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Kerry Diotte to run for federal Conservative nomination in Edmonton-Griesbach

Kelly Diotte

Former city councillor and mayor candidate Kerry Diotte announced on his Facebook page today that will seek the nomination to run as a a Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the new Edmonton-Griesbach riding in the 2015 election.

Kerry Diotte Edmonton Mayor Election
Kerry Diotte

Mr. Diotte represented Ward 11 on Edmonton City Council from 2010 until 2013. He was a candidate for mayor in the 2013 election, running on a platform that focused almost entirely on potholes, snow removal, spending and debt. When the votes were counted, he was swept aside by the young and dynamic Don Iveson, placing third with 15% of the vote.

The current Edmonton-East riding is represented by Conservative Member of Parliament Peter Goldring. It is unclear whether Mr. Goldring, now serving his sixth-term in the House of Commons, will seek re-election in 2015. Edmonton-Decore PC MLA Janice Sarich announced last month that she would not seek the nomination.

The new riding is considered a battle ground, with the New Democratic Party hoping to build on past growth in the current Edmonton-East riding. Between 2004 and 2011, the NDP vote in the riding grew from 14% to 37%.

Karen Leibovici Edmonton Mayor Election
Karen Leibovici

As reported earlier this week, five candidates have stepped up to run for the NDP nomination in this riding. NDP nomination candidates include Canadian Labour Congress representative Amanda Freistadt, educator Janis IrwinCam McCormickNamrata Gill and Zane Smith.

Since the conclusion of the mayoral election in October 2013, rumours have circulated that Mr. Diotte and his second place competitor, former councillor Karen Leibovici, are eyeing ridings with open Conservative Party nominations in Edmonton.

For up-to-date nomination news, follow the list of Alberta Federal Election candidates.

7 replies on “Kerry Diotte to run for federal Conservative nomination in Edmonton-Griesbach”

That’s a long ways from home, if Diotte still lives in city Ward 11. I’m surprised he wouldn’t try for the currently vacant CPC nomination in the newly adjusted Edm – Mill Woods riding, what with Mike Lake going for the Edm – Wetaskiwin riding.

Having said all that, he was ineffective on city council and I see no reason why anyone would expect him to work harder all the way out in Ottawa. There are plenty of people with zero political experience who would do a better job as MP than Kerry Diotte.

Interesting that none of the material on Diotte’s website shows any connection he has with the riding. His old Ward 11 doesn’t share any territory with the Griesbach riding.

Also, looks like a real slap in the face to Goldring, who hasn’t announced his intentions yet. But hey, who ever said Conservative infighting is a bad thing? 😉

Diotte doesn’t live in Ward 11. He didn’t live there when he served as its councillor. He lives in Riverbend or Terwillegar* – i.e. almost as far away (both spatially and socially) as you can get from Edmonton Griesbach. It’s a short distance, but some are going to attach the carpetbag moniker.

(* source – Edmonton Journal article during the mayoral campaign)

Half of Diotte’s former ward is in Edmonton Strathcona – no Conservative candidate there either. Yet he seems uninterested in running there… 🙂

I’m reminded of a comment made by one of the Insiders panellists on the bald Peter show the other night (I’m afraid I don’t recall which one of the three it was who said it), who said that municipal politics is largely an individual affair while provincial and federal politics are team sports. As a result, this person went on, not every experienced municipal politician is well suited to the party-oriented provincial or federal arena; “unrestrained artillery” comes to mind.

Of course, whether a one-term Edmonton city councillor and failed mayoralty candidate qualifies as “experienced” would be for others to judge.

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