INNISFAIL – Despite a strong Conservative grip on the riding of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, the Liberal and Alberta parties are both gearing up for an anticipated byelection in the coming weeks.
Most recently, Christine Moore, a Red Deer County councillor, became the latest candidate to announce her intention to seek the nomination for the United Conservative Party.
In the riding now for 18 years, Moore has been chair of the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools board and co-chair of the Child and Family Services Authority for Central Alberta. She is also a founding co-chair of the Sheraton Celebrity Dance Off.
One of Moore’s biggest concerns for the community is the level of rural crime.
"This community needs a representative with a proven track record of balancing budgets, standing up for their community and someone with the experience to deliver on their promises,” said Moore in a press release.
Gwyneth Midgley, executive director for the Alberta Liberal Party, said she and Liberal party members met recently to review their next steps.
"We were discussing what the key issues are likely to be in the byelection and talking about possible candidates,” said Midgley, "We haven’t got a candidate yet but we are definitely working on it.”
The party currently does not have a constituency association in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, said Midgley, noting the Liberals did not run a candidate in the last provincial election in 2015.
"It’s a very strong Conservative base there,” she said. "We’re hoping to organize an event (in the riding) pretty soon and we’d like to get David Swann, our MLA from Calgary up there,” she added. "He’s a health-care professional and we know that health care is an important issue in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.”
The Alberta Party has also been working on securing a candidate in the riding.
"There has been interest (from possible candidates), said Robbie Kreger-Smith, media liaison for the Alberta Party. "It is our intention to have a nomination meeting fairly shortly,” he added, noting newly elected party leader Stephen Mandel, a former minister in the previous Progressive Conservative provincial government.
"The board did make a commitment that we would be running in every byelection from here on out.
"I would anticipate that probably within the next three to four weeks we will have a clearer sense of who that might be and what those names might be,” said Kreger-Smith.
The Alberta Party held a constituency meeting in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake in early February and considered the possibility for an upcoming byelection.
"We did have a meeting with the local volunteers and had a bit of discussion that day about that,” said Kreger-Smith. "The primary topic was making sure that we would be ready to field a candidate for the byelection.”
Robbie Kreger-Smith, media liaison, Alberta Party
"I would anticipate that probably within the next three to four weeks we will have a clearer sense of who that might be and what those names might be."
