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Election Night Message from Jim Prentice

Alberta PC

When this election was called, I felt that it was needed to provide Alberta's government with the clear authority to respond to the challenging circumstances that we faced as a result of the collapse of oil prices.

I felt strongly then, and I feel strongly today, that those decisions properly belonged to Albertans and not to me as the Premier.

Neither I, nor the Government I led, were elected to make the tough decisions that are required by our current economic conditions.

Albertans needed to make those decisions and they have now done so and chosen our collective future.

While I am personally saddened by that decision, the voters are always right in our democracy.

I congratulate Rachel Notley and the NDP Party on their success this evening. Rachel obviously ran an excellent campaign and clearly has the confidence of Albertans.

I would also like to congratulate Brian Jean and the Wildrose on their success this evening.

I would however like to speak to the members of my own party. I have been a member of this party since I was a young man and I share your disappointment.

I want to thank everyone in the Progressive Conservative Party for their confidence and trust over the past eight months.

It has been a trying time for all of us. I thank all of our candidates and the thousands of volunteers who have worked so hard for our Party.

I have never seen a team of men and women work as hard. My heart goes out to everyone who worked so hard and were unsuccessful.

Karen and I also thank everyone in our Party for your unfailing kindness to us during the past 28 days and 10,000 kilometers.

As the Leader of the Party, I accept responsibility for tonight's outcome. I also accept responsibility for the decisions that led up to this evening.

Karen reminded me this morning that a year ago, when I made the decision to return to public life, the outcome was anything but certain

She reminded me that I said then that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't return to provincial politics and do what I could to try to set things right in Alberta. I told her that I didn't intend to live the rest of my life with the regret that I didn't make the attempt.

So I ran.

Clearly, however, my contribution to public life is now at an end. It is time for me to dedicate my time to my other responsibilities as a husband, father and grandfather.

Accordingly, I have resigned as the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta effective immediately. Furthermore, I will step aside as the elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary Foothills.

There is no greater fortune in life than to be a Canadian and an Albertan.

We are all so very lucky.

It has been a great privilege to serve our province in elected office.

I leave with the confidence that the determination and resilience of Albertans will overcome whatever challenges we face.

I wish all of you the very best.

Thank you and God Bless.

Jim Prentice

NDP sinks Tory ship, Strankman returns to Legislature

strankman-rick

In an unprecedented shift, the NDP have formed the next government in Alberta.

Within 40 minutes of the polls closing, major media outlets declared that Rachel Notley’s NDP would be leading the province.

As of presstime for The Drumheller Mail, the NDP were leading in 33 ridings with 21 elected, and 40 per cent of the popular vote.

While Emily Shannon ,NDP candidate for Drumheller-Stettler, was not successful in gaining a seat, for her it was a positive night. As of presstime, she was trailing by incumbent Rick Strankman and PC Jack Hayden. In 2012, the NDP had only 2.74 per cent of the vote in Drumheller. As of presstime the NDP were hovering in the area of 17 per cent of the popular vote in the riding.

“For the province this will be a very necessary change that we needed to see, to put a government that is responsible back to the people,” Shannon told The Mail from her campaign celebration at the Old Grouch’s Restaurant.

In Drumheller- Stettler Rick Strankman retained his seat. As of presstime, he has captured about 46 percent of the popular vote.

He feels the shift to the NDP had to do with the floor crossing of the Wildrose members to the PC party last December.

“The floor crossing may have had a greater effect than what we thought in reducing trust of politicians,” he said. “I don’t think it is the policy, but it is trust in the politician associated with the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose.”

In the Strathmore-Brooks riding, Derek Fildebrandt of the Wildrose was leading at presstime with 53 per cent of the popular vote.

Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills went Wildrose green as Nathan Cooper was leading with 51 per cent of the popular vote at presstime.

Tom Cochrane with Red Rider to rock Passion Play site

cochrane

Tom Cochrane is returning to the dramatic prairie backdrop from his ‘Life is a Highway’ video for an unforgettable concert in the Canadian Icon Series.
   The appearance of seven-time Juno award winner Tom Cochrane at the Passion Play amphitheatre on Aug. 22, 2015, will introduce a new sound to this unique venue in the Badlands.
   “The superb acoustics of this incredible natural space makes it ideal for Cochrane’s concert or any musical act,” says Vance Neudorf, Executive Director of the Canadian Badlands Passion Play. “People are going to be very impressed.”
   Cochrane is a fitting choice to be the first Canadian to kick off the Canadian Icons series. The video for Cochrane’s most enduring and famous hit - Life is A Highway – shows him performing the song against the backdrop of the region’s dramatic hoodoos, coulees and grassy plains.
   Cochrane is the recipient of many accolades, including being an inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a member of the Canadian Walk of Fame and several philanthropic and artistic awards.
   “We’re happy to host one of Canada’s most iconic musicians in our backyard in one of the province’s most iconic settings — the Canadian Badlands,” said Barry Morishita, president of Canadian Badlands Tourism. “Thousands of people have seen Cochrane’s video featuring the Badlands, but now they’ll actually be sitting right there in one of the most beautiful places in the country.”
   This also presents a wonderful opportunity for the region’s stakeholders to showcase the geographic diversity and many activities available to visitors in the area, said Morishita.
   Each July for the past 22 years, the Canadian Badlands Passion Play amphitheatre, which seats 2,700 people, has been the stage for an award-winning dramatic presentation about the life of Jesus. Canadian Badlands Tourism has been seeking other types of entertainment for the unique venue.

Fro tickets go to https://tickets.canadianpassionplay.com/TheatreManager/1/login

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