The Wildrose Alliance is bolstering their staff in preparation for the next provincial election.
Recent hire William McBeath left his position as Director of Operations for Minister Diane Finley in Ottawa to become the Director of Candidate Operations and Party Communications for the Wildrose Alliance. Although he spent some time in Ottawa, political watchers will remember Mr. McBeath from his time as Alberta Regional Organizer for the Conservative Party of Canada, as researcher for former Edmonton City Councillor Mike Nickel, and as an organizer for Ted Morton‘s PC leadership campaign in 2006. Mr. McBeath joins long-time Conservative Party organizer Vitor Marciano, who was hired as the Wildrose Executive Director in March 2010.
The Wildrose Alliance has also attracted the support of two former Conservative Members of Parliament. Retired Edmonton-St. Albert MP John Williams and Westlock-St. Paul MP David Chatters are supporting Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock Wildrose nomination candidate Link Byfield in his campaign against PC MLA Speaker Ken Kowalski.
“The issue is not the MLA; it is the party and the government. The government has been around too long.” – Former Conservative MP John Williams
The Wildrosers will be holding a contested nomination meeting in the Liberal-stronghold of Edmonton-Riverview. Candidates John Corie and Chris Ozdoba will duke it out on October 21 for the chance to hold their party’s flag in the constituency represented by MLA Kevin Taft since 2001 (who is not seeking re-election).
The Liberals have yet to announce a nomination date in Riverview, but rumours are circulating that retiring Public School Board Trustee Don Fleming is interested in seeking the Liberal nomination. Before Dr. Taft, the Riverview constituency was represented by current City Councillor Linda Sloan from 1997 to 2001.
The Wildrosers have a head start in candidate nominations, but are not the only party holding nomination meetings.
The Liberal Party nominated former MLA Weslyn Mather in Edmonton-Mill Woods last weekend and will be holding a nomination meeting in Edmonton-McClung on October 23. Former MLA Mo Elsalhy is expected to be acclaimed at the nomination meeting.
The NDP have a contested nomination meeting in Grande Prairie-Wapiti scheduled for next week. Contestants Paula Anderson and John Friesen are probably participating in the first contested candidate nomination for the Grande Prairie NDP in recent memory.
13 replies on “the wildrose’s new hired gun.”
That’s great news for buffet restaurants and other associated eateries. Otherwise, meh.
William MacBeath also worked for Craig Chandler’s bid for MLA in 2008 in Calgary.
Haha – well, whoever broken winged swann is, he’s right that it’s likely I’m not going to win America’s next top model – given the statement, though, you’d think I would make more of an “impression” 😉
Thanks for the plug, Dave – I’m happy to be back in Alberta!
They have to be better than our current crooked government, but then again anything would be better.
Sean – I have never, ever worked for Craig Chandler in any nomination or campaign.
William – yes you did support Craig Chandler for MLA. I overheard you saying this at Laurie Hawn’s campaign office!
Sean – I don’t know who you are, but you are wrong.
I supported Jonathan Denis in that riding – I have never, ever supported Craig Chandler in any initiative ever.
I may have questioned the PC Party’s strategy regarding how they managed the nomination (why allow him to run for the nomination only to disqualify him after he wins – why not disqualify him as a nominee first and save the trouble of having to run a second nomination) but that certainly does not mean I supported him – I didn’t.
Please do not put words in my mouth.
“Broken Winged Swann” – How rude! If anything, I’m dusting off my martini glasses in celebration 😉
I’m thinking the banana daquiri glasses would be more apropos. Easier to drink with sunglasses on.
In MacBeath’s defence, however, he’s not a bad political operator at all – and there is no way in holy hell I would give credibility to any assertions that he’d help a mouthbreathing sack of camel feces like Chandler. He’s way too savvy for that.
A couple of factual error to correct regarding the Grande Prairie-Wapiti Nomination meeting: although you are partly correct that this is indeed the first contested nomination in GP-Wapiti for as long as I can remember, this is not the case in GP-Smoky (the other Grande Prairie constituency, which comprises the northern half of the City and the rural area to the East and southeast of the City, down Hwy 43). In 2004, Smoky had 2 names for that nomination; Paula Anderson (one of this year’s hopefuls in Wapiti), and Georgina Szoke. Although I and many others felt that Paula, a local school teacher and long-time local NDP activist, was the more knowledgeable and articulate candidate, Georgina had recruited and signed up more members, essentially packing the meeting with enough supporters to carry the nomination.
The other error is that Paula’s opponent this time around is James, not John, Friesen, a self-employed building maintenance person and former hog farmer and mine worker. Friesen is also a past President of the Edmonton-Whitemud NDP association.
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3 members in the largest half of Alberta 31 in the smaller part of Alberta Peace rising about 800 miles long Grande prairie the same Th member for Grande Prairie is a complete stranger most voters don’t know what he looks like I don’ t know if he is federal or povincial. There is a polatiton in Peace River not shire if he is provincial most all are650 miles from their voters He’ll of a way to run a province Psthe north has most theresources