Alberta’s Wildrose leader keeping an eye on Highwood riding during provincial campaign

OKOTOKS, Alta. – She is literally the face of Alberta’s fledgling Wildrose party and is going head-to-head with Premier Alison Redford to form the next provincial government.

But Danielle Smith, whose smiling visage is everywhere during the current election campaign, is trying to balance the provincial campaign with that in the riding she is seeking in Highwood, south of Calgary, a traditional Conservative stronghold for decades.

While criss-crossing the province attempting to drum up votes, Smith is still spending one day a week meeting with campaign staff and voters at various public events in Highwood on Sundays.

She is hoping that the work she did before the election will pay off now that she is on the road more than she is at home.

“This is why we started early. I announced over a year ago that I was going to run in this riding and so we’ve been doing door knocking and coffee parties and meeting people,” Smith told The Canadian Press at her campaign office in Okotoks Sunday.

“I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve been able to campaign here for over a year. We also have multiple stops in the riding during the campaign so I’ll be here on Sundays. I’m doing both of the local debates including the one in Okotoks on April 10,” she said.

Smith, who celebrated her 41st birthday Sunday, is facing off against local newspaper man John Barlow who won the Conservative nomination. She is not taking the riding for granted, Smith said, but notes Highwood is not any different than other Alberta constituencies.

“I don’t think there’s a safe PC seat in the province – but remember I’m the underdog,” she said with a laugh.

The bulk of the work has fallen to her campaign team, including knocking on doors and putting up signs in the Okotoks and High River areas.

Paul Salmon went to high school with Smith but had never volunteered to be part of a political campaign before.

“I voted for the Wildrose before Danielle was even running in the last election so it was more of a protest vote because I wasn’t happy with the PCs,” he said.

“Now that the Wildrose has a more serious leader it has a real chance this time.”

Mark Taylor, a 38-year-old fracking engineer, has been door knocking in Smith’s absence.

He said he went out three days in the past week and has found supporters of all the political parties.

“We’re just hitting the doors and letting people know about the campaign,” Taylor said.

“The biggest representative out there is still the undecided. There are a lot of people out there who haven’t ever seen a campaign like this. It’s kind of a bit of an eyeopener for them.”

Taylor said the fact that Smith is getting wide exposure in the media while touring around the province likely balances her absence in Highwood six days a week.

Smith said her situation isn’t different than the other leaders.

“I guess every political leader faces that. We have to find the right balance between the two. I think the people who are in these ridings also understand their candidate has a dual role.”

Redford has noticed the difference in her Calgary riding. She said four years ago, when she was first running for office, she door knocked eight or nine hours a day.

“I’ve got a really strong campaign team in my riding and I’m very grateful to my volunteers. I usually get out door knocking once or twice a week and do the best that I can,” Redford said.