Danielle Smith’s party won 49 seats in Monday’s election
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Albertans voted for four more years of Premier Danielle Smith and the United Conservative Party (UCP).
The UCP captured 49 seats in Monday’s election, five more than the 44 seats necessary to form a majority government.
Rachel Notley and the NDP won 38 seats and will once again form the official opposition.
Smith is focused on keeping life affordable for Albertans and making it a welcoming environment for businesses.
And in her victory speech, Smith revealed what her government’s first order of business will be when the legislature resumes.
“The first bill of our government in the legislative session in the fall will be to guarantee, that unless Albertans say otherwise by referendum, the only direction business and personal taxes are headed in this province, is down,” she said.
Multiple Alberta ministers will return to the legislature.
Nate Horner, the minister of agriculture and irrigation, cruised to victory in Drumheller-Stettler with 15,274 votes. The NDP candidate, Juliet Franklin, received 2,684 votes.
Devin Dreeshen, the minister of transportation and economic corridors, won in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake. He received 16,397 votes compared to Jason Heistad of the NDP’s 5,724 votes.
And Rebecca Schulz, Alberta’s minister of municipal affairs, won in Calgary-Shaw with 13,970 votes. David Cloutier of the NDP received 10,608 votes.
Some ministers, however, didn’t win on election night.
The NDP unseated five ministers in Calgary-area ridings.
In Calgary-Acadia, for example, Tyler Shandro, the minister of justice, lost his seat by seven votes to Diana Batten of the NDP.
In Calgary-Varsity, Health Minister Jason Copping fell to NDP candidate Luanne Metz by more than 4,000 votes.
And in Calgary-Klein, Jeremy Nixon, the minister of seniors, community and social services, failed to hold onto his seat. NDP candidate Lizette Tejada captured the seat with 10,559 votes compared to his 9,709.
In the riding of Calgary-Currie, Nicholas Millikin, the minister of mental health and addictions, lost to the NDP’s Janet Emerenko by 3,080 votes.
And in Calgary-Foothills, Jason Luan, the minister of culture, lost by 269 votes to NDP candidate Court Ellingson.
And one cabinet minister in Edmonton lost his seat.
In Edmonton-South West, Kaycee Madu, the deputy premier and minister of skilled trades and professions, lost to NDP candidate Nathan Ip by 3,626 votes.