ATHABASCA – Athabascans will have six names on their ballot when they vote in the upcoming federal election later this month, including incumbent MP and Conservative candidate Shannon Stubbs.
Stubbs will be joined on the ballot by Liberal candidate Barry Milaney, People’s Party of Canada (PPC) choice Michael Manchen, NDP returnee Des Bissonnette who ran in 2021, the Green Party’s Bridget Burns, and Michael Speirs, who is running for the Christian Heritage Party.
Stubbs has carried the riding during the previous three elections, winning with 72 per cent of the vote in 2015, 84 per cent in 2019, and 69 per cent in 2021. As the current Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Stubbs has been vocal in her opposition to government initiatives like Bill C-69, the “No More Pipelines” bill.
Bissonnette is the only other returning candidate in this year’s election – the Lloydminster resident and support worker drew 10 per cent of the vote in 2021, nearly doubling her predecessor in 2019.
The People’s Party will be looking to grow their vote share from the 2021 election, where local candidate Ann McCormack finished second to Stubbs. While McCormack only received 10 per cent of the vote, she more than doubled her party's national average in an election that saw the PPC win zero seats. Manchen lists himself as a “longtime” supporter of the party, which started in 2018, and cites 25 years of experience in the oil and gas sector. Manchen ran for the party in the Yellowhead riding in 2021, receiving 12 per cent of the vote.
Milaney, a parachute candidate who lives in Calgary but has familial ties to Cold Lake where his father was the first-ever mayor. He will be looking to improve on the five per cent vote share the Liberals received in 2021. A retired IT manager, his campaign website says he has embraced progressive values and a commitment to positive change, and continues to volunteer with seniors organizations.
Speirs will be the Christian Heritage Party’s first candidate in the riding since it was reformed in 2015. The party advocates for governance according to Christian principles and ethics, and Speirs’s campaign website calls for homeschool protections, and consequences for illegal actions from MPs.
Burns will be stepping into the role of Green Party candidate after two-time runner Kira Brunner. Brunner received two per cent of the vote in 2019, and less than one per cent in 2021. At the time of writing, Burns doesn’t have a website or platform publicly available.
For more info on the election, or to register to vote, visit the Elections Canada website. Advance polling opens April 18 and runs until April 21, special ballot voting takes place until April 22 at any local Elections Canada office, and election day is April 28. Accepted ID is required to vote, which includes a drivers licence, any other card issued by the Canadian government with a current name, photo, and address, two pieces of non-photo ID, or by a written statement and voucher.
