How Deborah Grey became the first member of the Reform Party elected to Parliament
Enter the wayback machine and set the controls for November 1988. Canada was having an election. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, made the election about the Canada USA free trade agreement. The message was, if the Progressive Conservatives did not win, Canada was doomed. In the newly created Alberta riding of Beaver River there was no incumbent. The riding consisted of the area surrounding Bonnyville, Saint Paul, Cold Lake, and Lac La Biche, created in 1987 from Athabasca , Pembina and Vegreville . It was safe to assume that whoever the PC's nominated as their candidate would win. The three ridings Beaver River was carved out of elected Progressive Conservative MPs in the previous election. The nomination meeting was held shortly before the election behind closed doors, no one other than those inside knew how or why candidate John Dahmer was picked. The Liberals and...