A woman challenging United Conservative Party (UCP) Deputy House Leader Joseph Schow for the party’s nomination in Cardston-Siksika has been disqualified as a candidate..Jodie Gateman was informed by UCP Executive Director Dustin van Vugt that she will not be allowed to appear on the ballot as local members select a candidate for the 2023 election..“We will file an appeal,” said Gateman. “I knew this was a possibility. I knew that it was (Premier) Jason Kenney’s inner circle that I was going against, and they were going to throw everything they could at me..“We just didn’t anticipate how down and dirty they were going to get.”.The Provincial Candidate Selection Committee’s decision ignited “outrage and disgust” from Gateman supporters who contacted the Western Standard in the hours following the decision..Two posts on Gateman’s Facebook account dating back to 2015 and 2016, were cited as the reason for her disqualification..In both cases, Gateman reposted views written by others, adding her own comment..One post was a critical September 12, 2015 assessment by historian Marty Skinner of the problems Western nations face when an “invasion” of Muslims refuse to assimilate into local cultures..“Here is an excellent FB post that ALL people should read. This fellow is an Historian [sic] who offers an accurate assessment of the root of the problem the world faces today and likely well into the future,” posted Skinner..The committee also took exception to a March 4, 2016 repost by Gateman written by a U.S. Republican who opined on the type of politician needed to get rid of an infestation of “hundreds of rabid, messy, mean raccoons” in the basement..“You ‘raccoons’ (blundering, self-serving, politicians) are in our basement and taking over our lives. And we want you gone!” wrote Gateman..Kenney’s facing an early leadership vote — forced by several dozen constituency associations — at a special general meeting April 9 in Red Deer..Schow is a member of Kenney’s inner circle..The nomination meeting is set for March 21, if any challengers to Schow are allowed onto the ballot..Gateman has 48 hours to file an appeal..“I must advise you following a thorough review of your social media history and postings, significant concerns have led the Committee to disqualify your candidacy (as laid out in Section 5.5 of the candidate selection rules) to seek a nomination for the United Conservative Party (UCP),” wrote UCP Executive Director Dustin van Vugt in the letter obtained by the Western Standard..“Research which was previously brought to your attention in the candidate interview show that there is a consistent pattern of posting inappropriate content which run counter to the objectives of the Party..“You have publicly shared conspiracy theories that claimed Syrian civil war refugees were part of a ‘mobilized invasion of Muslims and Jihadists into the Western World.’ The post also stated, ‘Islam is, dare I say it, a death cult’ and that Muslims are not like other immigrants..“You have written about your support of a cause to “exterminate” the “raccoons (blundering, self-serving, politicians).”.Van Vugt said the party must protect “itself and our members from reputational harm.”.But the UCP brass has faced accusations of bullying and ignoring its grassroots and has been accused of ousting non-Kenney allies from three constituency association boards at annual general meetings where a host of bylaw infractions were alleged to have occurred..“For me to be someone who has such shocking items to be disqualified as a candidate is shocking in itself. Since 2018 I seem to have been acceptable. All of a sudden now I’m not,” said Gateman..“I don’t think you can disqualify a candidate based on a repost…You don’t know why they reposted it. Did they repost it because it was so shocking bad? Did they repost it because they agreed with it?”.Gateman, who described herself as “little old me, farmer’s wife in rural Alberta” and mother of four has caused waves in the constituency with her challenge..“People felt abandoned. That was a solid message that I got. I’m sure our current MLA feels that he did an adequate job. We certainly heard that people were upset, that they didn’t feel they were being represented properly in the Cardston-Siksika riding. We heard that the MLA was not returning phone calls.”.The social media posts were raised when the committee interviewed her..Despite van Vugt stating there was a “consistent pattern,” Gateman said only five posts were discussed.“These are the two that have been brought forward to me as the reason for disqualification,” she said..“Really, come on. If you look at other candidates and what they’ve been able to run on, things that they’ve been able to say in their past, there’s a lot of them that should have been disqualified before myself.”.She was grilled about one social media post by her son..“I warned the powers that be that I chose to step into the limelight. I chose to take on a sitting MLA. My family did not. There was a post in there that was my son’s pages that I had commented on. I said I’m not even justifying this, if you go after my kids, we’ll see the grizzly mama bear claws come out. They’re off limits. …leave them alone.”.Gateman isn’t optimistic about the appeal. The party board makes the final and binding decision..“I can’t say I’m holding my breath. We don’t know who sits on that committee. That’s not made available to us who those people are. It is a blind body.”.This does not bode well for Alberta politics, she warned..“That’s one of the things I stand for — personal rights and freedoms. You should be able to stand up and say what you want without fear of reprimand. And certainly not fear of reprimand from people within the same political party as you,” she said..“I kind of believe that’s the message they want to send..“My phone has been blowing up. There’s a large group of people that are now ticked off in a southern Alberta rural riding that at least the race wasn’t played out.”.Supporter Kadie Beazer expressed “great disappointment” in the decision..“I am outraged that Joseph Schow again has tried everything in his ability to keep his power by trying to dig up dirt on a true Patriot. Jodie was not concerned about letting the political leaders understand that she was running simply to represent the people,” said Beazer..“I am also letting it be known that I trust God will hold Schow and others personally responsible, for the thousands of people who now find themselves jobless and in ruin, because of the sick overreaching power of his communist approach to leadership. It is wrong!!!.“Let it be known that we the people have had ENOUGH!!!!”.Eliminating Gateman is “outrageous, and completely unacceptable,” said Gordon Moxley..“There needs to be an open and transparent review of why she was removed and who made those decisions..“There is obviously something sinister going on behind the scenes that would have her removed.”.Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
