MY FEDERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE
Young Métis candidate carries NDP hopes for a second federal seat in EdmontonAuthor of the article: Keith Gerein
Publishing date :Aug 27, 2021 •
Blake Desjarlais, NDP candidate in Edmonton-Griesbach
in Edmonton, August 27, 2021.
Ed Kaiser/Postmedia PHOTO BY ED KAISER /20094004A
From a map, the federal constituency of Edmonton-Griesbach sort of resembles a small dog, like a miniature pinscher or maybe a dachshund.
The dog’s head lies entirely north of Yellowhead Trail, with its snout extending as far west as St. Albert Trail. This section has tended to be prety safe Conservative territory.
As for the dog’s body and paws, they have more left-leaning voters. This portion is entirely south of the Yellowhead, and extends as far east as the city’s boundary with Strathcona County. It overlaps with a provincial riding that has long been in NDP hands, first under Brian Mason and now Janis Irwin.
Such demographics suggest a federal constituency that should be more competitive than most others in the province. Indeed, the federal NDP has certainly thought so, which is why for the last few elections they have insisted Edmonton-Griesbach offers a real chance for their party to add a second Alberta seat to the orange enclave of Edmonton-Strathcona.
Voting results have of course proven them wrong so far.
The closest the NDP came to victory was in 2015 when Irwin, then a federal candidate, lost by less than 3,000 votes to former city councillor Kerry Diotte.
In 2019, the NDP recruited well known social justice advocate Mark Cherrington, but he ended up losing by more than 12,000 votes in an election coloured by pipeline anger and the UCP’s provincial victory earlier that year.
This time, the party is taking a risk with a younger, more unfamiliar candidate, but one the party feels can better get out the youth vote and speak to issues such as Indigenous reconciliation, concern over climate change and economic anxiety.
Blake Desjarlais’s life story, though just 27 years long, is an interesting one.
He grew up in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, about 275 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, where most of his childhood was spent in poverty. Things got especially bad at age 12, when his father died in a work-related accident, an event that Desjarlais believes forced him to grow up faster than usual.
That maturity extended to academics, and he did well enough to enrol in MacEwan University, but soon found himself marginalized and even targeted by racially motivated death threats, to the point that he transferred to the University of Victoria.
Studies and connections there led him to work for the Métis Settlements General Council, where he is now the director of public and national affairs with offices in both Edmonton and Ottawa. Part of his duties have been to negotiate on issues like harvesting rights for Métis, which put him in direct contact with Rachel Notley’s government, and eventually into the world of NDP politics.
In a 40-minute minute interview with Desjarlais, I found him to be a fast talker, though articulate, confident and well-read on the issues. Proudly wearing a “North Side, Still Alive” sweatshirt from local shop Majesty and Friends, he comes across as genuine in his desire to be an advocate for marginalized people and those seeking a more just economy
From a map, the federal constituency of Edmonton-Griesbach sort of resembles a small dog, like a miniature pinscher or maybe a dachshund.
The dog’s head lies entirely north of Yellowhead Trail, with its snout extending as far west as St. Albert Trail. This section has tended to be prety safe Conservative territory.
As for the dog’s body and paws, they have more left-leaning voters. This portion is entirely south of the Yellowhead, and extends as far east as the city’s boundary with Strathcona County. It overlaps with a provincial riding that has long been in NDP hands, first under Brian Mason and now Janis Irwin.
Such demographics suggest a federal constituency that should be more competitive than most others in the province. Indeed, the federal NDP has certainly thought so, which is why for the last few elections they have insisted Edmonton-Griesbach offers a real chance for their party to add a second Alberta seat to the orange enclave of Edmonton-Strathcona.
Voting results have of course proven them wrong so far.
The closest the NDP came to victory was in 2015 when Irwin, then a federal candidate, lost by less than 3,000 votes to former city councillor Kerry Diotte.
In 2019, the NDP recruited well known social justice advocate Mark Cherrington, but he ended up losing by more than 12,000 votes in an election coloured by pipeline anger and the UCP’s provincial victory earlier that year.
This time, the party is taking a risk with a younger, more unfamiliar candidate, but one the party feels can better get out the youth vote and speak to issues such as Indigenous reconciliation, concern over climate change and economic anxiety.
Blake Desjarlais’s life story, though just 27 years long, is an interesting one.
He grew up in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, about 275 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, where most of his childhood was spent in poverty. Things got especially bad at age 12, when his father died in a work-related accident, an event that Desjarlais believes forced him to grow up faster than usual.
That maturity extended to academics, and he did well enough to enrol in MacEwan University, but soon found himself marginalized and even targeted by racially motivated death threats, to the point that he transferred to the University of Victoria.
