Brooks—Medicine Hat

This southeastern Alberta riding brings together the City of Brooks, the northern neighbourhoods of Medicine Hat, the Town of Bassano, and the surrounding agricultural and ranching country of Newell County. Brooks is home to one of North America's largest beef-processing operations, a JBS Canada facility that employs thousands and has made the city one of Alberta's most ethnically diverse communities. The riding also encompasses Canadian Forces Base Suffield, a vast military training area in the shortgrass prairie. Heading into 2023, this was the seat of Premier Danielle Smith, who had won a by-election here in November 2022 after becoming UCP leader and premier the previous month.

Candidates

Danielle Smith (United Conservative) — Smith became Alberta's 19th premier in October 2022 after winning the UCP leadership race on the sixth ballot. A Calgary native with degrees in English and economics from the University of Calgary, she previously led the Wildrose Party as leader of the Official Opposition from 2012 to 2014. After leaving politics, she worked with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and spent roughly six years as a radio talk show host. She championed the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, passed in December 2022, which asserts provincial authority to challenge federal laws deemed harmful to Alberta's interests. She won the Brooks—Medicine Hat by-election with 54.5 percent of the vote but does not reside in the constituency, living instead in High River.

Gwendoline Dirk (NDP) — Dirk is a retired teacher and volunteer English language educator who has lived in the Medicine Hat area for decades. She served as a commissioner on the Medicine Hat Police Commission and taught at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. She also ran as the NDP candidate in the 2022 by-election.

Barry Morishita (Alberta Party) — Morishita was the leader of the Alberta Party from 2021 to 2023. Born and raised in Brooks, he served on Brooks city council for 10 years as a councillor before being elected mayor, serving from 2016 to 2021. He was also president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and owned an auto parts business in Brooks for 27 years. He ran against Smith in the 2022 by-election, finishing third.

Local Issues

The JBS meatpacking plant in Brooks became a national flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, the facility experienced one of Canada's largest workplace outbreaks, with hundreds of workers testing positive and deaths linked to the plant. Workers described inadequate physical distancing on the production line and insufficient protective equipment. The outbreak underscored longstanding concerns about worker safety, housing adequacy, and settlement services for the immigrant workforce that staffs the facility.

Smith's decision to seek the seat raised questions about local representation, as she neither lived in nor had previous ties to the riding. At campaign debates, rival candidates pressed her on the issue of absentee representation, arguing that the premier's national responsibilities would leave Brooks and Medicine Hat without adequate local advocacy. Smith countered that representing a rural riding as premier gave the region a direct line to government.

Healthcare access remained a major concern, particularly for residents in the riding's smaller communities. While Medicine Hat Regional Hospital serves the region's urban population, residents of Brooks, Bassano, and surrounding rural areas faced challenges accessing family physicians and specialist services amid a province-wide shortage.