Alberta Gears up for 2023 Provincial Elections

by Morgan Gordeyko

The battle for the seat of MLA for the riding of Fort Saskatchewan Vegreville is well underway and sees us with 5 candidates, all vying for the coveted position of representing our local area and interests on the provincial level. In alphabetical order, candidates are: Kathy Flett running as an Independent, Jackie Armstrong - Homeniuk running for the United Conservative Party, 'Granny' Margaret Mackay for the Solidarity Movement of Alberta, Taneen Rudyk for the Alberta NDP and finally Kelly Zeleny for the Advantage Party of Alberta. The upcoming election is predicted to be extremely tight, with no apparent front runner. Advanced Polls open Tuesday May 23, 2023 and continue daily, ending Saturday, May 27. Regular voting can be done on May 29, 2023.

Kathy Flett, a former member of the Wildrose Party, is running as an Independent this election. Her platform states simply “Community over conformity; people over politics”. Flett believes that Albertans experience too much interference from our Federal Government and believes Alberta has everything needed to be productive, stable and prosperous IF government gets out of the way and back in its own lane. She values people first and foremost and thinks a strong private sector has the ability to shoulder a solid social sector. Finally, Flett is passionate about keeping the “small town feel” of her constituency. When asked why running as an Independent, Flett has sited the appreciation for free speech on behalf of our provincial representative and feels not being at the mercy of a party leader or whip gives her the advantage to vote freely on proposed legislation; an “unmuzzled representation” of constituents. She also feels running as an Independent will give her the ability to keep both the NDP and UCP more honest in their dealings with Albertans as a whole.

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk was first elected to provincial office in 2019 for the United Conservative Party. A small town business owner for over 30 years, Homeniuk was concerned with the direction our province was taking and was inspired to run with a core goal of supporting education and school children with severe allergies. In 2022, Homeniuk was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Ukrainian Refugee Settlements and currently serves as a member of the Standing Committee on Families and Communities, the Select Special Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Search Committee, Privileges and Elections, Standing orders and Printing, and Alberta’s Economic Future and Public Accounts. She previously served as the Associate Minister of Status of Women. One of her many accomplishments, Homeniuk sponsored Bill 201, Protection of Students with Life-threatening Allergies Act. It was the first private members’ bill passed in the 30th Legislature and received unanimous consent. Ms. Armstrong and her husband have been active members of their community, raising a family of two sons and running a successful business in their constituency. Ms. Homeniuk believes strongly in education and has taken many economic development and business courses. She attended postsecondary studies at Grant

MacEwan University and the University of Calgary. She is a journeyman hairstylist, operating her salon for well over 30 years. Homeniuk is passionate about volunteerism and philanthropy, and has worked with charities and nonprofit organizations, such as local food banks.

Mackay, who is known by the name 'Granny' among peers, is running for public office for the first time as a representative of the Solidarity Movement of Alberta.

"I'm showing Albertans that even a grandmother can step into the political world," said Mackay. "I'm a firm believer that one must lead by example, because if not you, then who?"

Mackay answered many questions admitting her lack of knowledge on the subjects and stressed the importance of learning.

"We need to educate the children, start with the children, and as the children grow there won't be a grandma standing in the front here not knowing the answers to questions," said Mackay to laughter in the audience.

Alberta NDP candidate Taneen Rudyk brings to the table a number of years in municipal government, first being elected as a councillor for the Town of Vegreville in 2010. "I am excited to continue serving people in Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville as part of the Alberta NDP team. I have dedicated much of my professional career to serving this community, and I look forward to building a better future for the province with a government led by Rachel Notley,” said Rudyk in a statement to the Chronicle. "Fort SaskatchewanVegreville is a diverse riding, with challenges that we see across Alberta cities and rural areas. I am ready to bring my experience to serve this community and bring better health care, better education, more economic growth and to make life more affordable for all Albertans.” Born in Two Hills, Rudyk attended school in Vegreville and University in Edmonton. She and her husband Andrew returned to the Vegreville area in 2000 to raise their 4 children and operate their pipeline welding business. Rudyk is dedicated to improving health services, supporting newcomers to our area from places such as Ukraine and Syria, and advocating for people with special needs. For the Advantage Party of Alberta we see Kelly Zeleny running in this riding. A nurse by trade, Zeleny hails from Mundare. She has been a director with the Alberta Advantage Party for the last 2 years and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in areas such as forestry, agrology and research management. “Leading Alberta Forward” being the party’s slogan, it prides itself on a 4 pronged Governance Model. Accountability, which is entrenched in its Constitution, a sensible use of the people’s money, ensuring actions are effective and measurable, and finally being a trustworthy source of internal integrity. The party states their core values are self reliance, free individuals, and compassion. Zeleny is running on a platform that focusses giving Albertans the power to govern themselves without the external influences and agendas playing out on the global stage. She says the party is looking to overhaul the energy sector, reduce taxes for Albertans, and explore other reforms like healthcare efficiency and the amalgamation of school systems.