Former Conservative Party Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk endorses Cypress-Medicine Hat NDP candidate Cathy Hogg. (Photo Courtesy Brendan Miller)

By Brendan Miller

Former PC deputy premier endorses local NDP candidate

May 19, 2023 | 4:58 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The NDP candidate running in Cypress-Medicine Hat received an endorsement from the former deputy premier of the progressive conservative party.

Full Election Coverage: Alberta Votes 2023

Thomas Lukaszuk was at the Medicine Hat NDP campaign office to announce his support for Cathy Hogg and NDP Leader Rachel Notley while denouncing UCP Leader Danielle Smith.

“I can tell you the difference between the two leaders is day and night,” Lukaszuk told supporters.

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

Lukaszuk served as the province’s deputy premier with the Progressive Conservative Party in 2012. He served as minister of employment and immigration under premier Ed Stelmach and minister of education under conservative premier Alison Redford.

Lukaszuk says as an Albertan who recognizes the importance of this election, he supports the leadership of Notley over Smith after working with both leaders in the legislature.

“With Rachel Notley we have some common core values. We believe in democracy, we believe in the justice system, we believe in science, we believe in evidence-based laws and policies and then we can bicker on some differences but we always arrive at some rational solution, I cannot say the same thing about Danielle Smith,” says Lukaszuk.

Hogg was pleased to have Lukaszuk’s support.

“To have Thomas come down here and to endorse me is very special, especially considering he’s a former Progressive Conservative deputy premier,” said Hogg.

The endorsement comes as Lukaszuk is making several stops around the province to support other NDP candidates leading up to the May 29 election.

“I can go to sleep every night knowing that Rachel Notley is going to make sound decisions tomorrow and predict what sort of decisions she is going to make. Unfortunately with Danielle Smith I have no idea what she’s going to think up tomorrow,” explains Lukaszuk.

This afternoon Lukaszuk joined Hogg and her volunteers while they knocked on voters’ doors.

On Saturday he’ll be in Brooks to endorse Brooks-Medicine Hat NDP candidate Gwendoline Dirk.

Hogg responds to Schulz social media claims

Cathy Hogg responded to a social media post from Rebecca Schulz, the UCP candidate for Calgary-Shaw riding.

Schulz posted on Twitter that Hogg has called for the eradication of the Catholic school system.

Hogg, who served as past president of the Public School Board’s Association of Alberta, was involved in a court battle that sought to limit funding for non-Catholic students in the Catholic school system in Saskatchewan.

The Alberta public school board intervened in the case because of the potential implications it could have in the province.

At the time Hogg said there were more efficient ways to spend education dollars and wanted to see more money put back into classrooms.

In the end the courts decided to enshrine in law public funding for non-Catholic students who attend Catholic schools.

“It’s ridiculous to say that I am anti catholic education, anti francophone education is simply not true. I support them with all my heart” says Hogg.

Hogg, who says she is a devout Catholic, respects the court decision and says Schulz’s tweet is misleading.