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van Dijken wins UCP nomination

Glenn van Dijken has secured the United Conservative Party’s nomination for the newly-minted Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock riding.
GVD wins 1
Glenn van Dijken hugs his wife Barb at the Barrhead Agrena July 14 after winning the United Conservative Party’s nomination for the newly created Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock riding.

Glenn van Dijken has secured the United Conservative Party’s nomination for the newly-minted Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock riding.

van Dijken, the current MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, defeated rival Monty Bauer by claiming 70 per cent of the 891 ballots cast July 13-14 throughout the riding.

“Thank you for helping us in building momentum for this party going forward,” said van Dijken just after 10 p.m. at the Barrhead Agrena July 14.

“Having the nomination campaign allowed us both to engage with members across this constituency. I believe we both ran a relatively clean campaign and there was mutual respect going forward and I look forward to working with Monty into the 2019 election.”

van Dijken attributed his victory to his knocking on as many doors and calling as many members as he could.

“It’s all about having people who believe in me stepping forward to help, that’s a lot of how you succeed in this,” he said.

“It’s very humbling to have supporters who take the time out of a summer weekend to drive up to an hour to cast a ballot in their choice.”

He added his plan is to keep the attack focused on the New Democratic Party government leading into the next election slated for spring 2019.

“Our No. 1 focus is standing up for what we believe Albertans are looking for in good governance,”

Bauer, a Thorhild-area farmer, congratulated van Dijken and called on members of the party to unite behind him. He said he plans to help in any way he can and had no regrets.

“I want to thank everybody who participated in the process and I’m very thankful for the support I received,” said Bauer.

“We traveled across the constituency, we’ve met new friends, reintroduced ourselves to old friends we haven’t seen for awhile. It’s been very gratifying for us.”

Votes were collected in Smoky Lake, Athabasca, Barrhead and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No 97 in Westlock, using the same four sealed ballot boxes.

van Dijken is the first candidate to be nominated in the new riding as none of the other parties have declared a candidate. Current Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA, Colin Piquette of the New Democratic Party, has not declared whether he will run in the next election.

Following the win UCP leader Jason Kenney congratulated both men, but lauded van Dijken for his service in the Legislature during the last term.

“Over the past three years, Glenn has been a passionate advocate for the people of Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock and has expertly held this NDP government to account as Infrastructure Critic. I am pleased to know that he will be a part of our United Conservative team as we head into the 2019 election,” said Kenney, in a release.

“I would also like to thank Monty Bauer and his team for their dedication to our movement and for their participation in the democratic process.

“Since its founding, our grassroots Party has been clear on a commitment to open, fair and transparent nominations contests. Indeed, this commitment is key to forming a strong democratic party ready to represent Albertans in 2019. ”

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