Stephen Campbell is running for councillor for a second time after running in 2021. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

ELXTN25

Stephen Campbell, who protested pandemic lockdowns, running for Medicine Hat city council again

Jan 5, 2025 | 5:00 AM

Stephen Campbell, who protested pandemic lockdowns and mask rules, revealed he is running for councillor in Medicine Hat’s fall municipal election with the aim of addressing crime, the cost of living crisis and transparency at city hall.

“There’s so much on the docket that it’s hard to start,” he told CHAT News in an interview Friday. In the 2021 election, Campbell ranked 26th out of 33 people who ran for councillor.

That year, Campbell said his top issue was transparency — a popular part of many platforms in that election. He also had other ideas, including a water conservation plan.

It will be different this time around.

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“Transparency can’t be the first thing because that’s what everybody ran on last time and nobody seems to be transparent,” Campbell said.

While a lack of transparency at city hall is still a problem in his eyes, there’s other items that are important to the average Medicine Hat resident.

“What’s on most people’s minds now is basically the crime in town, outrageous cost of living in town, rent increases, you name it,” said Campbell.

A conflict between Mayor Linnsie Clark, the rest of council and city manager Ann Mitchell over the issue of power and oversight has rocked city hall and created debate in the broader community.

“The city has lost trust in council, and that’s the hardest part. So I think the healing will begin with the next election for sure,” Campbell said.

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READ: Full 2025 municipal election coverage

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Campbell said he appreciated Clark’s recent transparency efforts, however, he explained a fresh start is what’s needed.

“The best way for the city to heal is to have a reset again, and maybe a new house, if you will,” he said.

“Even if we have some of the old people in the house, we need changes, and transparency should be number one.”

Campbell has some political history in Medicine Hat beyond his last council campaign.

He launched the “We Choose Freedom” movement protesting safety measures in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, before later stepping down from the group.

Campbell told CHAT News in 2021 that he did get double vaccinated.

Soon after his involvement with the We Choose Freedom group, Campbell was able to scoop up 1,481 votes in the 2021 municipal election. He was 3,802 ballots short of reaching the top eight, who are elected to the horseshoe.

He said there’s a few good reasons to get started early this time around.

“For one, if you’re the first one out, you’re recognizable. Second, it’s a way to make sure that city council makes the right decisions going forward,” Campbell said.

“All candidates that want to come out that aren’t on council, I’d encourage you to come out earlier, because that would help our city maybe stall a couple of projects that shouldn’t go forward with public opinion,” he added.

For Campbell, one of those upcoming decision items is council’s consideration of the city’s energy business.

A third-party review presented to council by KPMG in November 2024 recommended, in part, that the city create an arms-length municipally-controlled corporation to run its electricity and gas businesses and establish a rate-review committee.

Council in December gave staff permission to start exploring the feasibility and impacts of moving ahead with the recommendations — though without any sort of final commitment.

Campbell said council should keep direct control. However, the city would have control over the proposed corporation.

He also argued the energy business should be run as a non-profit to keep utility bills low for residents while selling to the external grid for profit, something the city currently does.

The council hopeful added he was against the city’s plans to purchase the rights to the Saamis Solar Farm, a controversial project the city is hoping could be used to offset carbon charges and prepare it for the future.

Campbell said his goal of getting on council has shaped his career.

“I went to business school years ago to try to get into politics and make sure I’d be able to run a business properly, which was my goal to eventually get on to city council and run the city properly,” he said.

“If I get on, it’ll be run as a business for the citizens and make sure everybody’s happy with what we do, because every four years is a business review, too, for our council members.”

Editor’s Note: Reporting in 2021 about comments Campbell made about Clark was incorrect and so that paragraph has been removed.