The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - UCP aims to beat Nenshi this Monday

00:00:00.000 Isaac Laimler here with True North. I'm just about to do an interview with Darby Crouch,

00:00:14.160 UCB candidate in Edmonton of Schaaf-Koner, running against NDP leader Mahid Menchie,

00:00:17.760 and as you can see there's a big event going on behind me because the Premier is actually

00:00:21.120 about to come and door knock with Crouch, so let's jump right into that interview.

00:00:25.440 I was curious what led you to getting involved in politics at all in the first place?

00:00:29.280 Well I was born and raised in an oil and gas and agriculture industry so it's kind of a given

00:00:34.640 from birth that I was going to support the political party that best supports my family and the reason

00:00:41.120 that I've had a roof over my head my whole life. So what really got me into running would be our

00:00:47.120 Premier. I've really been inspired by Premier Daniel Smith's leadership and I could have ran

00:00:53.680 maybe at one point in time but it was really her what inspired me to get into it.

00:00:59.280 I mean I started working in politics in 2020 because I grew up around Jason Nixon so he was

00:01:04.960 my MLA back home because I'm from Rocky Mountain House and he really pushed me into it and I'm

00:01:10.080 very thankful that he did because I absolutely fell off of it.

00:01:13.680 So you'd say Premier Smith is more or less your number one role model in politics at least?

00:01:17.920 100% I think I was at an AGM in the fall and someone came up to me and said I think that she

00:01:24.160 will be remembered like Ralph Klein was or even better than Ralph Klein and it was that moment

00:01:29.920 that really struck me with how people view her because that's how I've always felt about about

00:01:35.520 our Premier so yeah it was definitely her that has been my role model throughout this whole 100%.

00:01:41.120 And how has she acted maybe in a mentorship role to you so far?

00:01:45.360 I mean she is the Premier so she is quite busy but she's been very very encouraging throughout this

00:01:49.920 entire by-election. I know that if I needed something I could give her a call and we would be

00:01:56.080 yeah she would give me advice but she's been super supportive in encouraging it and really believes

00:02:01.600 in me which is which is nice.

00:02:02.880 So I was curious uh what have been the biggest tests or challenges so far in your political career?

00:02:09.520 Yeah so I think the number one thing right now would be probably my age or people assume what my

00:02:16.080 age is so I'm 27 and I think because I graduated university last year because I went back to school

00:02:22.480 quite late so people immediately assume that I'm quite young um that would probably be the number

00:02:27.280 one comment that I have received as far as a challenge but never once at the doors and our

00:02:33.520 people in the riding have they ever sparked any concern. Not once? No. No. If anything they were

00:02:38.480 excited and I mean I don't like to talk about myself too much but I was at a door and I opened the door

00:02:43.840 and I was talking and she had to ask me a bunch of questions and she's like you were really wise

00:02:48.560 like for your age she's like 100% had me vote from that point on she's been one of my biggest supporters so

00:02:56.160 that would be a challenge but not so much in the riding. And I'm just curious about these past

00:03:02.240 experiences and challenges how do you feel they've prepared you for obviously what I assume is your

00:03:06.320 biggest challenge thus far this upcoming by-election against NDP leader Naheed Nenshi? I mean yes I'm not

00:03:12.880 a career politician and I wasn't a mayor but I don't think that defines me any less. I was in university

00:03:20.560 and working three to four jobs all throughout university and varied various different industries

00:03:25.520 so if anything I if I could take away from that and put it forward is that I'm a very hard worker

00:03:31.840 and resonate with a lot of struggling Albertans because unfortunately I was one for for quite a long

00:03:37.440 time and and had to work really really hard just to afford to live essentially so I before even

00:03:45.360 university I had worked in different areas as well so I've been in insurance companies I've done

00:03:51.360 various different things in the public sector that I think I can bring forward nonetheless to this

00:03:57.600 and obviously this upcoming by-election will be extremely challenging the conservatives haven't

00:04:04.720 held the riding in I think 40 years now so I I'm just curious what aside from winning if you see any

00:04:12.800 possible successes out of this by-election if you don't win what would you consider as a silver lining

00:04:17.200 maybe? I think the biggest thing and again I'm going to go back to at the doors last night a lady 1.00

00:04:23.440 had said to me that this is the strongest they've ever seen a conservative in this riding and someone

00:04:29.760 that they're excited to vote for so that to me alone is a win knowing that for once our conservative

