All I want for Christmas is Ryan Tanner’s phone number
By Lethbridge Herald on December 19, 2025.
Scott Sakatch
Herald Editor
This past Wednesday marked three weeks since the recall petition for Lethbridge East MLA Nathan Neudorf was approved by Elections Alberta, and nine days since I wrote a column specifically calling out petition “organizer” Ryan Tanner to come forward and own up to the fact that he’d been actively ignoring dozens of people who want to get involved in the effort.
And as of today, it’s been a week since the Herald published a story about two would-be organizers who met with “Westside Mike” at a local Tim Horton’s and heard him say that he’d gotten his recall paperwork from Neudorf’s office. The story was a response to questions and allegations that have been swirling all over local social media for almost a month. Many of those allegations suggest that the recall is a sham, specifically designed to undermine any legitimate effort to recall Neudorf. As a result, the petition will reach its Feb. 23 deadline without a single signature from a Lethbridge East resident. If that happens, Neudorf will be safe from recall until after the next election.
Neudorf has publicly denied any connection with the recall. But despite the Herald’s best efforts, we’ve not been able to reach Tanner or the person we believe to be “Westside Mike,” whom I won’t name here. The reason we can’t identify him is because we can’t reach him to either confirm or deny the swirling questions, rumours and allegations.
That sound you hear is crickets, all but drowned out by the clock ticking down toward the recall petition deadline.
Now, obviously I’m not going to suggest that every single person in southern Alberta reads the Herald on a regular basis, which means I should give Tanner and “Mike” the benefit of the doubt that they may not know the Herald (and I’m sure the rest of the media in Alberta) are looking for them.
But I am going to suggest, quite strongly, that it’s virtually impossible to believe that not one single person associated with either gentleman has seen anything in the news media, or on Facebook, or Twitter, or Reddit about the recall and said “Hey, maybe you should come forward and explain what the hell is going on.”
In addition to being physically absent, Tanner is a virtual ghost online, while “Mike” has an extremely limited online presence. That’s their right if they’re simply private citizens going about their lives. But it’s unethical in the extreme to undertake something as public as a recall petition and then disappear, especially given the fact that this is a one-shot opportunity.
In my last column, I said I wouldn’t suggest that anything dubious was going in with the recall. That was then; this is now, and I’m absolutely suggesting exactly that. This whole situation stinks like week-old fish. Conveniently for Ryan Tanner, Elections Alberta is unable, by law, to speak about the recall because it’s currently being reviewed thanks to the sheer number of people who’ve complained about it.
But speaking for myself and literally dozens of others whom I’ve spoken with over the past three weeks, I’m done trying to give the benefit of the doubt anymore. My last column was a suggestion that Tanner come forward to explain what was going on; this time I’m flat-out challenging anyone who knows him to call him out on this nonsense and demand that he answer the many questions that have been festering since Nov. 25.
He doesn’t necessarily have to speak to me, or anyone else at the Herald, but he does need to publicly answer for what’s happening (or not happening, as the case may be). Whatever form that takes doesn’t matter – what matters is that he stops playing the voters of Lethbridge East for fools.
This is also a challenge to both of Lethbridge’s MLAs to come forward, on the record, and publicly discuss this unacceptable situation. As I’ve said before, this is democracy denied, and that’s something we, the citizens of Lethbridge and Alberta, can’t ignore.
13-12
Good journalism, Editor Sakatch.
I have been wondering if the failed MLA candidate for Lethbridge West, Torry Tanner, is related to Ryan Tanner? Maybe he will talk?
We are lucky to have you at the helm doing this kind of local journalism! Keep up the pressure!
I agree that the alleged participants silence in this fake recall petition suggests guilt. Neudorf’s carefully worded denial does not preclude his indirect involvement and does not exclude his office staff involvement.
It appears the Lethbridge Herald now is trying to lead the charge for the NDP in this insurrection against and democratically and legally elected official.
Far from ethical journalism!
More evidence the Herald is the NDP propaganda machine, just like Hamas used the Associated Press in Gaza to spread its disinformation.
The poor little insurrections who abused legislature so that the law abiding citizens could recall a true slaggard MLA now screams fowl because someone else is not respecting the process.
That is hilarious! The cultural Markist NDP socialists abuse legislation, but demand someone that for one reason or another isn’t performing the recall the way they want it, want to once again circumvent laws!
This just keeps on getting better and better! The Cancel Culture is all about me and me and me and who cares about you!