By Conner Toffan

Local NDP candidates officially launch election campaign

Mar 23, 2019 | 7:20 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Local NDP candidates Peter Mueller and Lynn MacWilliam officially launched their election campaign on Saturday, as they prepare for the April 16 election.

“I’m just very excited. I’m ready to get going,” said Mueller, NDP candidate for Cypress-Medicine Hat.

Mueller says campaign work started weeks before the election was called. But last Tuesday after the big announcement, things went into the next gear. This included the opening of their campaign office on Saturday.

“We’re finally in that final 28-day period where we can actually hit the road, talk to people, put the signs up, collect donations, ask for volunteers and get things done,” said Mueller.

And for Brooks-Medicine Hat candidate Lynn MacWilliam, she’s excited for the opportunity of beginning her campaign in a new riding.

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“It’s a new riding, it’s a clean slate of candidates, I think we’ve got an opportunity. I think I’ve got an opportunity to win this,” said MacWilliam.

MacWilliam feels good about the NDP’s chance to win local and provincial elections.

“Everybody is really pumped, we wanna get out there, we wanna win and it’s going to happen. I’m just feeling so enthusiastic about it.”

MacWilliam will be running against Michaela Glasgo (United Conservative Party), Jim Black (Alberta Party) and Todd Beasley (Independent).

For Peter Mueller, he’ll be running against Anwar Kamaran (Alberta Liberals), Colette Smithers (Alberta Party) and current Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes (United Conservative Party).

Mueller says a large part of the reason he’s running is the work Premier Rachel Notley has done in her last four years.

“I think that she is the most effective, most principled, most intelligent leader that I have ever lived under in Alberta,” said Mueller.

At the campaign launch, the two NDP candidates spoke about improving health care, the importance of oil and gas as well as improving Alberta’s education.

“I feel very strongly about what happens in all the schools in Medicine Hat. I want to make sure they’re properly funded, properly staffed and that the needs of students at all levels are met,” said Mueller, a teacher for 33 years.

Mueller says that something unique to riding’s such as Cypress-Medicine Hat is the combination of rural and urban needs. Mueller was once asked if this was a problem, “My response was that Medicine Hat is an urban setting but most people in Medicine Hat have a rural foundation. They grew up on the farm, they have relatives on the farm and we serve the needs of the farmers in the area,” said Mueller.

For MacWilliam, she has had plenty of experience in politics, running in 2015 in the old riding of Strathmore-Brooks, as well as working for 15 years on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

“I’ve got experience, knowledge and I think that I can help the people of Medicine Hat get things done and help them with government issues. I’ve worked in constituency offices, I know how to do that job. I think that I’m a great candidate for the people of Brooks-Medicine Hat,” said MacWilliam.

MacWilliam touched on the importance of healthcare and taking care of seniors in her riding.

“In Bassano we’re wanting to get a new hospital and I think it’s our turn to get the hospital. And a new seniors lodge, we’re working towards getting that,” said MacWilliam, “if you keep cutting back on healthcare, it’s going to fall apart. I’ve been to the Medicine Hat Hospital with my daughter and it’s just a beautiful, beautiful building. That is what I think it should be everywhere.”

The two NDP Candidates will be campaigning before the April 16 election which MacWilliam is looking forward to.

“Everybody is really pumped, we wanna get out there, we wanna win and it’s going to happen,” said MacWilliam.