Well-known Alberta conservationist Kevin Van Tighem is seeking the Alberta NDP nomination in the sourthern Alberta riding of Livingstone-Macleod.
A former Superintendent of Banff National Park, and author of Our Place: Changing the Nature of Alberta and Wild Roses Are Worth It: Reimagining the Alberta Advantage, Van Tighem an outspoken opponent of expanding coal mining and open-pit coal mining on the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
“When thousands of good people in this constituency and across the province stood together — Indigenous people, ranchers, farmers, municipal governments, business operators, movie industry people, outdoor recreationists, environmental groups, musicians and others — and asked their UCP MLA to act on our near-universal opposition to new strip mines in our precious headwaters — he refused,” Van Tighem wrote in a statement posted on Facebook. “Then he pretty much vanished.”
The MLA he is referring to in his statement is Roger Reid, who recently had his path to securing the United Conservative Party nomination secured when Premier Danielle Smith decided to run in the Brooks-Medicine Hat by-election instead of her home riding.
The NDP have scheduled a nomination meeting for November 23 in High River.
Van Tighem was a guest on a February 2021 episode of the Daveberta Podcast where we discussed the 1976 Coal Policy and stopping open-pit mining in Alberta’s Rockies.
Listen to that episode of the Daveberta Podcast:
McAllister endorses De Jonge in Chestermere-Strathmore
Chantelle De Jonge scored a big endorsement this week when former Wildrose Party MLA Bruce McAllister announced he’s supporting her bid to defeat Leela Aheer in the UCP nomination in Chestermere-Strathmore.
“Chantelle is a true conservative with an amazing work ethic and she’ll do a tremendous job representing the people of this riding. I have heard some people question Chantelle’s age and experience level but I have full confidence that Chantelle’s work ethic, values, and conservative approach will be a tremendous asset for all of us. Chantelle, you have my full endorsement,” McAllister said in an endorsement posted on De Jonge’s Facebook page.
There’s a backstory: Aheer defeated McAllister in the 2015 election after he crossed the floor with Danielle Smith to join the PC Party.
Fast-forward eight years: Aheer ran for the UCP leadership and McAllister supported Smith’s campaign. McAllister is now the executive director of Smith’s southern Alberta office at the McDougall Centre and the local constituency association is now controlled by De Jonge loyalists.
Nomination updates
- Teacher Dave Dale is expected to be nominated as the NDP candidate in Lacombe-Ponoka on October 19.
- Rebecca Bousall is expected to be nominated as the NDP candidate in Calgary-Fish Creek on October 20.
- Joan Chand’oiseau is seeking the NDP nomination in Calgary-West. A nomination meeting is scheduled for November 16.
- Teacher Daniel Nelles is running for the NDP nomination in Airdrie-East. Nelles is the Executive Staff Officer at the Alberta Teachers’ Association Local 38 representing teachers in Calgary Public Schools.
Upcoming nomination meetings
- October 19 – Lacombe-Ponoka NDP
- October 20 – Calgary-Fish Creek NDP
- October 26 – Calgary-Hays NDP
- October 26 – Edmonton-City Centre Greens
- October 28 – Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul NDP
- October 28 – Peace River NDP
- November 8 – Calgary-Peigan NDP
- November 8 – Calgary-South East NDP
- November 16 – Calgary-West NDP
- November 23 – Livingstone-Macleod NDP
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!
And, if you haven’t already, please don’t forget to sign up for the Daveberta Substack where you’ll find my bi-weekly columns about Alberta politics.
One reply on “Conservationist Kevin Van Tighem running for the NDP nomination in Livingstone-Macleod, Smith-advisor and former MLA Bruce McAllister endorses Leela Aheer’s challenger in Chestermere-Strathmore UCP race”
Van Tighem is also a regular columnist for Alberta Views magazine.