Miyashiro gets NDP nod in Lethbridge West

Rob Miyashiro has been selected by NDP party members in Lethbridge West to take on the yet to be announced UCP party candidate in a by-election.

The riding was vacated when NDP MLA Shannon Phillips stepped down July 1 a year into her third term.

The NDP nomination turnout was 73 per-cent of more 1,000 members, which Miyashiro says is not only a great turnout, but shows NDP supporters in Lethbridge West will be prepared if a by-election is called.

“It got everybody engaged and got everyone ready for the by election. There is a huge team of people ready to go out and work for us to gain support across the constituency and the people that are willing to come and help us win,” said Miyashiro.

Miyashiro credited the highest turnout to the NDP Lethbridge West constituency to Naheed Nenshi being announced as the NDP leader back in June.

“It is unbelievably good. Some of it is also can be attributed to our new leader, Naheed Nenshi, who had created a lot of excitement around the leadership race earlier this year and a lot of the people obviously felt the need that they wanted to be a part of this process, continuing to battle in the by-election,” said Miyashiro.

He added the people who nominated him will be the people volunteering to door knock, and make phone calls along with other volunteer opportunities the party has the need for.

“It gives us a huge starting point. It's a bigger starting point you've ever had. So that's a that's a big plus running into a campaign that's not very long,” said Miyashiro.

Premier Danielle Smith has until Jan. 1, 2025, to announce a by-election, but Miyashiro is already strategizing how he is going to help the people he may be serving as Lethbridge West MLA.

He has plans to look at the health care system, especially the lack of doctors and specialists in Alberta.

“There's two parts of our system, really that we really need to fix in order to move forward,” said Miyashiro.

Miyashiro also has concerns with the underfunding of school systems especially with schools needing long overdue renovations.

“We need to push for that to get done. So kids have the best, most inclusive and safest places to learn,” said Miyashiro.

While all of these are province-wide issues, Miyashiro also has his eye on upgrading the wastewater treatment plant in Lethbridge, something that is not only a concern for clean drinking water, but it also affects the agricultural sector as well.

“We've been asking for assistance with our wastewater and water treatment facilities to upgrade them. And we do need to, because of the growth of our community and the growth of our region and where we actually supply treated water to.  We've been asking the provincial government to assist with upgrades on those for quite some time and they're just not doing it,” said Miyashiro.

While this is just the beginning, Miyashiro says he is excited about the traction he feels the NDP has when a by-election is called.

“This also brings us an opportunity to provide the first victory for our new leader in his term as leadership. In his term leadership. So that's something I think that's exciting for us as well, is that we can help move the party ahead and not just by winning the seat.”

On Monday, Mearns congratulated Miyashiro on the X platform writing “it was a close one with fantastic engagement from the membership. Thank you to all Lethbridge West supporters and my volunteers. We unite for the Alberta we believe in.”