[RCO]

( lookslike there will be a by-election in Calgary in the next 6 months )


Tory backbench MP Lee Richardson quitting to work for Alberta premier




By The Canadian Press May 30, 2012 2:03 PM



OTTAWA - Calgary Conservative MP Lee Richardson says he is resigning his seat to work for Alberta Premier Alison Redford.

The veteran politician says he will become Redford's principal secretary.

The 64-year-old Richardson was first elected to the House of Commons in 1988, but was defeated in 1993.

He returned to the Commons in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

Richardson began his political career as executive assistant to former prime minister John Diefenbaker.

He also worked for former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com.....story.html

[Progressive Tory]

Will be interesting to see if any of the opposition can have a respectable showing here.

[cosmostein]

This riding will be an interesting barometer of how badly Mulcair has hurt the NDP out West.

The NDP finished behind the Greens in 2004 and 2008, and slightly ahead of them in 2006. 2011 the NDP their finish was the strongest in this riding since 1988.

[Progressive Tory]

The Liberals have had some better showings in this riding over the years, how would Dave Bronconnier fair in the riding? While he'd likely never run, and win, if he ever did he could probably be a strong candidate for leader. Cam Stewart who ran in Calgary Northeast won 28% of the vote, while the ridings aren't neighboring I don't know if his profile would be enough to get a high number here. In the end though a second place finish is still a loss, though the Liberals would be better off being ahead of the NDP.

[cosmostein]

I think the Liberals need to take a page from the Paul Martin school of candidate nominations.

If you want a solid showing you take a guy who appeals to the electorate not the executive,

Draft a guy who is a rabid fiscal Conservative; John MacKay has been elected for the Liberals since 1993 and he has existed within the caucus.

As for the folks mentioned; I am not entirely convinced its worth putting too much effort in for the Liberals, Mulcair has done enough to harm the NDP that you could run anyone and they should finish second.

[RCO]

its tough to say if the opposition parties make a strong run for the riding or not . it is an urban calgary riding but still a calgary riding . none of the federal parties have had any success in the city in a long time other than right of centre . unless you count Joe Clarks 2000 victory here.

i can't imagine the ndp having any traction in Calgary even at the best of times . but no idea who the candidates be at this time . but by-election must come in the next 6 months if Lee Richardson officially resigned seat this week .

[RCO]

( allready some potential candidates in calgary centre )

Tory pundit, local lawyer toss hats into ring for Calgary nomination


DAWN WALTON

CALGARY — The Globe and Mail


Published Tuesday, Jun. 12 2012, 1:40 PM EDT



A looming federal by-election in Alberta will be fought on the right as political hopefuls begin to emerge to contest the Conservative nomination in downtown Calgary.

More Related to this Story
•
Vacant seat Veteran Tory leaves Harper's team to work for Alison Redford


Joan Crockatt, a former newspaper editor and oft-quoted political pundit, is the latest to declare her intention to succeed veteran MP Lee Richardson, who quit last month to work in the Alberta premier’s office. Ms. Crockatt, who is an avid social-media user, turned to Twitter to spread the news.

“Happy to announce a BIG change: I am now a candidate for the Conser vative nomination in Calgary Centre. Please keep your tweets coming!” she wrote.

On Friday, Calgary lawyer and a former director with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Andy Crooks, also threw his hat in the ring via Twitter.

“I want to contribute to a greater Canada for all; decided to run for the Conservatives in Calgary Centre,” Mr. Crooks wrote.

Mr. Richardson gave up his longtime seat in Calgary Centre a few weeks ago to take up a plum posting – principal secretary – in Premier Alison Redford’s office.

The vacant seat is considered safe for the Tories in true-blue Alberta, but it sparked a flurry of speculation in conservative circles about who will win the party nomination, not which party would win the riding.

Soon after Mr. Richardson’s resignation, a Twitter account was set up to urge right-wing talk show host Ezra Levant to enter the race. But he promptly threw cold water on the notion.

The names of about a dozen possible candidates have been tossed around, including alderman John Mar, who was spotted this week having lunch at City Hall with campaign strategist Stephen Carter. Mr. Carter is credited with helping Naheed Nenshi become Calgary’s mayor and Ms. Redford ascend to the premier’s office.

