Candidates face off at byelection forum
By Toyin Obatusin - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on December 12, 2024.
Herald photo by Ian Martens
Candidates Rob Miyashiro (NDP) and John Middleton-Hope (UCP) take part in a Lethbridge-West byelection forum this week at the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery.Lethbridge West candidates John Middleton-Hope of the UCP and the NDP’s Rob Miyashiro went head to head in debate Tuesday during a candidates forum at the main branch of the Lethbridge Public Library.
Alberta Party candidate Layton Veverka was unable to attend but a statement about his platform was read to the audience which filled many seats in the theatre gallery.
Advance polling is open until Saturday at two locations from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Those stations are Melcor Centre downtown at #236 200 4 Ave. S. and University Drive Alliance Church at 55 Columbia Blvd. West.
Both Middleton-Hope and Miyashiro, who sat side by side at a table facing the crowd, showed concern for issues raised by panel members Al Beeber of the Lethbridge Herald, Hal Roberts of Bridge City News, Justin Sibbet of Global News and mediator Stephen Mogdan, a Lethbridge lawyer who made sure candidates didn’t talk beyond their allotted time. He also made sure members of the public asked their questions promptly.
Many community members stood up at a microphone and questioned the candidates on legislation and needs of the riding residents.
“We the voters have a choice to vote for someone who has decades of experience in public service, the expertise and the energy to represent Lethbridge-West in government, as a member in caucus,” said Middleton-Hope.
Miyashiro, who unsuccessfully sought election for the NDP in Lethbridge East during the 2023 provincial election, said he was running “because I care deeply about our city, and I care deeply about the future of our province, because after five years of the UCP, things are worse than ever.”
The amicable debate was met with resistance from crowd members who didn’t necessarily agree with rebuttals or responses from either candidate.
Candidates welcomed audiences by thanking them for their support and reiterating the hard work that goes into campaigns.
Subjects ranging from the state of the provincial health care and education systems to affordability issues and the potential contamination of the Oldman River by selenium from a Grassy Mountain coal mine were all addressed.
Candidates were also asked about the Lethbridge & District Exhibition financial situation with former city councillor Miyashiro telling the audience that the present council of which Middleton-Hope is a member is responsible for a lack of financial oversight. The UCP candidate countered by saying council during Miyashiro’s term didn’t have a member on the LDE board.
The LDE situation “was mismanaged from the very beginning,” said Middleton-Hope.
Both candidates were asked for their opinions on supervised consumption sites and Miyashiro – who was on council when the first site opened here – said “times have changed, and I wouldn’t support the kind of supervised consumption site that we had five years ago.”
Middleton-Hope, a former chief of Lethbridge Police Service who had a long career in law enforcement, noted that “the consumption of drugs has changed dramatically over the course of the times since the supervised consumption site, which candidly, was an unmitigated disaster for this city.” He said more than 36,000 needles were found on city streets each month the site was open.
On the subject of coal mining, Miyashiro said he was opposed to mining activity on the Eastern Slopes because of the potential impacts downstream.
Middleton-Hope said the UCP isn’t committed to development of a mine on the Eastern Slopes and in reference to the non-binding referendum held last month by Crowsnest Pass council, said “the wrong people were at the table,” pointing out that the Grassy Mountain site isn’t even in the Municipality of the Crowsnest Pass.
Both candidates also talked about the work of the teams of volunteers who have been supporting their campaigns, telling the audience they wouldn’t be in the positions they are without their support.
19-18
Miyashiro is my vote, a very humble person who doesn’t do the carnival barker law and order slobbering rant..
Easy to see you are very unaware of the lawlessness downtown that is spreading throughout the city and we need law and order to stop it! Everyday I witness lawlessness that costs not just business, but the taxpayer! You are also unaware of the financial costs. I welcome some law and order in this city!
I am sure both candidates are fine gentlemen who care about the city, but I am fearful seeing another NDP government, after watching they have done to BC and their continued support for harm reduction/Safe Drug Consumption Sites. Mr. Miyashiro stated “I wouldn’t support the kind of supervised consumption site that we had five years ago”, he didn’t state he doesn’t support sites themselves. He fought hard for a site as councilor, attacking other councilors who apposed the site who stood for concerned citizens, and he stood to defund the LPS in a period where we had the highest crime stats in Canada. If you put the NDP back into government, remember that Nenshi is not Notley and would take the party in a different direction, but again, they believe in the same policies BC NDP does, which has killed so many young lives, destroyed families, and is slowly bankrupting the province with it policies that are so flawed, it will take the province many years to recover once those policies are changed. We have a provincial government who stands up to a federal government who is trying to bankrupt western provinces for some reason, while building up central Canada. We are on the right track to protect our province from such abuse, and as a business owner downtown, I would close up my business if the NDP governed again. Businesses are still trying to recover from bad decisions of the NDP, and many didn’t/couldn’t survive from the consumption site impact then COVID.
