A stunning defeat of the majority of the UCP Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre Constituency Association (CA) board members is being hailed as a huge grassroots victory inspired by the Take Back Alberta (TBA) movement..Three new members of the executive, including a new president, and 25 of 27 directors, were elected at the annual general meeting (AGM) Monday in MLA Jason Nixon’s constituency which has been plagued with division and accusations of unfair representation..“The people that were elected last night were everyday Albertans who love their province, who love their country and want to get involved to make this country, Canada, make this province, Alberta, a better place,” said Eckvillefarmer Tim Hoven..A firestorm erupted in the constituency when Hoven was disqualified last March from challenging Nixon in the UCP nomination bid on flimsy grounds that he followed a white nationalist website briefly back in 2015..Monday’s results lead to speculation that this could clear a path for the nomination to be reopened, something Premier Danielle Smith promised to explore..Nixon, a former premier Jason Kenney heavy, served as house leader and minister of environment and finance. He was sent to the back benches when Smith announced her new cabinet in October..Hoven said he has no idea if he’ll get another run at the nomination..“Jason Nixon is the candidate for this constituency. But this whole battle wasn’t about reopening the nomination. It was about getting everyday Albertans more involved in the political process and more involved in the governance of their lives.”.“We had a really good team of hard-working passionate people who wanted to make a difference. And they came out and voted and they did make a difference.”.“It was so exciting to see all those people get involved. The weather was really bad. There was a fog advisory. I was concerned that a lot of people from the extreme edges of the constituency wouldn’t bother to make the hour and a-half drive. But the people came. It was a beautiful sight to behold,” said Hoven..Of the 750 people who attended the AGM in Sundre, about 200 were observers..The new board officials were elected on an average ratio of 350-200..“Jason Nixon has lost control of his riding association. Take Back Alberta is taking credit. Will they try, with support of new UCP Board (now 1/2 rep from TBA), and re-open the UCP nomination in Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre? Tim Hoven was previously disqualified,” tweeted Mount Royal University political science professor Duane Bratt..“Will they try and force Nixon to retire? He is clearly being pushed out as one of Kenney's key lieutenants. Despite his reputation among Albertans, he is seen as too moderate by the TBA/Smith crowd,” tweeted Bratt..However, Hoven questioned “how much control is an MLA supposed to have over his riding association?”.“TBA is not a political party. It exists to educate Albertans on how their political process works and to get them more involved in politics at all levels. Did TBA inspire people to stand up and run for election to the board? Yes, it did. Did it inspire over 500 rural Albertans to drive over an hour on a very foggy January night to cast a vote? Yes, it did. It's not about TBA sweeping a board. It is about democracy and people having their voices heard,” said Hoven..TBA founder and Executive Director David Parker noted that it isn’t an MLA’s role supposed to control a CA..“I wonder when Dave Bratt stopped caring about democracy,” said Parker..“Did we light the fire under the citizens and show them the way? Absolutely. But it was 100% grassroots initiative. Tim Hoven played a big role in it. I played a big role in it. It was a team effort by a lot of people.”.“The message is simple. You have to be involved forever now. The people of Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre have taken that seriously. It took them a year to get accountable government in their region, but they just did.”.In October, all nine spots open on the UCP executive board, perceived as an apathetic and ruling elite, were won be candidates endorsed by TBA. The board had long been criticized by UCP members as being subservient to Kenney and his inner circle and inclined to censor speech and freedoms. .“Nine members of the board were elected by the freedom movement. A large portion of that is TBA. They’re expected to uphold democracy. There’s another AGM coming up for the UCP in 10 months. And there’ll be nine more spots opened up. I think everyone on that board should remember what happened at the last AGM,” said Parker..New CA President Aryn Werezak, who defeated Gerald Ingeveld 300-200 votes, declined to comment until after the first board meeting is held next week..The Western Standard reached out to Nixon for comment, but hasn’t heard back..DISCLOSURE: Take Back Alberta advertises with the Western Standard.
