There's a five-way race to be the next elected member of the 45th Canadian Parliament for both the new Ponoka-Didsbury riding and new Yellowhead riding, areas both formerly part of the Red Deer-Mountain View riding.
Elections Canada confirmed Wednesday that five candidates registered to run in the new Ponoka-Didsbury riding and five candidates registered in the new Yellowhead riding in the April 28 federal election.
Candidate nominations closed Monday, April 7 and were confirmed by Elections Canada April 9.
The new Ponoka-Didsbury riding includes Innisfail, Olds, Didsbury, Bowden and portions of Mountain View and Red Deer counties.
Candidates in the Ponoka - Didsbury riding include United Party of Canada candidate Grant Abraham, Conservative Party of Canada candidate Blaine Calkins, People’s Party of Canada candidate Larry Gratton, NDP candidate Logan Hooley and unaffiliated candidate Zarnab Zafar, who previous to the deadline had been with the Liberal Party.
The 9,573 square kilometre riding has a population of 114,521, according to Election Canada.
Sundre, Carstairs, Cremona and another portion of Mountain View County are in the newly-configured Yellowhead riding.
Candidates in the Yellowhead riding include Vicky Bayford with People’s Party of Canada, Michael Fark with the Liberal Party, Dale Heath with Christian Heritage Party, Avni Soma with New Democratic Party and William Stevenson with the Conservative Party of Canada.
Also included in the riding are Banff, Canmore, Crossfield, Edson, Hinton, Rocky Mountain House, Caroline, Jasper, the summer villages of Burnstick Lake, Ghost Lake and Waiparous, Municipal District of Bighorn, Clearwater County, several reserves and portions of Rocky View County, Municipal District of Greenview and Yellowhead County.
Advance polls will be held April 18, 19, 20 and 21.
Election day is April 28.
Plans are in the works for election forums in the two ridings.
The Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce has opted to change up the format for this election’s forum.
Instead of a debate, the chamber has decided to host in coordination with the Town of Sundre more of an informal meet-and-greet event at the Sundre Community Centre on Wednesday, April 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., said chamber president Sarah Kennedy.
Kennedy said the Yellowhead riding’s participating candidates will each have an opportunity to introduce themselves and present their platforms and priorities. Afterwards, people who come out will get a chance to speak with the candidates.
“You get to get a feel for the candidates,” said Kennedy. “They will be given separate tables at the community centre and attendees will be encouraged to meet and greet with them.”
Meanwhile, the Mountain View Freedom Community Care Society is hosting a federal election forum at 7 p.m. April 17 at the Royal Canadian Legion #105 in Olds.
- With files from Dan Singleton and Simon Ducatel
