The president of Slave Lake’s Chamber of Commerce says she’s confused that the provincial Progressive Conservative party nomination committee would reject the Chamber’s offer of an expense-free nomination meeting in one of the most populated areas of the Lesser Slave Lake constituency.
“I guess we’re more upset that they didn’t pick a major centre” in which to host at least one nomination meeting, Angel Meinecke told The Leader last week after learning the committee will host nomination meetings in Wabasca, Kinuso and Red Earth Creek. In May the Chamber sent a letter to the committee, offering to host a meeting in Slave Lake.
“We’d offered to cover the expenses of hosting this, and I don’t think they’re considering voters’” convenience when it came to timing and location.
“We think it’s great that they are including the smaller centres, but it’s also important they include the larger ones – like High Prairie and Slave Lake. “This would have been a free facility for them – including beverages and advertising.” The Chamber executive was ready to spend between $500 and $1,000 to host the meeting.
A nominations committee representative called for clarification of the offer and even asked Meinecke to confirm a meeting place that could hold as many as 1,500 people, she added. She did so, and had asked a Chamber rep to meet with the committee to discuss the details.
“But then just a couple of days before the meeting she received a call saying that she didn’t have to show up after all.”
“I just don’t think they’ll pull in those numbers at a smaller centre,” the president added, saying she will send a letter to the committee to ask why they wouldn’t consider the Chamber’s free offer.
Meinecke said she received the letter from the committee nearly a week after the Chamber was scheduled to meet with the nominations group.
“We’re confused. Not too many people would turn down an offer like that.
“And we think it’s especially important for the people who are working” and must get to one of the voting stations between 4:00 and 8:00 on a Thursday afternoon. In recent years nominating meetings for this constituency have been hosted in Kinuso, usually on a Sunday afternoon.

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