EDMONTON — Last night, NDP candidate Kyle Campbell surprised many by winning the provincial by-election in South Calgary constituency of Calgary-Shaw. Most recently held by former UCP cabinet minister Rebecca Schulz, many political watchers considered the constituency a safe conservative riding.
“When Calgary-Shaw voters showed up to vote yesterday, they had health care on their mind. And they chose to send the government a message that they’re unhappy with the direction they are taking,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “Recent polling has shown that health care is a top concern for Albertans, and that they overwhelmingly do not support the government implementing Bill 11 and bringing in two-tier, American-style health care to Alberta. Yesterday’s by-election result validates that.”
Both of the major parties made health care an issue in the final days of the campaign. On Thursday, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, along with Calgary-Varsity MLA Dr. Luanne Metz and local candidate Kyle Campbell, held a press conference to release the party’s “Future of Health Care” plan. The UCP responded by sending Adrianna LaGrange, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, join candidate Mike Derry in the constituency to attempt to assuage constituents' concerns about the government's health care track record, and even followed up to address health care again in a press release from their caucus office on by-election day.
“Health care was what both major parties were talking about heading into voting yesterday. In the end, Albertans rebuked the government’s record and plans for our public health care by choosing an opposition MLA to represent them in the Legislature,” said Gallaway. “The Premier is implementing a destructive plan for two-tier, American-style health care that she did not run on, and has absolutely no mandate to be pushing forward. She needs to listen to the clear message sent by voters with yesterday’s by-election results and stop this privatization agenda that no one voted for.”
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