For the first time in decades, Yellowhead has a real race on its hands

Pundits and prognosticators are all saying it: this federal election is the most important in Canadians’ lifetime.

With relations with our southern neighbour hitting lows not seen since 1812 and pressing questions about how the country prioritizes housing, social justice, immigration and environmental protection, Monday’s election is arguably more consequential than any before it. 

Constituents in Yellowhead aren’t used to that feeling. For decades, the way this riding has swung has been as predictable as the setting sun. 

But with the redrawing of the riding’s electoral boundaries, no incumbent in the race, and the Donald Trump effect reverberating from coast to coast, all of a sudden, Yellowhead’s seat is up for contest—at least, more than it’s ever been in my lifetime. 

Yet, even with those factors in play, Yellowhead’s strong predilection for voting blue would normally make it an extreme long shot for any other party to make a dent in the region’s historically-massive Conservative majority. 

But this short campaign has been anything but normal, for two main reasons.

The first is that the Conservative candidate, William Stevenson—who would typically be a shoe-in—has instead been a no-show.

And the second is the extremely compelling case made by the Liberal candidate, Michael Fark that he is by far the best option to represent local voters’ interests.

It’s often said you could paint a fence post blue in Yellowhead and it would still get more votes than a Liberal or NDP nominee. With the conservative narrative emphasizing the popular notion that eastern Canada rides on Alberta’s economic coat tails, disdain for big government and creeping suspicion of so-called non-traditional family values, you don’t have to squint to hard to see why a rural riding with hydrocarbon extraction as it main economic driver leans hard to the right. 

But with Banff and Canmore now included within Yellowhead’s redrawn riding boundaries, all of a sudden, voices which want to protect our headwaters, prioritize inclusivity and talk about the future rather than re-litigate the past, have a legitimate chance of being heard. 

As a constituent of a riding that’s a long way from Ottawa, what I want most in a representative is competence, accountability and commitment to their local communities. So far in this election campaign, when I compare the two front runners (with apologies to the NDP candidate) on those grounds, it hasn’t even been close.

Mr. Stevenson, first off, couldn’t attend in person any of the political forums near Jasper, didn’t show up at all to the one in Banff, and has completely ignored any request to make himself available to this news outlet. Our emails have gone unanswered and our calls haven’t been returned. Is this what we can expect from Stevenson if he’s elected as Member of Parliament?

Mr. Fark, on the contrary, is demonstrating that he is interested in learning from constituents. He’s travelled the riding from west to east, north to south and back again, extending an olive branch to traditionally right-leaning voters, making himself available in person in every community, and practically begging folks to come out with tough questions so he can do his best to outline his personal platform and that of his party’s (which, refreshingly, doesn’t always perfectly align). 

If you’ve listened to any of the debates, it’s abundantly clear that Mr. Fark is in a different weight class than Mr. Stevenson. That’s not a personal jab, just facts. Fark has decades of experience in emergency management, has worked closely with all levels of government and has managed complex, politically-fraught crises on both domestic shores and overseas. Most recently he led Jasper’s post-wildfire recovery efforts, but Fark also helped Canmore rebuild after the 2013 floods, and has worked in disaster relief around the world. If Mr. Stevenson has any bonafides in these arenas, he hasn’t been present to articulate them. Ask yourself: Who do you want negotiating on your behalf?

For the past three decades, Yellowhead has sent a revolving door of Conservative MPs to Ottawa. And for the past 11 years, their effectiveness has been limited to railing against the government in power from the backbenches of the Official Opposition. To the credit of MPs Gerald Soroka and Jim Eglinski, even if I disagreed with them, they maintained a presence in Jasper and always returned my calls. But their successor has done next to nothing to show me that he would be similarly accountable.

If the Liberals get in as they are predicted to do, that will no doubt frustrate many conservative voters. Conversely, if Pollievre’s Conservatives eke out a victory, progressives here will wallow in self-pity.

But if voters want to be confident that their community’s concerns will be heard and their voices will be amplified, they should look past party politics and vote simply for the most qualified candidate in the running.

In Yellowhead, in this election, that candidate is Mr. Fark.  

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com