Conservative Glen Motz re-elected again in Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner

“If there are some things that we can do as members of parliament that benefit the people, benefit the country, and it’s not a partisan issue, then I think that’s the direction we need to go,” he added.

“I’m hopeful that we can sit down together and work out some things. But the reality is, we may be at this again in a year.”

The Liberals — just like before the election — will need to collaborate with another party to survive confidence votes. The New Democrats may have gained enough seats to become a valid partner.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre did not resign as he addressed supporters late on Monday. Instead, he pointed out large gains made by his party across Canada as the Conservatives were poised to have its best election result since 2011.

Poilievre later lost the riding of Carleton — a region he’s represented for over 20 years — early on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, longtime NDP leader Jagmeet Singh — who lost his B.C. seat — resigned after his party was decimated in the seat count and appeared to lose official party status.

Political consultant Jim Groom wasn’t surprised by the Conservative win in Medicine Hat.

“It’s par for the course,” he said, noting that Motz appeared to improve from his 2021 election result.

Cypress County resident Judy Reid, who was at the Motz election party, had mixed emotions. While she was pleased with Motz’s win, Reid said she was left disappointed by another Liberal government.

“It’s the same party, but a different leader. So that to me, there was no change there,” Reid said, adding she was worried for the future of Alberta and for young Canadians.

“It’s a disappointment for the young people as far as maybe not owning a home or finding a job.”

Motz said Canadians shouldn’t have given the Liberals another mandate knowing the risks. But, he said, the resignation of former prime minister Justin Trudeau opened the door for Carney find a way to win.

“They must have liked all the policies that Carney stole from Pierre,” said Motz.

Election night was too early to assign blame for the Conservative loss, argued the incumbent. Instead, Monday’s election is a chance to learn.

“There’s a lot of opportunity that we all have from all parties to examine what went well, what didn’t go so well, what messages resonated, which ones fell flat,” Motz said.

“We have an opportunity to do that down the road. I think it’s way too early to cast any blame anywhere at this stage.”

Former Medicine Hat-area MLA Drew Barnes said Poilievre lost the election because he wasn’t conservative enough, particularly when it came to the economy.

“I believe that if Poilievre would’ve have taken a stronger conservative stance, he’d have done even better,” Barnes said.

He argued the Conservatives shouldn’t work with the Liberals and predicted a coalition that would be harmful to Alberta.

“Mark Carney has proven time and time again that he’s a globalist. He’s a central banker that prints money and causes inflation,” Barnes said.

“The Bloc Québécois has shown for years that they’re selflessly interested in what’s best for Quebec,” he added, referencing the federal party that pocketed the third-most seats Monday.

“Until Alberta plays a strategic game where our voice is heard louder, I think what we’re going to be faced with is four years of a Liberal-Bloc coalition.”

Political observers say the Liberals retaining power in Ottawa could spark further calls for a more sovereign Alberta.

Groom, based in Medicine Hat, said Carney’s win gives Premier Danielle Smith and her ruling United Conservatives a villain.

“There’s always been some speculation that the UCP government wants somebody they can play off of in Ottawa,” he said.

“That’s a Liberal government that they can blame for everything and anything, and it’s held them in good stead over the last few years.”

The Liberals appeared on track early Tuesday to win two seats in Alberta, the same number the party won in the 2021 election. Carney during the campaign vowed to build stronger ties to Alberta.

Groom said he hopes Smith reciprocates.

“I don’t have any doubt that the Carney government will try to establish some connections with Alberta and show good faith,” said Groom.

“I would hope that the premier will take that at face value, and maybe seeing if we can be more cooperative rather than obstructionist.”

Liberal candidate Tom Rooke said at his election party that Monday’s local results have once again revealed there is a solid core of progressive-thinking people.

“I wish there were a lot more,” Rooke said.

“What we hope to do in the future is, of course, show the people that what they’re missing is that they never seem to want to put anybody into the government of the day,” he added.

“That was one of my aims, is to say, ‘people, you could have a representative in the government that will carry your concerns there’. Now they will still have just a backbencher.”

Rooke said Motz has “absolutely no power to him at all to say anything on their behalf” and any advocacy for southeast Alberta will go “nowhere.”

But the groundwork has been laid for the future, Rooke insisted.

“I don’t know whether I’ll be there or not, but at least it’ll be next time.”

While Rooke was able to restore the Liberals in southeast Alberta to a second place on the ballot, the New Democrats fell to third.

New Democrat Jocelyn Johnson, who snagged 4.8 per cent of the vote Monday, said running for a second time was a positive experience with many people telling her they were thankful to have options on the ballot.

“I look forward to lots of productive, healthy conversations in the community about what this election meant to them and where, you know, where we go from here,” she said late Monday from Edmonton where she lives.

She acknowledged the NDP will need to take some time for reflection after the party was decimated nationally but she has hope in the bounce-back.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a really strong rebuild come out of the prairies,” Johnson said.

“Swinging hard.”

Green candidate Andy Shadrack did not respond to an interview request Monday.

by Eli J. Ridder, Jayk Sterkenburg

Conservative Glen Motz re-elected again in Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner

Our Community