00:04:36.960 movement was super strong people hurt us and I've just been dedicated to getting out and talking to

00:04:42.160 these people holding events and and that to me is a win if we increase the vote percentage it's a win and

00:04:48.720 ultimately the it's going to be up to Edmonton Strathcona to decide but we are really hopeful

00:04:54.000 we are going to win. Were there any other notable uh recurring themes you saw when going door to door

00:04:59.360 among the residents? I think that they just really want strong representation they have felt that they

00:05:04.160 haven't been heard in a long time I've had people say to me like look I they don't have to judge me

00:05:08.960 based on how I voted in the past elections I just want them to stand up for me regardless of my voting

00:05:14.480 choice so just strong representation and my fear for them is if then she were to win it's it's a safe

00:05:22.000 seat for him if that's all it is it's not a he's not there to represent the people he's hardly been

00:05:28.000 in the riding himself volunteers have been out so that would be my fear for them and I hope that they

00:05:32.640 realize that when they do go to the polls. And I'm curious going door-to-door have you met any residents

00:05:38.400 that say were former supporters of Rachel Notley and they just for some reason or one reason or another

00:05:43.440 are struggling to support the NDP under its current leadership and the heat and NCI specifically?

00:05:47.440 Yeah I would say more so because of NCI um they are very well aware of what his track record is in

00:05:53.360 Calgary and they're offended with how someone has spoken about Edmonton he's you know no secret he has

00:06:00.880 stated publicly that he's not a huge fan of Edmonton Calgary has his home and he chose not to run in

00:06:07.360 Calgary and I think it's because he knew that his track record there isn't the best so he came to what

00:06:12.240 he thinks is the safest seat um and it's either offending to people and they just know that

00:06:18.160 that's not the right representation they want. Yeah I've seen some of your videos highlighting

00:06:22.880 past quotes from Nenchi him saying himself uh that he more or less despises Edmonton.

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00:06:40.400 your coupon. As I'm sure many Calgarians feel uh especially with the hockey rivalry which

00:06:48.480 unfortunately is fair but if you despise it that much why are you coming here to represent people

00:06:53.520 of Edmonton? Yeah I know so just going a bit deeper into that do you think the NDP as a whole are taking

00:06:59.440 uh Edmonton Strathcona for granted maybe? I believe so yeah I think that and what people have said to me is

00:07:05.840 they really loved Rachel Notley at the start but by the end it was more so a political gain

00:07:10.320 and they weren't being heard as much from her and again I think that's that's a fear that they

00:07:15.360 should have going into this next by-election when it comes to Mr. Nenchi as well. And obviously you've

00:07:20.320 talked about Premier Smith being a big mentor I'm wondering if what you've heard from people at the

00:07:24.480 doors about her leadership as a whole and maybe in her recent dealings with Ottawa and all the news we've

00:07:30.000 seen her involved in. It's been nothing but positive reactions for her especially our strong

00:07:35.920 Conservatives in the riding they have the utmost respect and admiration for her and have think that

00:07:41.920 she's been the best leader that we've seen in a really long time so that makes me proud to run under

00:07:46.480 this government and run alongside her in this by-election so yeah I haven't heard uh any negative

00:07:52.720 comments we're very very happy with her leadership right now.

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00:08:25.520 So have you felt it somewhat advantageous then running uh under the Conservative banner as

00:08:33.440 there are reigning government in Alberta? Yeah I think so I mean what I've said to people too is this

00:08:38.560 government is going to be in power until the next election so we have another two years so if you

00:08:44.240 vote for an in-chief then that's someone sitting in opposition or if you vote for me there's someone

00:08:49.360 that's actually can thread that needle and put things forward that you have been wanting for years

00:08:53.760 and years. So I've been trying to say that to people and we're seeing a strong movement really

00:09:00.160 strong movement actually. I'm curious have you had any uh direct interactions or debates with Nenshi uh

00:09:08.720 or kind of just has he even talked to you at all? Like well I when I was still working in the building as a

00:09:16.000 press secretary because I want to leave right now obviously and he came up to me not long after I

00:09:21.760 had won the nomination and became the candidate and introduced himself and he's like I'm not sure

00:09:27.280 how this is going to go if there's a debate and I said well I'll call one if you want to debate he

00:09:31.440 said to me he doesn't think he would have time so I don't know if there's one plan for the future

