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10TuesdayApril82014ByMARIACHURCHTheLiberalandNDPfed-eralpartieshavechosentheircandidatesfortheFortMcMur-ray-Athabascaby-electionandwillbejoiningtheridingsrstLibertariancandidateandoneoftwoConservativenomineesintherunning.Aby-electionwascalledinJanuaryfortheFortMcMur-ray-AthabascaridingwhichrepresentsnortheasternAl-bertafromLacLaBichetoFitzgeraldontheNWTborderafterformerConservativeMPBrianJeanannouncedhissud-denresignationfrompolitics.WiththefederalelectionscheduledforOctober2015thechosenMPwillholdtheseatforjustoverayearbe-forethenextrace.Adatehasnotbeensetfortheby-electionbutwiththreeotherby-electionstobeheldinCanadatheFortMcMur-ray-AthabascavotewillbeheldbeforetheendofJune.LiberalandNDPcandidatesannouncedLiberalnomineeKyleHar-riethabeatoutcontenderChrisFletttowinthepartycandi-dacylastweekfollowingtheannouncementthatLoriMc-DanielwillberunningastheNDPscandidate.BothHarriethaandMcDan-ielacknowledgethattheridingisaConservativestrongholdwithmorethanhalfacenturyofConservativeMPrepresenta-tionbutsayitstimeforchange.Itsprettyclearthatafter57yearsofrepresentingnorth-easternAlbertastraightthattheConservativepartytakesthisregionforgrantedHar-riethatoldTheJournal.Itsmyimpressionthatpeoplefeelitistimeforachange.HarriethaaformerLiberalstafferonParliamentHillsaidmuchofhiscampaignisfo-cusedonensuringthefederalgovernmentfundsinfrastruc-tureintheregionwhichhesaidhasseenunacceptablylowtransfersconsideringtherapidpopulationgrowthandeconomicdevelopmentoverthelastseveralyears.McDanielaheavyhauleratSuncorEnergyandahealthandsafetyrepresentativeforthelocalunionsaidheremploymentintheoilsandsindustrymeansshewouldbringaworkersperspectivetofederalpolitics.ImabigvoiceandImaveryhardworkerforthepeo-ple.Everydaythatsmylifetryingtomakepeopleslivesbetteratworkinthecommu-nityandintheareashesaid.McDanielsaiddevelop-mentoftheoilsandswillbeafocusofhercampaignwhichshesaidrequiresanebalancebetweenpromotingresourcedevelopmentandensuringresponsibleenviron-mentalandsafetyregulations.ConservativestovoteoncandidateTheConservativepartycan-didacyisstillupintheairwithavotescheduledforlateApriltopickbetweennomineesDavidYurdigaandArlanDelisle.Yurdigahasbeenacoun-cillorreeveanddeputyreeveforAthabascaCountyforthepastsixyearsandsaidhispas-sionandfamiliaritywiththecommunityishisstrength.Ihavearealgoodunder-standingofthewholeregionandIthinkIcandothebestfortheconstituentsbyunder-standingtheuniquenessofeachcommunityhesaidaddingthatifchosenasthecandidatehisfocuswillbeonincreasingfundingtomunicipalitiesandtosocialservices.Aformernationallugeath-letejourneymanelectricianEdsontowncouncillorandlawyerDelislesaidhisdiversebackgroundhasgivenhimabroadrangeofskillstobringtotheelection.AsacandidateDelislesaiditisparamountthathebeaccessibletothepeopleandthathispoliticalfocusreecttheirwishes.LibertarianthrowshishatinTimMoenareghterandfreelancedocumentarianworkinginFortMcMurrayrecentlyaddedanotherhattohisrepertoirebyenter-ingintotheworldoffederalpoliticsastheridingsrst-everLibertariancandidate.Moensaidhispoliticalmes-sagecanbecondensedintoasnappyinternetmemethatstatesIwantgaymarriedcou-plestobeabletoprotecttheirmarijuanaplantswithguns.ItsjusttheprinciplesthatthiscountryandtheUSwerebasedontheideathatyouownyourselfthatpeopleshouldntuseforceagainstyouyoushouldnthityoushouldntstealyoushouldntmurderyoushouldntrapeandyoushouldntdothesethingsevenifyoucallyourselfgovernment.Youdontgetextrarightsifyouareingovernmenthesaid.MoensaidtheAthabascaregionisfulloflike-mindedindividualsmanyofwhomareworkinghardinanindus-trythatispaintedbymain-streammediaasMordorandhismessageoflibertyhasbeenresonatingmorethanheeverimagined.IfelectedMoensaidhislackoftiestoafederalpartymeanshecanbethevoicethatshakesupthesystem.Hispoliticaltargetswouldincludeslashingprovincialequalizationpaymentsde-creasinggovernmentcontrolonsocialissuesandestab-lishinglandownershipforFirstNations.CandidateschosenforFortMacby-electionFirst-everLibertarianjoinsthefederalpoliticalracePoliticsFederalPhotocourtesyofDavidYurdigaPhotocourtesyofArlanDelislePhotocourtesyofTimMoenPhotocourtesyofLoriMcDanielPhotocourtesyofKyleHarriethaLiberalcandidateKyleHarriethasaysitstimeforthe57-yearConservativestrongholdinFortMcMurraytoend.LoriMcDanielmeetswithNDPMPfortheWesternArcticDennisBevingtonfollowingherannouncementtorunastheNDPcandidateintheFortMcMurrayby-election.TimMoenalong-timepoliticalactivisthasthrownhishatinastheridingsrst-everLibertariancandidate.LawyerandformernationallugeathleteArlanDelislewillbemakinghiscasetorunastheConservativecandidateintheby-electionatapartyvotetobeheldinlateApril.AftersixyearsinmunicipalpoliticsConservativenomineeDavidYurdigaisalsolookingfortheConservativecandidacy.