UCP names Tany Yao as Mujahid’s replacement in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo
Posted April 23, 2023 12:17 pm.
Last Updated April 23, 2023 12:42 pm.
Alberta’s United Conservatives announced a replacement for their candidate in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo.
The UCP said in a social media post Saturday that Tany Yao will be the party’s candidate in next month’s provincial election.
Yao has served as the region’s MLA since 2015.
We're pleased to announce Tany Yao as our UCP Candidate in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo.
First elected in 2015, Tany's been a strong voice for #ymm in the Legislature. He previously worked as a paramedic firefighter.
Pledge your support today:https://t.co/zr8wf6OdoV pic.twitter.com/AhgPizHgLU
— United Conservative Party of Alberta (@Alberta_UCP) April 22, 2023
Last week, the UCP said Zulkifl Mujahid was out as the party’s candidate after winning the nomination in December – defeating Yao in the process.
The party said Mujahid was being replaced because he was named in legal matters that will be ongoing during the writ period.
The Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo constituency association is reportedly still backing Mujahid as its preferred candidate.
Meanwhile a social post on Mujahid’s Facebook page Friday seemed to suggest he would still be running in the provincial election.
“He honours whom He wills, and He disgraces whom He wills. May 29 will be the beginning of new era,” wrote Mujahid.
The writ is scheduled to be dropped on May 1 for a May 29 polling day.
First elected to the riding in 2015 as a candidate in the former Wildrose Party, Yao was re-elected in 2019 as a member of the UCP.
Prior to joining Alberta politics, Yao worked as a paramedic.
Former Wildrose Party leader, Brian Jean, encouraged him to run in the 2015 election.
In 2020, Yao introduced a private-members bill to overturn a ban on paid donations of plasma across the province.
In December 2020, multiple sources found several provincial MLAs, including Yao, travelled internationally during the holiday break, while public health guidance urged Albertans to remain at home to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Yao apologized for taking the trip aboard.
Saturday’s announcement showed some Albertans have long memories, with many of them mentioning the trip to Mexico in the replies to the UCP tweet.
“So the MLA who buggered off to Mexico and lost renomination gets to run again because…?” tweeted Alexander Dowsey.
“Can you run from Mexico?” tweeted Mike Morrison.
—With files from Phil Wood, MyMcMurray
