Hello everyone, it’s been about six months since I last posted here. I’ve been immersed in my new role as a staffer for Mississauga City Councillor Joe Horneck (Ward 6).
During this time, Canada’s seventh largest city underwent some significant moments: the passing of former mayor Hazel McCallion at 101, the dissolution of the Region of Peel by January 2025, and current Mayor Bonnie Crombie possibly jumping into the Ontario Liberal leadership race.
Obviously we will how the latter two political events unfold and how it would affect Mississauga, as well as the province and other municipalities in it, going forward. For now, I just wanted to go over the results of the 2023 Alberta election.
The United Conservative Party (UCP) defied expectations of various opinions that an NDP government was in resurgence and that leader Rachel Notley was poised to once again be premier. That was not the case, as UCP leader and Premier Danielle Smith was able to secure another term for her party in government, winning 49 seats to the NDP’s 38.
Edmonton and surrounding area
Since 2015, the NDP has captured virtually every seat in the provincial capital, except in 2019 when the UCP snagged one seat. In 2023, the NDP once again swept the city, painting it orange. Here are some highlights of those with prior municipal experience who contested provincially in Alberta this time.
Edmonton South: Former city council candidate Rhiannon Hoyle easily swept to victory in this riding, becoming the first Black woman elected to the Alberta legislature. An entrepreneur, Hoyle previously ran for City Council in Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi, losing by only 39 votes.
Edmonton-Castle Downs: Former Edmonton councillor Jon Dziadyk ran for the UCP here, but was unable to overcome the incumbent NDP MLA Nicole Goehring. Dziadyk, a one term councillor from 2017 to 2021, lost his reelection bid two years ago.
St. Albert: Incumbent MLA Marie Renaud won reelection, turning back a strong challenge from former mayoral candidate Angela Wood, who ran for the UCP.
Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville: One of the so-called ‘Edmonton donut’ ridings that were key to the winning party securing government, incumbent Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk managed to fend off NDP candidate Taneen Rudyk comfortably. Rudyk is a Vegreville Town Councillor and immediate past president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, having stepped away from the role to contest the provincial election.
Calgary and surrouding area
Calgary Bow: First term MLA Demetrios Nicolaides, also the provincial Minister of Advanced Education, fended off a challenge from former Calgary city councillor Druh Farrell, who served from 2001 to 2021. Nicolaides held the riding by around 400 votes.
Rest of Alberta
Brooks-Medicine Hat: Why am I figuring the riding that UCP leader Danielle Smith won in a 2022 by-election then easily carried in this year’s general election? Because former Brooks mayor and Alberta Party leader Barry Morishita ran here as well. Morishita, mayor of Brooks from 2016-2021, ran in both the by-election and this election as well.
Livingstone-Macleod: Claresholm Mayor Chelsae Petrovic easily held this riding that reaches the US border for the UCP by over 10,000 votes. Petrovic took a leave of absence during the campaign from her mayoral duties.
Lethbridge East: Former city councillor Rob Miyashiro was fielded as the NDP candidate and had a pretty good shot at turning the entire city orange (NDP MLA Shannon Phillips occupied the other Lethbridge seat). Alas, UCP MLA Nathan Neudorf was able to narrowly secure victory, winning 50% to Miyashiro’s 47%.
Hope you enjoyed this brief review of Alberta’s election and the plight of municipally experienced candidates that ran. Manitoba has a provincial election later this year and the only municipal election this year is in Nunavut.
See you all later…hopefully!
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