Calahasen and Cardinal win seats

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Provincial

Native voters in northern Alberta riding flexed their newly-found political muscle as two Native candidates won seats in the legislature in a surprising election which also saw Premier Don Getty defeated in his own riding.

Progressive Conservative candidate Pearl Calahasen and Mike Cardinal both won convincing victories in ridings north of Edmonton to lead the five Native candidates who ran in the provincial election.

Cardinal, originally from the Native community of Calling Lake, says it will give him a chance to change perceptions in the Athabasca-Lac la Biche riding.

"Basically, I believe, what it means is it gives me the opportunity to work and possibly change a lot of attitudes in the constituency towards Native people."

Native people in his constituency can expect Cardinal to focus on the issues of "economic recovery and on economic diversification" with a focus toward getting jobs and training.

Cardinal beat out nearest rival and incumbent New Democrat Leo Piquette by "almost 1,500" votes in taking the seat.

Calahasen, formerly of Grouard, won the Lesser Slave Lake riding by beating out Liberal Denise Waqhlstrom by more than 1,000 votes.

The Metis woman says her win is gratifying and fulfills the dreams of a lot of Native people.

"I want to get the people united - to go out and find out what their concerns are and bring those concerns and have them addressed in the legislature."

The Native people within her riding "Can expect a voice, a representative who will listen to them and be able to carry their concerns to the legislature," she said.

She credits the Native Action Committee, a coalition of Indian and Metis groups, for much of her success.

"They went out and made people aware of the political process and tried to really make them aware that they should become involved in politics in some way, shape or form."

The unofficial result of the election show that the Progressive Conservative Party held onto their majority with 59 of the 83 seats in the legislature. The New Democrats finished with 16 elected representatives, while the Liberals surged behind leader Laurence Decore to win eight seats.