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Alberta Politics Canadian Politics

Gun-toting conservatives take aim at Macleod by-election candidate

Melissa Mathieson Rob Anders Macleod Conservative Guns
Conservative nomination candidate Melissa Mathieson and Calgary-West MP Rob Anders pose with their guns and targets: bearded men wearing turbans, and zombies. (Photo supplied by a friendly daveberta.ca reader).

Just say no-to-Barlow!” was the message broadcast to the 15,941 followers of the National Firearms Association Facebook page.

The National Rifle Association‘s Canadian cousins hope to drag down John Barlow, a candidate for the Macleod Conservative Party of Canada by-election nomination who they claim supports the RCMP seizure of firearms from abandoned houses during last year’s High River flood. The organization calls the gun seizure the “largest breech (sic) of Canadian civil rights in Canadian history.”

The controversy stems from a comment Mr. Barlow posted on his Facebook page defending the intentions of the local RCMP detachment during the flood. He later deleted the comment after the page was swarmed by critics (you can see the screenshot of Mr. Barlow’s comment here).

A reasonable person might believe that collecting abandoned weapons in an disaster zone is a sensible idea for any police force wanting to avoid potentially dangerous confrontation with emotionally distressed citizens. But the gun lobby is not convinced and has encouraged its supporters to vote for other candidates in the Conservative nomination race. “We need concerned citizens in the Macleod riding to support either Philip Rowland or Melissa Mathieson,” the NFA said in another message posted on its Facebook page.

It may not be a mere coincidence that these attacks have occurred just as Mr. Barlow’s opponent, Ms. Mathieson, received the endorsement of Shawn Bevins, the Vice President of the National Firearms Association and Todd Brown, the co-founder of the Concerned Gun Owners of Alberta group.

John Barlow George Canyon Conservative Macleod By-Election
John Barlow and George Canyon

A local newspaper editor and former provincial election candidate, Mr. Barlow’s chances of winning the hotly contested Conservative nomination received a boost last month when popular country music artist George Canyon endorsed his campaign. The two men have since been making campaign stops across the Macleod riding. Mr. Canyon is seeking the Conservative nomination in the neighbouring Bow River riding.

The other candidates for the Conservative nomination in Macleod have released mixed reactions to the attacks. Scott Wagner issued a statement criticizing Mr. Barlow and calling for a judicial inquiry into the RCMP actions and Rick Wiljamma appears to have not responded to the attacks on his opponent through social media.

This is not the first time this issue has been raised by politcians. Wildrose Party leader and local Highwood MLA Danielle Smith was raked over the coals last year for criticizing the RCMP in a fundraising letter to supporters.

February 10 is the deadline for Macleod residents to purchase Conservative Party memberships in order to vote in the nomination contest. The date of the by-election has not been set.

Fort McMurray-Athabasca By-Election update

Fort McMurray Today published a list of potential candidates who could run in the imminent by-election in the northern Alberta riding. Potentially seeking the Conservative nomination are former Wildrose MLA Guy Boutilier, political staffer Laila Goodridge, and municipal councillor Phil Meagher. The Liberals have attracted a surprisingly large crowd of potential nominees, including Chris FlettKyle Harrietha, Joanne Roberts, Colleen Tatum, and Ron Quintal

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Alberta Politics

by-elections replace new mla’s in canmore, fort mcmurray, strathcona, and westlock.

As I wrote about weeks ago, a number of municipal by-elections were held across Alberta this and last week to replace municipal officials who were elected in the April 23 provincial election.

John Borrowman Mayor Canmore
John Borrowman

Canmore By-Election

On June 19, Vi Sanford and Sean Krausert were elected to Canmore Town Council in a by-election held to replace two councillors running in the Mayoral by-election. The Mayoral by-election was called when Mayor Ron Casey was elected as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Banff-Cochrane.

Former Councillor John Borrowman was elected Mayor of Canmore, defeating former councillors Pam Hilstad and Ed Russell.

Stirling By-Election

On June 25, Jonathan Bikman was elected in a Village of Stirling by-election to replace former Mayor Gary Bikman, who is now the Wildrose MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner. Mr. Bikman received 78 votes, runner-up Coralee Leeson received 60 votes, and Ron Bore received 23 votes.

Strathcona County By-Election

On June 25, Clinton Alexander was elected in a Strathcona County by-election to replace Jacquie Fenske, who is now the PC MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville. Mr. Alexander is the treasurer for the Strathcona-Sherwood Park PC Association.

Mr. Alexander finished with 304 votes, defeating Jen Heaton with 187 votes, Bev Williamson with 94 votes, and Alec Babich with 40 votes.

