In September 2021, I ran in the federal election as ‘Your Independent Candidate for an Independent Alberta’. Not that it’s on my bucket list to include contesting a provincial election to my portfolio, but I have decided to run as a candidate in the riding of Airdrie-Cochrane for the upcoming provincial election scheduled to take place on May 29th.
I am running under the banner of the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition (WLC) party, a fledgling party striving to restore the principles and values of the Wildrose movement, which had its beginnings some 15 years ago. I am happy to report that the Wildrose movement is back and led by one of its original leaders, Paul Hinman, who was twice elected to the Alberta legislature, though never in a legacy party. Once again, Paul is bringing together a coalition of people who are loyal to Alberta and to the principles of freedom.
Albertans are in a broken, dysfunctional, toxic relationship with Ottawa, and we must take control of our future. Paul Hinman and the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition offer ideas to make Alberta truly Strong & Free, expressed in three words: Truth, Trust, and Taxes.
Thankful for the campaign coverage that I have received from Cochrane Now, “Candidate named for Wildrose Loyalty Coalition” and the Cochrane Times, “Ron Voss steps forward as Wildrose Loyalty Coalition’s Airdrie-Cochrane candidate“.
As explained at my Facebook page, I didn’t participate in the debate hosted by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce on May 9th as despite the Chamber declaring that “All candidates running in the ridings of Airdrie-East and Airdrie-Cochrane have confirmed their attendance”, the truth is that only the UCP and NDP candidates were invited to participate.
My one campaign sign, courtesy of my #1 campaigner, my 9-year-old granddaughter.
UPDATE May 19, 2023
I responded to three questions sent by a Cochrane Eagle journalist to the five candidates running in Airdrie-Cochrane this election. My answers can be found in an online article, “Five candidates running in Airdrie-Cochrane this election”, and, as well, in the print version, which appeared on May 18, because I was one of two candidates (the other being the NDP candidate) who responded in time to appear in the print version. I understood from the journalist that one would be allowed 100-150 words to answer each question, so I was disappointed that a portion of my answers were not published. I was informed by the Editor that they intended no more than 200 words for all three questions. In another blog post, “Airdrie-Cochrane Candidates Answer Questions”, I provide my full answers to each of the three questions, Why are you running?, What is your priority, if elected?, and What is the biggest issue in this riding in particular?
In the May 18 print issue I also published a Letter to the Editor, entitled “All animals are equal, though some are more equal than others” in response to the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, despite declaring with respect to their candidates’ forum held on Tuesday, May 9, that “All candidates (emphasis added) running in the ridings of Airdrie-East and Airdrie-Cochrane have confirmed their attendance”, only selectively invited the UCP and NDP candidates to participate in the forum.
When I first submitted the letter, the Cochrane Eagle’s editor responded, “I will run this as a letter if you’d like, but can add that the chamber rep on Tuesday said they invited all candidates who were registered as of May 2. I’ve checked the Elections Alberta website every day since the writ dropped, and until Sunday or Monday this week, your name (as well as Michelle Overwater Giles and Michael Andrusco) were not yet listed on the website”.
I responded with respect to his condition for publishing my letter, that is, indicating that “the chamber rep on Tuesday said they invited all candidates who were registered as of May 2”, that “there were no candidates registered one day after the writ was dropped (May 3), so what she said is a boldfaced lie”. I pointed out that I was checking the Elections Alberta web site regularly after the writ was dropped, and it was simply not true that until Sunday or Monday that first week, that my name was not yet listed on the Elections Alberta website. In fact, mine was the very first name to be listed at the website for Airdrie-Cochrane on Thursday, May 4th, and I attached evidence to clearly demonstrate that such was the case.
As well, I pointed out that Guthrie’s name did not appear at the Elections Alberta website until Sunday of that first week, and I attached an Email to Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, which I had sent to the Executive Director of the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce at 1:29 PM on May 9th, the day of the forum, wherein, I pointed out that at that time only one official candidate was listed at the Elections Alberta website for Airdrie-East, the NDP candidate, Mr. Dan Nelles. So, I asked, how could the Chamber rep have invited “all candidates who were registered as of May 2″? Elsewhere in an article, “Cochrane candidates trade barbs at chamber-hosted election forum”, appearing in the May 18 issue of the Cochrane Eagle, while noting the “other candidates in Airdrie-Cochrane this election”, we have the Chamber’s lie appear in print with the comment, “According to the forum’s moderator, the candidates who were invited to the May 9 forum were those whose nominations were declared on the Elections Alberta website as of May 3”. This is a bold-faced lie as no candidates were declared on the Elections Alberta website as of May 3, and I was the very first to be declared at that site and that occurred on May 4.
