elected people.
“When there is communication, it’s focused to a narrow base of the population and I think we can do better than that,” said Spearman, who remembers politics in the 1970s when political opponents respected each other and could disagree in the House of Commons but could collaborate to get work accomplished.
“These were honourable people.”
Spearman, whose slogan is “A Strong Voice for Lethbridge,” says if elected he wants to see pressure put on airlines to make the Lethbridge more useable.
“It’s been a big disappointment to me that we’ve upgraded the airport and it’s under-utilized. I think smaller cities need to be better served.
He believes smaller market airports can be successful and would like to see Lethbridge’s become a pilot project for western Canada to make it a viable airport.
The Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an all-candidates forum April 8. Details of the location are yet to be announced.

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