Studies and connections there led him to work for the Métis Settlements General Council, where he is now the director of public and national affairs with offices in both Edmonton and Ottawa. Part of his duties have been to negotiate on issues like harvesting rights for Métis, which put him in direct contact with Rachel Notley’s government, and eventually into the world of NDP politics.
In a 40-minute minute interview with Desjarlais, I found him to be a fast talker, though articulate, confident and well-read on the issues. Proudly wearing a “North Side, Still Alive” sweatshirt from local shop Majesty and Friends, he comes across as genuine in his desire to be an advocate for marginalized people and those seeking a more just economy
.
Still, personal attributes aside, can Desjarlais actually succeed where his predecessors did not, especially against a well known incumbent in Diotte?
Until proven otherwise, skepticism is likely the right view on that question, though there are a few things lining up in the party’s favour. Most notable is that recent polls have put the NDP at around 20 per cent support in Alberta, which suggests more people are paying attention to the party’s message.
Desjarlais attributes much of that to resentment of Premier Jason Kenney, plus a greater acceptance among Albertans to diversify the economy and do more on climate change.
“This election is not about a pipeline anymore. It’s about what we do next,” he said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has also put some of his weight toward Edmonton-Griesbach given that he recently hosted an event in town where Desjarlais was given plenty of spotlight. At that time, the polling website 338canada.com had the riding as a toss up. (It is now listed as leaning Conservative).
Not surprisingly, Diotte has a different take on voting intentions. Though he acknowledged the polls are close, he said the messages he’s receiving at doors are aimed at Justin Trudeau far more than Kenney.
“People also tell me they’re not happy that Jagmeet Singh and his federal NDP propped up Trudeau for the last two years with an agenda that was clearly anti-Alberta, especially when it comes to our energy industry,” read an emailed statement from Diotte, who was not made available for an interview.
Unknown in this equation is what sort of factor the Liberals will be in the riding. Candidate Habiba Mohamud is a longshot to win but could take votes from the NDP. (Mohamud also ran in 2019, finishing third).
Regardless, in my view, Desjarlais’s hopes rest on a couple of factors. He and his party must be careful to avoid being seen as only interested in representing certain marginalized communities, while at the same time making good on ambitions to get out more votes from those communities — especially young people and people of colour.
That’s a tall order and a tricky balancing act, especially for a political rookie, but it could very well be the difference in transforming NDP fortunes in Edmonton-Griesbach from underdog to best in show.
kgerein@postmedia.com
twitter.com/keithgerein
Kerry Diotte in a file photo from Oct. 21, 2013.
PHOTO BY CODIE MCLACHLAN /Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun (DIOTTE'S OLD EMPLOYER)
Still, personal attributes aside, can Desjarlais actually succeed where his predecessors did not, especially against a well known incumbent in Diotte?
Until proven otherwise, skepticism is likely the right view on that question, though there are a few things lining up in the party’s favour. Most notable is that recent polls have put the NDP at around 20 per cent support in Alberta, which suggests more people are paying attention to the party’s message.
Desjarlais attributes much of that to resentment of Premier Jason Kenney, plus a greater acceptance among Albertans to diversify the economy and do more on climate change.
“This election is not about a pipeline anymore. It’s about what we do next,” he said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has also put some of his weight toward Edmonton-Griesbach given that he recently hosted an event in town where Desjarlais was given plenty of spotlight. At that time, the polling website 338canada.com had the riding as a toss up. (It is now listed as leaning Conservative).
Not surprisingly, Diotte has a different take on voting intentions. Though he acknowledged the polls are close, he said the messages he’s receiving at doors are aimed at Justin Trudeau far more than Kenney.
“People also tell me they’re not happy that Jagmeet Singh and his federal NDP propped up Trudeau for the last two years with an agenda that was clearly anti-Alberta, especially when it comes to our energy industry,” read an emailed statement from Diotte, who was not made available for an interview.
Unknown in this equation is what sort of factor the Liberals will be in the riding. Candidate Habiba Mohamud is a longshot to win but could take votes from the NDP. (Mohamud also ran in 2019, finishing third).
Regardless, in my view, Desjarlais’s hopes rest on a couple of factors. He and his party must be careful to avoid being seen as only interested in representing certain marginalized communities, while at the same time making good on ambitions to get out more votes from those communities — especially young people and people of colour.
That’s a tall order and a tricky balancing act, especially for a political rookie, but it could very well be the difference in transforming NDP fortunes in Edmonton-Griesbach from underdog to best in show.
kgerein@postmedia.com
twitter.com/keithgerein
Edmonton Griesbach NDP candidate Blake Desjarlais and Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh chat after making a campaign stop at an Edmonton ice cream shop, Thursday Aug. 19, 2021. Photo by David Bloom PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM DAVID BLOOM /David Bloom/Postmedia
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