NDP nominee for Lethbridge West riding to be named today

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 7, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Who will represent the NDP in a Lethbridge West byelection?

Either Rob Miyashiro or Bridget Mearns will be named the candidate today after members vote.

Members can cast their votes from noon until 6 p.m. today at the Sandman Signature Lodge with online voting closing at 5 p.m. yesterday.

The announcement will be made at 7 p.m. tonight followed by an address from NDP leader Naheed Nenshi.

The two candidates announced their intentions to seek the nomination the same day several weeks ago.

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization executive director Miyashiro, a two-term former city councillor, narrowly lost his bid to win the Lethbridge East riding against incumbent Nathan Neudorf last year.

In the 2021 municipal election, Mearns – who also served two terms on city council – earned 40.97 per cent of the popular vote in the mayor’s race with 11,463, finishing closely behind Blaine Hyggen who received 11,973 votes or 42.79 per cent of ballots cast.

The Lethbridge West riding was vacated on July 1 by three-term NDP MLA Shannon Phillips who is supporting Miyashiro’s bid and told his press conference last month that she has “full faith in Rob’s work ethic, his values and his roots in our community.”

In the provincial election, Miyashiro earned 10,258 votes in Lethbridge East (47.2 per cent of all votes cast) compared to Neudorf’s 11,003 (50.6 per cent.)

On Friday, Miyashiro told the Herald that he and his team feel the campaign has gone “quite well for us. We’ve knocked on a lot of doors and phoned/texted even more Alberta NDP members in Lethbridge-West – and identified a lot of support.

“The issues we have discussed range from the obvious: chaos in the healthcare system, under-funding of our education system (over-crowded classrooms, lack of educational supports, crumbling infrastructure) and CPP to more lengthy and thoughtful discussions around housing/homelessness/addictions/mental health issues, about how building necessary medical facilities is problematic if we don’t staff them properly, mining in the eastern slopes (and environmental concerns/climate change) and of course, seniors care and supports.”

Miyashiro said if he wins today, his team will go directly into election readiness mode because it’s not known when Premier Danielle Smith will call the byelection.

In her statement to the Herald, Mearns said during her campaign she’s connected one-on-one with teachers, health care professionals, union leaders, small business owners, and engaged members.

“I’ve had hundreds of meaningful conversations about why I stand with the NDP. They echo the concerns that have been brought forward by the party.”

Among those issues are healthcare – “the UCP’s mismanagement of healthcare causing staff shortages, long wait times and a general decline in healthcare services has led to a crisis in Alberta,” says the candidate, noting coal mining, the Canada Pension Plan and education are also concerns of constituents.

Protecting the environment is crucial for the future, says Mearns who also belives that pulling out of the CPP doesn’t reflect the wishes of Albertans and is risking the province’s financial future.

“I have been receiving wonderful support. My campaign and I have worked hard to touch every single member whether by text, email, newsletter or phone call. We have made over 1,400 personal phone calls alone. It has been busy and rewarding. I can’t thank my team enough,” said Mearns.