Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin

Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin brings together the city of Wetaskiwin, the Maskwacis community — comprising the Ermineskin, Samson, Louis Bull, and Montana Cree Nations — and a collection of smaller centres including Millet, Bittern Lake, and the summer villages surrounding Pigeon Lake. The riding is notable for having one of the highest proportions of Indigenous residents among Alberta constituencies, with roughly a quarter of its population identifying as First Nations according to the 2021 census. Rick Wilson won the seat for the UCP in 2019 and was immediately appointed Minister of Indigenous Relations, a portfolio he held through the transition from Jason Kenney to Danielle Smith. Wilson sought re-election in 2023 with the weight of a cabinet record to defend.

Candidates

Rick Wilson (United Conservative) — The incumbent MLA, first elected in 2019. A farmer and rancher whose family had worked the land near Wetaskiwin for more than a century, Wilson served as Minister of Indigenous Relations throughout his first term. He grew up near Maskwacis and attended school alongside members of the four Cree nations, a background he cited as informing his approach to the portfolio. He had previously served as a county councillor and health authority chairman.

Katherine Swampy (NDP) — A Samson Cree Nation band councillor, academic, and community advocate. Swampy had first run for the NDP in the 2015 election in Drayton Valley-Devon, which encompassed part of Maskwacis. She served on numerous community committees and was motivated by a desire to bring Indigenous perspectives to the legislature. According to reporting at the time, she expressed confidence in her ability to mobilize Indigenous voters in a riding where turnout among First Nations communities had historically been lower than in non-Indigenous areas.

Justin Fuss (Green Party) — The Green Party candidate in Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin.

Local Issues

The visit of Pope Francis to Maskwacis on July 25, 2022, was a historic moment for the riding and the country. The Pope delivered an apology at the site of the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School for the Catholic Church's role in the residential school system, calling it a cultural genocide. Hundreds of survivors and their families attended the ceremony. The event brought global attention to the community and underscored the ongoing work of reconciliation in the riding, including efforts around intergenerational trauma, education, and economic self-determination among the four Cree nations.

Rural crime remained a top concern in the riding during the 2019-2023 period. Wetaskiwin continued to rank among Canadian cities with the highest crime severity indices, and property crime, vehicle theft, and break-ins were particular frustrations for both urban and rural residents. The UCP government's creation of the Alberta Sheriffs Highway Patrol and investments in rural policing were responses to this pressure, but many residents felt the improvements were insufficient.

Healthcare access was another dominant issue, particularly the shortage of family physicians. Wetaskiwin and surrounding communities experienced difficulty recruiting and retaining doctors, leaving residents dependent on walk-in clinics or driving to Edmonton for care. The pandemic had compounded these pressures, and emergency department capacity remained a concern. For Indigenous communities in Maskwacis, access to mental health services, addiction treatment, and culturally appropriate care were additional priorities that shaped the campaign conversation.