00:09:37.040 especially with how close we are getting to it but he hasn't really responded to me I have called him out

00:09:42.400 on social media and there's been nothing so yeah and just for our listeners and potential voters I

00:09:49.200 guess what's something they might not know about you just by watching your videos following your

00:09:53.840 campaign that you really feel they should know yeah I mean that's a great question it's not often

00:09:59.920 I have to talk about myself so much but I just think that if you want someone that is

00:10:06.960 dedicated to be and being a strong leader then that would be me I've come from various leadership

00:10:12.240 roles I've been a part of nonprofits and volunteers worked with homeless organizations as well so

00:10:19.440 I have a lot of experience other than being and I'm not a career politician I think that having someone

00:10:24.640 that has real experience out in different fields is important I actually broadcasted at rodeos for three

00:10:32.320 years all throughout university so my summers were filled with doing rodeo events I have done a lot of

00:10:39.360 things in my life before falling in love with politics but yeah I just hope that they see how

00:10:45.600 dedicated we are and how I will be a strong voice for them and the rest is up to them and we've touched

00:10:54.560 briefly on some of the overarching themes and issues but I'm curious if there's anything you've heard

00:10:59.200 uh consistently at the doors that might not make the headlines but it really is something that's

00:11:03.760 resonating with residents that you feel should be uh highlighted yeah I think the one number one thing

00:11:08.320 that I ran on that I've noticed that every single person believes in as well as public safety

00:11:14.800 as as a young female I don't feel comfortable walking at night especially so I that would be something

00:11:23.200 and I've said this to them and they completely agree on and a lot of the older residents as well like they

00:11:28.000 they're very vulnerable people too when it comes to certain areas of Edmonton especially in Edmonton

00:11:33.040 Strathcona so that would be something I would really really fight for and something that we're

00:11:37.840 all in agreeance on is public safety as well as improving our health care and that's why this

00:11:43.120 government has funded more into health care than they ever have so yeah a lot of people are very

00:11:49.360 happy with currently what we're doing and love to see what this government is doing going forward especially within budget 2025.

00:11:56.560 and just taking it a step further than next week's by-election I'm curious what what you see your

00:12:01.840 future political career uh amounting to so I mean if I win on Monday or if the results come out in our

00:12:09.920 favor then I I mean I'll just be strong representation and a voice that hasn't been heard in a long time

00:12:16.800 I think in Edmonton Strathcona so I think I'll be yeah coming down from a high on Monday if we come out with a win but

00:12:26.000 again it's up to the residents and I'm excited to see what happens yeah and is there anything I haven't asked or covered that

00:12:31.840 you'd like to say no I don't think so I think you've covered a lot so I thank you I thank you for doing this

00:12:37.040 no thank you for having me one last thing and this is a tough one I hate to put you on the spot but

00:12:42.560 I'm just curious personally what do you think your chances are of winning on on Monday there

00:12:49.120 I don't want to get ahead of myself but I do think that they are much higher and they have been in

00:12:53.840 previous years so if we increase the vote percentage it's a win if if we win then I think we might go

00:13:00.160 down in history in Edmonton Strathcona so I would agree thank you so much Darby it's been a pleasure

00:13:04.800 thank you I appreciate it so that was my interview with Darby Crouch who will be running in the upcoming

00:13:08.720 by-election against NDP leader Naheed Nenshi on Monday yeah sorry for the commotion during the

00:13:14.240 interview as Alberta Premier Daniel Smith was about to arrive to visit Crouch and UCP candidate for

00:13:20.720 Edmonton Ellerslie Naresh Bardwaj with whom Crouch shares an office the third by-election is in Olds

00:13:26.800 Didsbury Three Hills where Cam Davies leader of the Republican Party of Alberta will face off against UCP

00:13:33.520 candidate Tara Sawyer along with NDP and Wildrose candidates True North will be live on the ground

00:13:39.600 reporting in Olds on Monday with videos and articles throughout the day so make sure you

00:13:44.080 stay tuned for that as for Edmonton Strathcona the writing hasn't gone conservative since 1982

00:13:51.040 but Crouch gave the impression that this time she feels there's a real shot I guess we'll just have

00:13:56.800 to wait and see my name is Isaac Lamer it's been a great pleasure bringing you this special episode

00:14:01.520 of the Alberta Roundup thank you god bless you and have a great weekend

The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux - June 21, 2025

UCP aims to beat Nenshi this Monday

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