Gurinder Gill wins NDP vote in Calgary-Cross, Devin Dreeshen wins UCP nomination in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake

Gurinder Gill defeated Denis Ram to win the Alberta NDP nomination in Calgary-Cross.

“I want to ensure that the residents of Calgary-Cross have fair representation in the next election,” Gill said in a statement following his nomination win. “The decisions made by our current government have caused harm to those in my community, and to Albertans. We’re ready for a change, and that change is coming with Alberta’s NDP. “

Gill is an accountant and road test driver examiner and volunteers with the Dashmesh Culture Centre. He was the federal NDP candidate in Calgary-Skyview in 2019 and 2021.

The north east Calgary riding is currently represented by United Conservative Party MLA Mickey Amery and was represented by NDP MLA and Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda from 2015 to 2019. The riding was previously held by Progressive Conservative MLA Yvonne Fritz from 1993 to 2015.

Dreeshen wins by a hair in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake

Devin Dreeshen was the winner of last week’s UCP nomination vote in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake but it was a close race.

According to former Clearwater County reeve Tim Hoven, Dreeshen only defeated pharmacy-owner and Danielle Smith supporter Onsy Tawadrous by 8 votes. That’s a close race.

Dreeshen was first elected in a 2018 by-election and served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from 2019 until 2021, when he resigned amid allegations of drinking on the job.

Dang out in Edmonton-South

Independent MLA Thomas Dang announced he has withdrawn his request to rejoin the NDP Caucus and will not run for re-election in Edmonton-South.

The second-term MLA left the NDP Caucus last December when the RCMP executed a search warrant of his house. It was soon after revealed that Dang had hacked Alberta Health’s COVID-19 vaccine records website. No criminal charges were laid but he has been charged with an Health Information Act breach and could face up to $200,000 in fines.

Dang was first elected in Edmonton-South West 2015, defeating Progressive Conservative MLA Matt Jeneroux (now the Conservative MP for Edmonton-Riverbend) and was re-elected in the redrawn Edmonton-South in 2019. At 20 years old in 2015, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Alberta Legislature.

Past city council candidate and former Alberta Party president Rhiannon Hoyle launched her campaign for the NDP nomination in Edmonton-South last week.

And the UCP have opened nominations in Calgary-Acadia, the riding currently held by Justice Minister Tyler Shandro. Shandro served as Minister of Health from 2019 to 2022 and led the government’s controversial and disjointed response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The candidate entry deadline is August 5.

The NDP have nominated Registered Nurse Diana Batten in Calgary-Acadia.

I am tracking candidates and building a list of people running for nominations to run in Alberta’s next provincial election. If you know of someone running, please post a comment below or email me at david.cournoyer@gmail.com. Thank you!

(I am launching a Substack. Sign up at  Daveberta Substack)