Westlock County By-Election

On June 25, Jim Wiese was elected in a Westlock County by-election to replace newly elected Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock PC MLA Maureen Kubinec. Mr. Wiese won with 134 votes. The runner-up was Herb Smerychynski, who took 40 votes. Cal Busby came in third with 23 votes.

Wood Buffalo By-Election

On June 25, Colleen Tatum and Christine Burton were elected in the by-elections to replace former Wood Buffalo councillors Don Scott and Mike Allen, who were both elected to represent Fort McMurray in the recent provincial election. Keith McGrath, who resigned as a trustee on the Catholic School Board, placed a close third. Voter turnout was estimated to be around 9%.

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Alberta Politics

local by-elections heating up across alberta.

Alberta Municipal By-Elections 2012
Municipal by-elections are heating up across Alberta.

As I first mentioned in a previous post, the election of municipal politicians as Members of the Legislative Assembly in the recent provincial election has triggered a handful of municipal by-elections across Alberta. Most of these municipalities have now set dates for by-elections to fill these vacant positions.

Harold Bulford
Harold Bulford

June 11 – A by-election in Division 1 of the County of Grande Prairie has attracted five candidates. Alvin McEwen, Andrew Muise, DJ Golden, Greg Moody, and Harold Bulford have put their names forward to replace new Grande Prairie-Smoky Progressive Conservative MLA Everett McDonald. As an Independent candidate in the recent provincial election, Mr. Muise earned 209 votes.

June 19 – The election of Town of Canmore Mayor Ron Casey as the PC MLA for Banff-Cochrane has triggered a mayoral by-election, and subsequently a by-election to replace two councillors who are candidates in the mayoral contest. Councillors John Borrowman and Ed Russell, and former Councillor Pam Hilstad are seeking the mayor’s chair.

Sean Krausert Canmore
Sean Krausert

Contesting the two vacant council positions in the Town of Canmore are Jason BestKaren Greene, Brian Hyland, former Canadian Rockies School Trustee Shirley Ketterer, Sean Krausert, Occupy Calgary participant James Louden, current Canadian Rockies School Trustee Vi Sandford, recent PC nomination candidate Rob Seeley, and Victor Zablotni. The candidate in this contest with the most unique background may be Mr. Krausert, an improv actor and former lawyer who also worked as an educator in Sierra Leone, where he helped rehabilitate former child soldiers through a theatre program.

June 25 is the super Monday of municipal by-elections with five separate votes happening across the province.

In Strathcona County, Bev Williamson, Clinton Alexander, Jen Heaton, and Alec Babich will contest the by-election in Ward 5 to replace new Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jacquie Fenske. A man by the name of Alec Babich was arrested and charged with mischief by RCMP last year after a suspicious package was left on a reception desk at Strathcona County’s main office last year.

Christine Burton Fort McMurray
Christine Burton

June 25 – The two vacancies in District 1 of Wood Buffalo’s municipal council were the result of two councillors, Mike Allen and Don Scott, having been elected as MLA’s in Fort McMurray’s two constituencies. An extraordinary fourteen candidates have stepped forward to run in the by-election. Candidates include Chris Alton, local radio host James Anthony, Tyran Ault, past council candidate Byron Bailey, Christine Burton, Valance Howard, Shafique Khan, former Catholic School Board Trustee Keith McGrath, John Mulhall, Bill Nahirney, past mayoral candidate Joe “The Plumber” Nebesny, local pastor Robert Parmenter, Colleen Tatum, and Matt Youens.

Earlier this year, Mr. McGrath considered seeking for the Wildrose Party nomination in Fort McMurray-Conklin, but eventually declined to seek the nomination.

Stephen Drover Fort McMurray
Stephen Drover

A by-election to fill a vacancy on the Fort McMurray Public School Board will be held on the same day. Trustee Stephanie Blackler, who was first elected in 2010, has decided to move home to Newfoundland to pursue business opportunities. Three candidates have entered the race, including former trustee Glenn Doonanco, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local vice-president Stephen Drover, and school council activist Munira Manji.

June 25 – In the Village of Sterling, candidates Jonathan Bikman, Ronald Bore, and Coralee Leeson have stepped forward to seek the mayoralty, which was made vacant when Wildrose candidate Gary Bikman was elected as the MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner. Jonathan Bikman is presumably a relative of Gary Bikman, and is listed as Vice-President Operations of Chopstix (Gary Bikman is President).

June 25Cal BusbyHerb Smerychynski, and Jim Wiese are standing to replace former Westlock County councillor Maureen Kubinec, who was elected as the PC MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock.

The Town of Rimbey may hold a by-election in July to replace former councillor Joe Anglin, who is now the Wildrose MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.