Mike Derry’s Campaign manager choice

Why did Danielle Smith and the UCP allow Craig Chandler to run Mike Derry's campaign?

Many people know the name Craig Chandler. He's lost countless elections in South Calgary and been kicked out of the Conservative Party many times. Now, knowing he can never win himself, he's running his buddy Mike Derry to be your MLA.

Chandler has spent decades generating controversy on the fringes of conservative politics. None of this has made our province a better, more welcoming place.

• Chandler appeared in videos featuring racist Indigenous stereotypes. After the videos surfaced, Danielle Smith fired Chandler from her leadership campaign. She called what he did "appalling," "offensive," and "entirely unacceptable." And then? Danielle Smith hauled him right back into the fold.
• Chandler told newcomers to Alberta to adopt conservative “voting patterns” or leave.
• Chandler defended a Wildrose candidate who wrote that gay people would suffer in a "lake of fire," calling the message "biblically accurate."
• Chandler shared conspiracy material falsely linking the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with pedophilia.
• Chandler accused Earls Restaurants of supporting terrorism because one of its suppliers produced halal meat. He later resigned from the PC board after the backlash.
• Chandler broke the law in his 2021 municipal campaign, Elections Alberta said he violated rules including failing to issue receipts, deposit all contributions into a campaign bank account and retain required expense records.
• RCMP were called after on Chandler after he disrupted a Chestermere council meeting while working on disgraced former mayor Jeff Colvin’s comeback campaign. Colvin lost badly.
• Chandler is so controversial, the old PC party under Premier Ed Stelmach refused to endorse him, even after he won a nomination, reviewing his public statements and affiliations.
• When a political scientist commented on Chandler's appalling behaviour, Chandler sued him, in what is known as a SLAPP lawsuit intended to silence critics and shut down freedom of speech.
• Chandler praised US President Donald Trump, saying, "Alberta likes Trump" and championed separatism, stating, "Canada needs the West, we do not need Canada! No matter what, President Trump has made us all rethink this confederation. Without even being our Leader, Trump has started to Make Canada Great Again!" He even threw a party championing Donald Trump's win.

Chandler knows he is so toxic he can't win under his own name. So he's trying to get his guy into the Legislature. We deserve better.

Danielle Smith and Mike Derry chose Craig Chandler. Calgary-Shaw voters can choose better.