Alberta Party Leader Barry Morishita speaks with voters at a Steaming Cup in Brooks. (CHAT News photo Ross Lavigne)

By Brendan Miller

Alberta Party seeking at least three seats in election: Morishita

May 12, 2023 | 3:48 PM

BROOKS, AB – Taking a personal approach in his campaign, Alberta Party Leader Barry Morishita speaks with voters in the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding at a local coffee shop in downtown Brooks.

The city’s former mayor hopes the party will reach more voters this election. They are running 19 candidates across the province.

“The Alberta Party is committed to getting a presence in the legislature and trying to become that moderating force in the province that I think we so greatly need,” says Morishita.

He’s hoping to secure at least three to five seats in the legislature on May 29 to shift power if the election results in a minority government.

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“We think if we have that many seats the possibilities of us holding the balance of power in a minority legislature is something that could really change the way politics in Alberta do work,” says Morishita.

The campaign in this riding is a repeat of last fall’s byelection. Morishita is running against UCP Leader Danielle Smith and the NDP’s Gwendoline Dirk.

UCP MLA Michaela Frey stepped down the day after Smith’s won the party’s leadership on Oct. 6. Smith immediately called a byelection for the riding to try to secure a seat in the legislature.

Morishita has been critical of Smith’s decision to run in the riding because she is not from the area.

“I think people should be looking at their ballot and their candidates and saying, ‘Who’s going to best represent me in the legislature, and who’s going to champion my issues in the legislature?’ and I really think that’s what the campaign is about and I really think I’m the best candidate to do the job.”

CHAT News spoke with Brooks residents to find out what issues they would like to see politicians address in the election.

“Cost of living. I know my daughter is a single mom, she’s struggling financially and you know its been said and said and said you know the cost of food, the cost of heating your home, what do you do?” said a woman along Second Street West.

A man echoed concerns about affordability.

“I’m Filipino, from the Philippines. The only problem that I know from when I was working here is that the prices are climbing up and at the same time the payment of the temporary housing is too high.”

Another woman told CHAT News “The drug issue mainly I feel is pretty strong. There are so many young kids and people that are all strung out on all these bad drugs.”

Morishita was first elected to Brooks city council in 1998 and was elected mayor in 2016. He says his time serving the community makes him the best option to represent the riding.

“MLAs are supposed to represent their constituencies. They should live there, they should understand the community very well, they should love the community very well and that’s how you get things done.”

“You need to know what’s going on here at the ground with councils, with school boards, with front-line workers, with businesses in those communities,” adds Morishita.

Voters in the riding will have a chance to hear more from the Brooks-Medicine Hat candidates at an election forum hosted by the Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce on May 17 at Crescent Heights High School at 6 p.m.