Michael Rodriguez - Yesterday
While UCP Leader Danielle Smith has stated her plans to run in a byelection in the freshly vacant riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat, Calgary-Elbow will be left without a representative until next spring’s provincial election, sparking concern among some residents and opposition politicians.
Signs at the Calgary-Elbow constituency office of former MLA Doug Schweitzer were photographed on Monday, October 10, 2022.© Provided by Calgary Herald
Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Frey — who had previously announced she wouldn’t seek re-election — stepped down Friday following Smith’s final-ballot win at Thursday’s UCP leadership vote, making way for the new leader and incoming premier to put her name on the ballot in the southeastern Alberta riding. Smith said there’s a convention that new leaders without a seat in the legislature should run in a byelection.
But Calgary-Elbow, which hasn’t had a representative since f ormer UCP minister Doug Schweitzer vacated the riding at the start of September, will not see a similar race, said Smith. The next general election is scheduled for May 29, 2023, and Smith has said she doesn’t plan to call a vote before that date.
“Albertans expect their premier to be in the legislature without delay and it’s important to me that I join the rest of the United Conservative caucus there this fall,” said Smith in a written statement to Postmedia on Monday.
“ I respect grassroots decision-making so my staff have reached out to the president of the Calgary-Elbow constituency association and we are told the local board wants to conduct a comprehensive, open and competitive nomination process for their next candidate.”
She noted there may be other MLAs who resign before the next election and she’d like to see thorough nomination processes in each of their ridings rather than a “rolling series of byelections.”
Longtime Calgary-Elbow resident Jodi Miller said she understood the initial decision not to call a byelection with a general election looming. But with Smith now calling a byelection elsewhere, she feels her riding and its residents are being ignored.
“It’s just incredibly frustrating to me that this is being done the way it is,” said Miller. “(Smith is) going to bring forward some things that could have long-lasting repercussions for this province, and I’m a citizen of this province. I’d like to at least have someone to go to and speak my concerns.”
Some residents expressed similar concerns in a Reddit thread that saw more than 200 comments over the weekend, while others said they weren’t too bothered by the situation.
While five of the six constituencies neighbouring Calgary-Elbow are held by the UCP, one is Calgary-Buffalo, represented by NDP MLA Joe Ceci. He said he’d be glad to step in as one of the voices for Calgary-Elbow residents in the meantime.
“She is withdrawing the right of people in Calgary-Elbow to have an elected representative represent them. That shouldn’t be overlooked,” Ceci told Postmedia on Monday, joining multiple other NDP MLAs who’ve criticized the move.
He said Smith has opted for the “safe” seat rather than one that could be a tightly contested battleground in Calgary-Elbow, noting it’s likely Calgarians would view “radical” legislation such as Smith’s proposed Sovereignty Act less favourably than those in Brooks-Medicine Hat.
“It’ll be nine months (from the date Schweitzer resigned) before they get the opportunity to go to the polls and elect their representative,” said Ceci. “That’s crass; that’s political gamesmanship; that’s overlooking and taking advantage of the people of Calgary-Elbow.
“Albertans expect their premier to be in the legislature without delay and it’s important to me that I join the rest of the United Conservative caucus there this fall,” said Smith in a written statement to Postmedia on Monday.
“ I respect grassroots decision-making so my staff have reached out to the president of the Calgary-Elbow constituency association and we are told the local board wants to conduct a comprehensive, open and competitive nomination process for their next candidate.”
She noted there may be other MLAs who resign before the next election and she’d like to see thorough nomination processes in each of their ridings rather than a “rolling series of byelections.”
Longtime Calgary-Elbow resident Jodi Miller said she understood the initial decision not to call a byelection with a general election looming. But with Smith now calling a byelection elsewhere, she feels her riding and its residents are being ignored.
“It’s just incredibly frustrating to me that this is being done the way it is,” said Miller. “(Smith is) going to bring forward some things that could have long-lasting repercussions for this province, and I’m a citizen of this province. I’d like to at least have someone to go to and speak my concerns.”
Some residents expressed similar concerns in a Reddit thread that saw more than 200 comments over the weekend, while others said they weren’t too bothered by the situation.
While five of the six constituencies neighbouring Calgary-Elbow are held by the UCP, one is Calgary-Buffalo, represented by NDP MLA Joe Ceci. He said he’d be glad to step in as one of the voices for Calgary-Elbow residents in the meantime.
“She is withdrawing the right of people in Calgary-Elbow to have an elected representative represent them. That shouldn’t be overlooked,” Ceci told Postmedia on Monday, joining multiple other NDP MLAs who’ve criticized the move.
He said Smith has opted for the “safe” seat rather than one that could be a tightly contested battleground in Calgary-Elbow, noting it’s likely Calgarians would view “radical” legislation such as Smith’s proposed Sovereignty Act less favourably than those in Brooks-Medicine Hat.
“It’ll be nine months (from the date Schweitzer resigned) before they get the opportunity to go to the polls and elect their representative,” said Ceci. “That’s crass; that’s political gamesmanship; that’s overlooking and taking advantage of the people of Calgary-Elbow.
Smith said Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, who represents the nearby riding of Calgary-Acadia, is “currently and capably” assisting Calgary-Elbow residents and the constituency office remains open with staff accessible.
Jared Wesley, a professor with the University of Alberta’s political science department, previously told Postmedia if Brooks-Medicine Hat gets a byelection, there’s an expectation that Calgary-Elbow should, too, especially with Smith’s plans for major new legislation like the Sovereignty Act.
“ When 48,000 Calgarians don’t have a voice in what’s expected to be a very monumental legislative session, we’re right to ask questions,” said Wesley. “If she didn’t think that Calgary-Elbow voters would make a difference in the implementation of her agenda, then she’d run the byelection. But, obviously, she feels like their voice is somehow threatening her ability to govern.”
During the leadership contest, Smith said she is from rural Alberta and prefers the dynamic of holding office in a rural riding . She previously served as MLA for Highwood, a constituency comprising mostly smaller communities just south of Calgary.
“During the pandemic, Albertans in rural and small urban communities often felt left out of the conversation. By running for the vacant seat in Brooks-Medicine Hat, I will assure them that forgotten corners of the province are not forgotten and provide the same strong representation they had with former MLA Michaela Frey,” said Smith.
Jared Wesley, a professor with the University of Alberta’s political science department, previously told Postmedia if Brooks-Medicine Hat gets a byelection, there’s an expectation that Calgary-Elbow should, too, especially with Smith’s plans for major new legislation like the Sovereignty Act.
“ When 48,000 Calgarians don’t have a voice in what’s expected to be a very monumental legislative session, we’re right to ask questions,” said Wesley. “If she didn’t think that Calgary-Elbow voters would make a difference in the implementation of her agenda, then she’d run the byelection. But, obviously, she feels like their voice is somehow threatening her ability to govern.”
During the leadership contest, Smith said she is from rural Alberta and prefers the dynamic of holding office in a rural riding . She previously served as MLA for Highwood, a constituency comprising mostly smaller communities just south of Calgary.
“During the pandemic, Albertans in rural and small urban communities often felt left out of the conversation. By running for the vacant seat in Brooks-Medicine Hat, I will assure them that forgotten corners of the province are not forgotten and provide the same strong representation they had with former MLA Michaela Frey,” said Smith.
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