Mearns hoping to represent Lethbridge West in byelection
By Lethbridge Herald on August 16, 2024.
Bridget Mearns is seeking the NDP nomination to run in Lethbridge West.
Herald photo by Al BeeberAl Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
With experience in government, as well as the private and not-for-profit sectors, Bridget Mearns believes she has the experience and knowledge to represent Lethbridge West in the Alberta legislature.
The former two-term city councillor – who led the push to have that description changed from ‘alderman’- announced last week she is seeking the NDP nomination to run in that riding when a byelection is announced by Premier Danielle Smith.
Today is the last for potential NDP candidates to declare their intentions to seek the nomination.
Party members will be able to vote online for their choice of candidate or on Sept. 7 from noon til 6 p.m. in person with the winning candidate to be announced that evening.
As of deadline last night, Mearns was one of two candidates to announce their intention to seek the nomination.
She and Rob Miyashiro, who ran unsuccessfully to unseat incumbent MLA Nathan Neudorf in Lethbridge East last year, both announced their candidacy the same day on Aug. 7.
Mearns, who lives in the riding, is the executive director of Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) Lethbridge region.
She said in a Thursday interview among the reasons she decided to run to represent the NDP in Lethbridge West were the UCP government’s introduction of Bills 18 and 20.
Mearns has been watching some of the decisions made by the UCP and she is “frankly very unhappy with a number of them but specifically Bill 18 and Bill 20 which is what lit a fire.”
Mearns says coming from a municipal government background she’s protective of that order of government and “to see bills that affect the autonomy of a municipal government and residents of a city is incredibly concerning.
“This is a good example where it doesn’t matter what the people want or what the organizations want, said Mearns, noting nobody asked for the bills and what they represent.
“No one said we want political parties in our municipal government, nobody said that we want the provincial government to be able to rescind bylaws,” said Mearns.
“That was one of many fires but that was the one that sort of spurred me.”
The provincial healthcare system is another concerning matter including the regular temporary closures of area emergency departments and the pressure that puts on the Lethbridge hospital, she said.
“We hear stories of people who have waited three-and-a-half weeks for a triple bypass and they’re sitting in the hospital the whole time,” said Mearns.
Another recent story of concern was an Edmonton man who died of cancer while waiting to see an oncologist.
“I’m protective of this community and I’m protective of Alberta and these things really upset me and we need to have a strong voice in Lethbridge West expressing our concerns and keeping this government accountable,” said Mearns.
“We need loud voices, we need clear voices, we need educated voices,” said Mearns.
Mearns says she appreciates the leadership style of new provincial leader Naheed Nenshi who was in municipal government at the same time as Mearns.
“He broadens the umbrella which I think is important for the party to do,” said Mearns.
“If you looked at their platform the last election, it talked about small business taxes, it talked about the middle class, it talked about utilities, it talked about housing, all of the things that are important to every Albertan.
“I think he has sort of highlighted what this party is and what it can be. There are a lot of people out there that have no party. And I know they could find a home in this party.”
Mearns feels she could attract disenfranchised conservatives to vote for her if she’s nominated.
“There is a number of people who are looking for a centrist, left-leaning party,” said Mearns.
Mearns knows what she has to offer constituents, what she has done for the city over the years and what she did on council for seven years and what she’s doing now for the community in the private sector.
“I understand where the barriers are and I understand the private sector but I also have had a firm career in the non-profit when I was working for the Exhibition,” said Mearns, who was one of the first people on the exhibition development project.
She has worked with all seven agricultural societies in Alberta and with former Exhibition general manager Rudy Friesen she would get together with members of the others and talk about the importance of agriculture in their communities as well as the importance of an ag society.
“So I have a real understanding of that as well,” said Mearns.
Mearns says she’s asked by people what she championed while she served on council and one of the first things she did was to see their title change from ‘alderman to ‘councillor’ “just to make sure our language was modern and keeping up with how it should be.”
Curbside recycling was another project she championed and Mearns recalls the idea took time to get support. She brought it forward seven times before it was instituted with the cost being a big concern at the time.
“Which is how we came up with the idea of every other week versus weekly. That cut the cost in half and made it more do-able,” said Mearns.
The third initiative she championed was the creation of Tourism Lethbridge, which brought various organizations and initiatives under one umbrella.
“There was a bunch of people doing it and the purpose of Tourism Lethbridge is representing all the sectors,” Mearns said.
Mearns says it’s “a real struggle to watch our provincial government fight with the federal government and the municipalities are caught in the middle. And housing is a good example.”
“Why isn’t it affordable? There’s a number of factors for that. Some of that is government,” said Mearns with different policies and barriers playing a role.
One example for municipalities involves bylaws. If a person wants a single family home in Lethbridge rezoned to include a secondary suite, that has to go to a public hearing – which costs $5,000 for the applicant – and then it has to go to city council.
“And it may or may not be passed. So even when we are considering affordable housing, which a secondary suite would be, it’s difficult to do under the current bylaws.” She said the NDP will be “ready to roll” when Smith calls an election.
To be able to vote for an NDP Lethbridge West candidate, residents will need to have a membership by Aug. 23.
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Mearns says it’s “a real struggle to watch our provincial government fight with the federal government and the municipalities are caught in the middle. And housing is a good example.”
“Why isn’t it affordable? There’s a number of factors for that. Some of that is government,” said Mearns with different policies and barriers playing a role.
One example for municipalities involves bylaws. If a person wants a single family home in Lethbridge rezoned to include a secondary suite, that has to go to a public hearing – which costs $5,000 for the applicant – and then it has to go to city council.
Sounds like she represents her employer. Wants to add secondary suites to the original development permit IMO. By pass a step in the system.
Try Opportunity Lethbridge and the city’s own in house development company for profit exclusive neighbourhoods. If she doesn’t know that by now,she can’t help but just be a part of the problem.
Poor past examples that don’t boast a provincial-savvy leader; bi-weekly pick-up is an industry best practice, not discovering fire.
Explain?