The traditionally fickle St. Albert riding has five candidates vying to prove they will best represent the community.
With the writ drop on Monday, the five – Wildrose James Burrows, Progressive Conservative Steve Khan, Liberal Kim Bugeaud, Alberta Party Tim Osborne and NDP Nicole Bownes – can now put their campaigns into high gear.
With current MLA Ken Allred retiring, there is no incumbent in the race and since 1986 the riding has only once returned the same party to office.
Bugeaud said she believes St. Albertans are open to hearing her party’s message.
“There needs to be a change and I think that the people of St. Albert really are intelligent in the way that they vote and the Liberal platform addresses social needs as well as having a fiscal plan to achieve those.”
Bugeaud, a social worker and former school trustee, said the government isn’t listening and people are ready to challenge them on the issues.
“People want to feel they are not being used, they want to be heard and I am hoping that enough issues have come to a head where people are needing to finally step up and do something.”
Khan said he believes Premier Alison Redford is plotting a bold course for the future of Albertans.
“The defining issue in my mind is the positive and compelling vision for Alberta as a global leader in all aspects of life,” he said. “I think the whole PC party has undergone, under the leadership of Alison, a sense of renewal and a fresh voice and fresh perspective.”
Khan, who ran a software company in the city before it was sold, said he comes to this with the aim of improving the province.
“I am not a politician. I am a business guy who wants what is best and what is right for the citizens of St. Albert.”
Burrows, a former city councillor, said the Wildrose is offering a choice that hasn’t previously been available.
“They can re-elect an out of touch, corrupt and overspending PC government or they can elect a responsible Wildrose government that operates within the bounds of integrity.”
While the party has focused on the Tories’ mistakes over the past year, Burrows said they are now presenting their case of what they would do differently.
“Over the next four weeks the Wildrose will put forward a positive platform, which will balance the books, enhance our economic prosperity and improve democracy.”
Osborne, a management consultant, will be the face of the fledgling Alberta Party in the campaign and said he will attempt to show that politics can be done better.
“The defining issue is probably going to be trust. I think there is a lot of scepticism about government right now, so it is going to be important for me as a candidate to demonstrate that we are committed to doing politics different.”
He said St. Albert voters are open-minded and believes they are willing to give the new party a chance.
“St. Albert is not stuck on any particular party so I think I have a good shot.”
Bownes said Albertans are looking for good and affordable services from government and don’t understand why they can’t be provided in such a wealthy province.
“I think it is about affordability in healthcare and education,” she said. “I think the major concept is that we need Albertans’ prosperity to work for Albertans.”
A registered nurse, Bownes said she believes health care and education will be the dominant issues across the campaign.
All the candidates say locally health care and education are the top issues much as they are in the provincial campaign.
“St. Albert is unique in many aspects, but I don’t think the issues are unique to St. Albert,” said Khan.
The St. Albert constituency includes most of the city limits, but excludes the area north of McKenney Avenue and west of St. Albert Trail.
