While the P.E.I. election doesn’t take place until Tuesday, one native Islander is already celebrating a victory in a provincial election.
Montague native Jordan Walker won a seat on the themes of greater transparency and accountability in the riding of Sherwood Park, Alta.
Eight years after leaving P.E.I. to pursue a career, he decided to run for the United Conservative Party, which was created out of a merger between the Wildrose party and the Progressive Conservative Party.
On April 16, the Jason Kenney-led United Conservative Party won 55.12 per cent of the popular vote and 63 seats, reducing premier Rachel Notley’s governing Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) to official Opposition with 24 seats.
“Politics was always my passion, but it was always from an academic perspective, the couch potato yelling at the TV, but I was extremely dissatisfied with the political governance in Alberta,’’ Walker told The Guardian in a telephone interview on Monday.
“I respect everyone who throws their hat in the ring, but from my perspective Rachel Notley and (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau both winning in 2015 horrified me, and I knew it wouldn’t be good for Alberta.’’
“You have a strong local community feel, so it’s familiar to me, too, in terms of growing up on the Island.’’
That’s when Walker, the son of Tom Walker and Darlene Gardiner of Montague, followed the advice of friends and started talking to people in his local constituency organization. He soon signed up.
Then the merger happened between the Wildrose and the PC party. A call for nominations was made, and Walker decided to run. He was not only successful in winning the nomination but winning his seat in the legislative assembly of Alberta.
Walker, who is 36, said the buzz before the Alberta election is much like it has been these past few weeks in P.E.I.; people want some form of change.
“Broadly speaking, the populace wants greater prosperity, greater accountability and transparency in government, just the broad themes to feel represented and to feel that their voices are heard. People often hunger for change.’’
Voters turned out in P.E.I.-like numbers for the Alberta election, at least in terms of percentage of vote. More than 70 per of eligible Albertans cast a ballot. In Walker’s Sherwood Park riding, the turnout was 78 per cent.
“You have a strong local community feel, so it’s familiar to me, too, in terms of growing up on the Island.’’
Walker admits he’s been too wrapped up in the Alberta election to pay much attention to what’s happening in P.E.I., but he did want to pass along one message.
“I certainly send my thoughts and prayers to the Green party and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of (Green candidate) Josh Underhay and his son. That’s a terrible tragedy. I thought all the parties did, in good taste, suspend their campaigns.’’
Underhay and his young son, Oliver, died after their canoe capsized on the Hillsborough River on Friday afternoon.