Mr. Mar was not immediately available for comment, but in the past he has expressed his interest in federal politics.

For his part, Mr. Carter would only say that he might be working on something with Mr. Mar. “Let's just say that I am motivated,” he said.

Ms. Crockatt, a former managing editor of the Calgary Herald, will likely be regarded as the early front-runner.

In an interview, the 56-year-old married mother of two grown children described herself as a “social moderate” and a “really strong fiscal conservative.” She said being a woman and an urbanite who is focused on the economy will help her campaign.

“I’m a real admirer of the federal agenda,” Ms. Crockatt said, adding that while the economy isn’t “sexy” what Prime Minister Stephen Harper is doing is important for the country.

Ms. Crockatt wouldn’t say who is working on her campaign – that will come out soon – but added that running federally has long been on her mind.

“Politics has always been my first love,” she said.

Tory riding association president Glenn Solomon said while there are no official candidates, there have been “lots of inquiries” about the job.

“It’s a good seat to hold,” he said, “Our riding association has lots of members, lots of money, a good organization, a sophisticated electoral machine and it reflects peace in the valley among its members.”

Despite those advantages and a political climate that generally favours the Conservatives, Mr. Solomon doesn’t expect a cakewalk for the Tory candidate in the eventual by-election.

“Calgary Centre is actually a very centrist riding. I think it’s open to anyone from a centrist party,” he said. “... We actually have to work for it.”

According to federal law, the earliest a by-election could be held is July 30. However, Mr. Harper could wait until early December to call it, which would push the by-election into the new year.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le4251583/

[Progressive Tory]

Just read in the Gloe and Mail that Harvey Locke plans on running for the Liberal nomination. I never heard of him but upon looking up his name he seems to have a fairly high profile. Would a star Liberal candidate ever have a shot in Calgary? Could be very interestingAyer may become Calgary's Linda Duncan.

[RCO]

On Saturday, teacher and community organizer Rahim Sajan announced his intention to run for the Liberal nomination for the Calgary Centre contest, as did consultant and conservationist Harvey Locke.


http://www.edmontonjournal.com.....story.html



not sure either would qualify as a star candidate for that city , liberals be in a tough fight just to claim second place yet alone a win in that city .

[Progressive Tory]

Harvey Locke seems to have a bit if a profile, wasn't sure if he was better known in Alberta or not.

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

[RCO]

( Joan Crockatt has won the Calgary Centre nomination , no word on an ndp candidate yet , liberals decide sep 15 )


Conservatives choose candidate to replace Lee Richardson in Calgary Centre



By The Canadian PressAugust 25, 2012



CALGARY - The federal Conservatives have a candidate in the vacant riding of Calgary Centre, former newspaper editor Joan Crockatt.

She beat out five others vying for the job in a hotly contested campaign hoping to replace former MP Lee Richardson, who left to work for Alberta Premier Alison Redford.

Conservative officials say they're not going to release the numbers of Saturday's vote.

Crockatt is a former managing editor of the Calgary Herald and also worked as a senior news­pa­per exec­u­tive with Southam News­pa­pers, and Can­west Global Com­mu­ni­ca­tions.

For the past decade she had been a com­mu­ni­ca­tions con­sul­tant and media commentator.

A date for a byelection in Calgary Centre has not been set.

Richardson, 64, announced in May he was resigning to become principal secretary for Redford.

He was first elected to the Commons in the riding of Calgary Southeast in 1988 with the government of Brian Mulroney. He was defeated by a Reform candidate in 1993.

He returned to the Commons in 2004, winning in Calgary Centre and was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

Richardson once worked for former Alberta premier Lougheed and was a deputy chief of staff to Mulroney.

The riding encompasses Calgary's downtown core. A good portion of its 128,000 people are in the 20-40 age bracket.

Calgary can always be counted on by the Conservatives as a strong base of support and Calgary Centre is no exception.

Richardson took nearly 60 per cent of the vote in 2007. The Liberals were a distant second with only 17 per cent.

Former prime minister Joe Clark won the seat in the 2000 election.


Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/n.....z24lW1HL3k