Prince Albert MP Conservative Randy Hoback (left), made it four wins in-a-row in October's federal election but his party failed to wrest power from the Liberals. Estelle Hjertaas (Liberal) and Harmony Johnson-Harder (NDP) are seated to Hoback's left. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

Federal election

Year in Review: Hoback wins again but Tories come up short

Dec 27, 2019 | 2:00 PM

It was a federal election year that proved two things: Justin Trudeau had lost a lot of his lustre from 2015 and the political divide across the nation was bigger than ever. In the end the Liberals held on to power but lost their parliamentary majority, while the Conservatives bulldozed their way across the Prairies but failed to take the ultimate prize.

Scandals set the scene

The battle lines were drawn as early as February on the local political front with long-time Prince Albert MP, Conservative Randy Hoback claiming Trudeau had dented Canada’s standing in the eyes of the world. The Tories were having a field day attacking Trudeau and his party’s handling of the SNC Lavalin – Jody Wilson-Raybould scandal.

“We are not a banana republic,” Hoback told paNOW. “The judicial system is something we brag about around the world and all of a sudden this prime minister thinks he’s above the law and thinks it is OK to call a judge and get his friend off. You and I could never do that.”

Hoback and the Conservatives would have plenty more political fodder at the PM’s expense including Trudeau’s ‘black face’ moment that would tee up the prospect of a close election later in the year.

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Liberal contender announced

At the end of March, we learned who would be one of Hoback’s main challengers in P.A. when legal aid lawyer Estelle Hjertaas was nominated by the Liberals. She brought a confident, young, vibrant, social media savvy element to the campaign. And she said her direct proximity to the realities facing many marginalized people facing criminal charges gave her a unique perspective.

In March Estelle Hjertaas was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for the Prince Albert riding. (Facebook/P.A. Federal Liberal Association)

“I think the Conservative approach to crime is completely short-sighted and doesn’t address the cause of the crime,” she said. “I think as someone who literally talks to people who are committing crimes, every single day, I actually understand why they’re committing crimes. People who are happy, loved and secure don’t become addicts and don’t commit crime.”

PPC enters the local race

By the spring, Prince Albert had its third candidate, Kelly Day for the new People’s Party of Canada (PPC). A party seen by most pundits as a fringe player to the political right, Day tried to position herself as someone who was prepared to engage with voters on sensitive issues like immigration.

In May, Kelly Day was announed the candidate for the People’s Party of Canada in Prince Albert. (submitted photo/Kelly Day)

“The importance right now of opening up discussion on some of the more controversial issues in Canada that some of our citizens feel they are being silenced on. It is very important we have civilized dialogue,” she said.

Two leaders visit P.A.

In the summer, Prince Albert received visits from two leaders (and until recently former political teammates), with very different prospects of success regarding the election race.

Andrew Scheer talks with media after speaking to supporters in Prince Albert in July. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer spoke to a crowd of almost 400 people at the Ches Leach Lounge of the Art Hauser Centre. Not surprisingly, oil pipelines were among his key points from the podium, arguing an energy corridor would make moving crude oil across the country easier and would lead to oil refineries making changes.

“I am confident that the industry will then make the necessary investments to use Canadian energy, rather than foreign oil,” he said.

Maxime Bernier spoke to around 20 supporters in P.A. in August. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

A few weeks later it was former Conservative Maxime Bernier’s turn to do the rounds in P.A., this time as the PPC leader. He told a modest gathering of supporters at the P.A. Golf and Curling Club “what’s happening in Europe, what’s happening in Australia, what’s happening in other countries, they have huge challenges with the integration of their immigrants.” He also called for a bigger role for the private sector in delivering health care.

NDP candidate revealed

In September, just weeks before election day, Prince Albert learned who their New Democrat Party contender would be. Harmony Johnson-Harder, with Métis and Cree heritage and who works for Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District, told supporters she had “the courage to do what’s right and I am excited to align my values with the NDP. I want to encourage people to stand up for what’s right… I want to take back from Hoback.”

Harmony Johnson-Harder addresses the crowd at the NDP nomination meeting in September. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

Climate strike

Climate action was one of the major focuses of the Liberal and NDP national campaigns and both local candidates showed up for a climate rally in P.A. in late September. Hoback and Day did not. Organizers from the Council of Canadians’ P.A. chapter and local group Renewable Power Intelligent Choices began the event by highlighting the work of young environmentalists Greta Thunberg and Autumn Pelletier. It remained to be seen what, if any impact the climate debate would have on the election outcome.

Demonstrators at the Climate Strike event in Prince Albert in September. Climate action was a significant element of the federal election across the nation. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Election night

Despite their hopes of making a dent in the long tenure of the Conservative incumbent, Hjertaas and Johnson-Harder failed to run Hoback close on election night. On Oct. 21, Hoback secured a very convincing fourth consecutive victory, something he had predicted. He took almost 68 per cent of the votes. The New Democrat received over 17 per cent of the share, and the Liberal over 10 per cent.

While happy to take the local victory and to be part of a near total blue wave across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Hoback summed up the deep sense of western alienation that saw the Conservatives fail to stop a Liberal win, albeit with far less seats than in 2015. The week after the vote, Hoback was asked how minority Prime Minister Trudeau should seek to represent the Prairies given a complete lack of Liberal MPs.

“His [Trudeau’s] responsibility now is to listen to the 14 members of Parliament out of Saskatchewan and to listen to the premier,” Hoback told paNOW. “If he seeks our advice we’ll give it to him, and if he’s wise he’d listen. If he doesn’t listen then I think we’ll see western alienation raise its ugly head even more.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow