An Alberta farmer and former agriculture minister will become the province’s next premier.
Ed Stelmach, nicknamed Steady Eddie, surprised many Albertans by beating high profile candidates Jim Dinning and Ted Morton with a victory Dec. 2.
On the final preferential ballot, where voters had to indicate a second choice, Stelmach became the clear winner.
After the second ballot votes were counted, Stelmach had a slim 482 vote lead over Dinning. When Morton placed third, his second choice votes were counted and Stelmach soared ahead with 77,577 votes to Dinning’s 55,509.
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During his first news conference after the win, Stelmach acknowledged the tough campaign and admitted many people doubted he would cross the finish line ahead of the seven other original candidates. With little flash, Stelmach slowly built support at coffee shops, living rooms and boardrooms.
Stelmach thanked the volunteers who stayed with him when others thought he should end his political career and go back to the farm at Andrew.
“To all those who stuck with me through some of the most difficult times, where everybody, everybody, well not everybody, there was a few people, that still thought that Stelmach wasn’t going anywhere and how could this nice guy from rural Alberta ever win this election.”
Stelmach will be sworn in as Alberta’s 13th premier Dec. 15. The cabinet will be announced before then.
Don Johnson, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties, called Stelmach’s win good for Alberta.
“This is good for not just rural Alberta, but Alberta as a whole,” said Johnson, who worked with Stelmach during his terms as minister of agriculture and minister of infrastructure.
Stelmach also has a long history in local government, sitting on the local school board, hospital board, public health board and municipal council before becoming an MLA in 1993.
It’s that history with local government and rural issues that Johnson believes will be Stelmach’s strength as premier.
“I’m excited to have someone that has an understanding of rural and has an understanding of municipal,” said Johnson.
The head of the province’s rural municipalities wants the new premier to recognize the desperate need for money in rural Alberta for roads, water and sewer systems.
“We need to address infrastructure needs,” Johnson said.
There is a huge demand for money in all of rural Alberta, but especially in the province’s northwest where heavy oil is being trucked on roads not designed for such traffic.
Rod Scarlett, executive director of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, said Stelmach has a good understanding of rural issues, which will be key for farmers.
“In rural Alberta there is a huge interest in infrastructure and his knowledge and experience and his passion in this area is noticeable.
“I think he will be a very conciliatory leader. He’s determined, yet interested in all sides.”
Scarlett said of the recent agriculture ministers, Stelmach was the most accessible.
“He brings a down-homeness and a common sense to a lot of issues.”
Stelmach said as cabinet minister he tried to be fair to rural and urban areas and he said he will continue that approach.
“As a minister I always found balance,” said Stelmach trying to allay concerns he would give preferential treatment to the voters in northern Alberta and Edmonton and punish voters in Calgary and southern Alberta.
“Nobody is going to get left out.”
Key issues for the premier are housing, attracting more people to fill jobs in the province and dealing with infrastructure challenges caused by the booming economy.
Stelmach will be Alberta’s first premier of Ukrainian heritage. He didn’t speak English until he went to school and he still sings in the church choir.
“There is a certain pride in my heart. When my grandparents came to Canada in 1898, they were supposed to get off the train someplace in Saskatchewan. They couldn’t see a tree or a rock and insisted they come all the way to Edmonton, which was Strathcona then, and walked back 60 miles until they saw the biggest trees and most rocks. I’m still picking those rocks out today,” he said.