Given that what the Chamber rep had said was a lie, I told the Editor I was okay with his publishing my letter, even if he wanted to add the comment by the Chamber rep. He subsequently published it in the May 18 issue of the Cochrane Eagle, essentially as I had submitted it.
All animals are equal, though some are more equal than others
Dear Editor,
I would like to correct the headline, “Airdrie candidates trade barbs at chamber-hosted election forum” for your report of the ‘all’ candidates’ forum held in Airdrie on Tuesday (May 9) evening. It should correctly read, “Selected Airdrie candidates trade barbs at chamber-hosted election forum”.
While the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce in advertising the event declared that “All candidates running in the ridings of Airdrie-East and Airdrie-Cochrane have confirmed their attendance”, the truth is that only the UCP and NDP candidates were invited to participate. Other official candidates running in the Airdrie-Cochrane riding who were not invited to participate include Michelle Overwater Giles from the Alberta Green Party, Michael Andrusco from the Solidarity Movement of Alberta, and myself from the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition.
I sent an email to the Chamber, to which I did not receive a response, asking them to, in fairness, announce at the beginning of the event that I was not invited to attend, so I do not come across as a no show. I very much doubt they did so.
It’s disappointing to see this lack of respect for the democratic process. As per George Orwell’s allegorical novel Animal Farm, the attitude of the Airdrie Chamber and the City of Airdrie appears to be one of, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.
UPDATE May 29, 2023
Presumably pressed to host a candidates’ forum, the Cochrane Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum onWednesday, May 24th. While unlike the forum held by the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce and the City of Airdrie where only the UCP and NDP candidates were invited to a candidates forum, all of the candidates were invited to Cochrane Chamber’s forum. However, disappointingly, they decided to host a “low cost” forum via Zoom and at one o’clock in the afternoon. A video of the forum was made available.
There were two media reports of the Candidates’ Forum hosted by Cochrane Chamber of Commerce, “Airdrie-Cochrane candidates exchange views on key issues” by Cochrane Now and “Airdrie-Cochrane provincial election candidates face off in online forum” by the Cochrane Eagle. With respect to the latter, I didn’t consider it fair the way that I was represented and told the Eagle’s Editor, Scott Strasse so in an email:
“Not unexpectedly, a pathetic report by your ‘reporter’, Howard Hay, including snide remarks about me at the end and the choice of an unflattering screen shot of me (when one has multiple choices with screen shots) looking like I am either asleep or dead, a cheap shot by this so-called ‘reporter’ who obviously embraces the scam of ‘climate change’. I assume that you as editor of the paper, approved of this. I don’t deserve such disrespect from your paper and your ‘reporter’.
While you disapprove of campaign signs, you unhesitatingly use them as feature photos in the various articles about the candidates.”
I was surprised to learn that it was actually the editor Mr. Strasser himself who had actually chosen that unflattering screen shot of me, saying, “Howard has been a reporter for a long time and I trust his reporting. The cheap shot you refer to is a direct quote. The screenshot was taken by me so you can direct your criticism about that my way.”
I subsequently replied, “So, disappointingly, I take it that you were satisfied to pull up such an unflattering image. I can only believe that it was intentional upon your part for reasons I don’t know why. Howard chose to highlight my reference to the “nonsense of climate change” presumably thinking that’s controversial and makes me look silly, when typical of mainstream media to buy into this globalist scam promoted by the likes of Trudeau, one of mainstream media’s benefactors.
I recall that ‘trustworthy’ Howard was behind that biased hit piece related to the State of Cochrane event. I can understand that the Eagle needs to be nice to the Town because it pays for Town notices published in the Eagle.”
UPDATE May 30, 2023
The people have spoken. My heartfelt appreciation to those who honoured me and my message with your vote. Thank you!
Official vote Returning Officer’s Certificate and Return and Statement of Official Results.