A woman challenging United Conservative Party (UCP) Deputy House Leader Joseph Schow for the party’s nomination in Cardston-Siksika has been disqualified as a candidate..Jodie Gateman was informed by UCP Executive Director Dustin van Vugt that she will not be allowed to appear on the ballot as local members select a candidate for the 2023 election..“We will file an appeal,” said Gateman. “I knew this was a possibility. I knew that it was (Premier) Jason Kenney’s inner circle that I was going against, and they were going to throw everything they could at me..“We just didn’t anticipate how down and dirty they were going to get.”.The Provincial Candidate Selection Committee’s decision ignited “outrage and disgust” from Gateman supporters who contacted the Western Standard in the hours following the decision..Two posts on Gateman’s Facebook account dating back to 2015 and 2016, were cited as the reason for her disqualification..In both cases, Gateman reposted views written by others, adding her own comment..One post was a critical September 12, 2015 assessment by historian Marty Skinner of the problems Western nations face when an “invasion” of Muslims refuse to assimilate into local cultures..“Here is an excellent FB post that ALL people should read. This fellow is an Historian [sic] who offers an accurate assessment of the root of the problem the world faces today and likely well into the future,” posted Skinner..The committee also took exception to a March 4, 2016 repost by Gateman written by a U.S. Republican who opined on the type of politician needed to get rid of an infestation of “hundreds of rabid, messy, mean raccoons” in the basement..“You ‘raccoons’ (blundering, self-serving, politicians) are in our basement and taking over our lives. And we want you gone!” wrote Gateman..Kenney’s facing an early leadership vote — forced by several dozen constituency associations — at a special general meeting April 9 in Red Deer..Schow is a member of Kenney’s inner circle..The nomination meeting is set for March 21, if any challengers to Schow are allowed onto the ballot..Gateman has 48 hours to file an appeal..“I must advise you following a thorough review of your social media history and postings, significant concerns have led the Committee to disqualify your candidacy (as laid out in Section 5.5 of the candidate selection rules) to seek a nomination for the United Conservative Party (UCP),” wrote UCP Executive Director Dustin van Vugt in the letter obtained by the Western Standard..“Research which was previously brought to your attention in the candidate interview show that there is a consistent pattern of posting inappropriate content which run counter to the objectives of the Party..“You have publicly shared conspiracy theories that claimed Syrian civil war refugees were part of a ‘mobilized invasion of Muslims and Jihadists into the Western World.’ The post also stated, ‘Islam is, dare I say it, a death cult’ and that Muslims are not like other immigrants..“You have written about your support of a cause to “exterminate” the “raccoons (blundering, self-serving, politicians).”.Van Vugt said the party must protect “itself and our members from reputational harm.”.But the UCP brass has faced accusations of bullying and ignoring its grassroots and has been accused of ousting non-Kenney allies from three constituency association boards at annual general meetings where a host of bylaw infractions were alleged to have occurred..“For me to be someone who has such shocking items to be disqualified as a candidate is shocking in itself. Since 2018 I seem to have been acceptable. All of a sudden now I’m not,” said Gateman..“I don’t think you can disqualify a candidate based on a repost…You don’t know why they reposted it. Did they repost it because it was so shocking bad? Did they repost it because they agreed with it?”.Gateman, who described herself as “little old me, farmer’s wife in rural Alberta” and mother of four has caused waves in the constituency with her challenge..“People felt abandoned. That was a solid message that I got. I’m sure our current MLA feels that he did an adequate job. We certainly heard that people were upset, that they didn’t feel they were being represented properly in the Cardston-Siksika riding. We heard that the MLA was not returning phone calls.”.The social media posts were raised when the committee interviewed her..Despite van Vugt stating there was a “consistent pattern,” Gateman said only five posts were discussed.“These are the two that have been brought forward to me as the reason for disqualification,” she said..“Really, come on. If you look at other candidates and what they’ve been able to run on, things that they’ve been able to say in their past, there’s a lot of them that should have been disqualified before myself.”.She was grilled about one social media post by her son..“I warned the powers that be that I chose to step into the limelight. I chose to take on a sitting MLA. My family did not. There was a post in there that was my son’s pages that I had commented on. I said I’m not even justifying this, if you go after my kids, we’ll see the grizzly mama bear claws come out. They’re off limits. …leave them alone.”.Gateman isn’t optimistic about the appeal. The party board makes the final and binding decision..“I can’t say I’m holding my breath. We don’t know who sits on that committee. That’s not made available to us who those people are. It is a blind body.”.This does not bode well for Alberta politics, she warned..“That’s one of the things I stand for — personal rights and freedoms. You should be able to stand up and say what you want without fear of reprimand. And certainly not fear of reprimand from people within the same political party as you,” she said..“I kind of believe that’s the message they want to send..“My phone has been blowing up. There’s a large group of people that are now ticked off in a southern Alberta rural riding that at least the race wasn’t played out.”.Supporter Kadie Beazer expressed “great disappointment” in the decision..“I am outraged that Joseph Schow again has tried everything in his ability to keep his power by trying to dig up dirt on a true Patriot. Jodie was not concerned about letting the political leaders understand that she was running simply to represent the people,” said Beazer..“I am also letting it be known that I trust God will hold Schow and others personally responsible, for the thousands of people who now find themselves jobless and in ruin, because of the sick overreaching power of his communist approach to leadership. It is wrong!!!.“Let it be known that we the people have had ENOUGH!!!!”.Eliminating Gateman is “outrageous, and completely unacceptable,” said Gordon Moxley..“There needs to be an open and transparent review of why she was removed and who made those decisions..“There is obviously something sinister going on behind the scenes that would have her removed.”.Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