I know John is the best man for this community in this by-election!
I would love for JMH to explain how he can oppose the coal mine on the eastern slopes yet join the party that supports it (and re-opened the application after Alberta taxpayers, overwhelmingly, said no). I would love for JMH to explain how he can be pro-union, but join a party that is not. I’d love for JMH to explain why it is okay for social conservatives in this province to LEGISLATE the existence of individuals, medical treatments, independent sports, and sex education to suit the social conservatives themselves, yet be pro-freedom. I’d love for JMH to explain why he didn’t give up his municipal seat BEFORE running for a provincial one (does he lack confidence?). I’d love for JMH, a former police chief, to explain why he’s joined a party that has just upset the AACP by removing most photo radar in the province (and thereby a huge funding vehicle for in-person enforcement where it is required). I’d love for JMH to explain why he has joined a party that is the largest, most expensive, and least transparent in Alberta history. I’d love for JMH to explain how he can join a party that is now being investigated by the privacy commissioner for not releasing public information to journalists (y’know, as former law enforcement). I’d love for JMH to explain why he’s joined a party that has opted Albertans OUT of federal pharmacare (which Alberta taxpayers help pay for). I’d love for JMH to explain why he wants to join a party whose caucus members VOTE AS A BLOCK and how he thinks in an environment like that, he’ll get anything done for Lethbridge.
Personally, I think that JMH is a self-important, dyed-blue, social conservative that is looking for a bigger paycheque. He’s a hypocrite.
Yes and if he did support the coal mine the usual NDP rant about walking blindly lock step with Smith would follow, out of touch with the voters, blah blah blah. Why don’t you load up the orange truck and head to Sparwood to campaign against those 2 mile trains going to Westport everyday. Now there is a cause the enviros and orange shirts can sink their teeth into. Ooops. Seems the NDP supports that in BC but not in Alberta. So who are the hypocrites.
Ask Shannon Philips and Rob M. about the fracking operation that existed on the west side (within city limits)til about a year ago. Whenever I mention this ,someone complains or whines and Al Beber ( I assume) removes it..
fracking is a massive issue and concern. it needs to be stopped. however, that is an issue that all the puppets we elect have chosen to pretend is not an issue.
more and more, we cannot count on the puppets to risk much at all to ruffle the corporate and crony greed that spills a few crumbs to the masses. to do so requires some effort, and risks compromising the easy and wonderful incomes and pensions and perks they suck off the public trough. thus, more and more, if we want anything done or prevented from happening, we seem to require a full time brigade of concerned citizens to stand up and form lines, ultimately doing the work of the bums that get elected.
Orange Blahh Blahh Blahh Blahh Blahh!
The only candidate who is looking for a bigger paycheque is Rob Miyashiro who cannot decide if he is a Liberal or NDP! He ran as a Liberal in 2012 in Lethbridge, then in 2021 as an NDP and now once again as an NDP. But then again, the NDP propped up the Liberals for years, as the Liberals, destroyed Canada so another country can easily take it over, a bankrupt country with at bankrupt military!
John Middleton-Hope has not being the only Lethbridge Councilor who has run for a provincial office. You really fail to have any knowledge or facts from your NDP circus act rant! It was Rob Miyashiro as a Councillor who supported the consumption site, wanted to defund the police by over $1 million while we had the highest crime stats in Canada, and John I am sure has hope in his party bringing back this province to its once respected level, with people not dying on our streets and billions not spent on responding to the impacts of the drug crisis, which was excelerated by NDP policies. It will take some time to repair the damage done by the NDP, and if the NDP was still in power, we would look like Vancouver BC! I am only getting started! There is so much more I could state about Rob M, but I will not attack him personally, because he is trying hard to behave in this campaign, unless we see more misinformation posted and then I will expand exponentially on him.
Look at BC and what the NDP has done to that province!
are you aware that libs, cons, ndp, each have varying objectives and perspectives from province to province, and from their federal counterparts? to keep comparing bc ndp to other parties also named ndp is almost akin to saying every person named smith is pretty much exactly alike.
quite a presentation…nice!