Updated: April 9, 2012

A provincial election has been called for April 23. After the election, the boundaries of our current riding will change and the majority of McCauley and Boyle Street will be part of Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood.

To help inform our readers of their choices, here are profiles of the candidates for Highlands-Norwood who were announced by press time. These profiles were submitted by the candidates themselves. If any other candidates are announced, we will add their profiles to the version of this piece that appears on our website. Boyle McCauley News does not support or endorse a particular candidate or political party.

Brian Mason (NDP – Incumbent)
From fighting for affordable housing, pushing for the fair treatment of seniors and students, to advocating against degregulation, and speaking up for our environment and against cuts in education and protecting public health care, Brian Mason is known amongst many Albertans as a strong and effective voice for the people in the Alberta Legislature.

Brian Mason became active in Alberta politics early on when he served as the Executive Director of the Alberta Federation of Students from 1977-1979 following his Political Science studies at the University of Alberta. For the next several years, Mason was employed by Edmonton Transit Services as a popular city bus driver, making headlines in 1989 when he appealed the provincial law that required municipal employees to resign their positions to run as municipal candidates.

In October of 1989, Brian was elected City Councillor for Ward 3 where he remained for the next 11 years, winning three additional civic elections and gaining a reputation as a tough and effective voice for his constituents.

Winning a provincial by-election in Edmonton-Highlands in 2000, and re-elected in the provincial general election in March of 2001, and again on November 22, 2004, Brian Mason has become an effective MLA for the area of Edmonton Highlands-Norwood. He is known as a fierce critic of the Alberta government, with heavy emphasis on the issues that matter to you and your family.

On July 13, 2004 Brian Mason became the Leader of Alberta’s New Democrat Opposition. Brian Mason was proudly elected back in to the Alberta Legislature in the general provincial election in March of 2008. Brian continues to serve Edmonton Highlands-Norwood in the Alberta Legislature with distinction.

Wayde Lever (Wildrose Alliance)
Wayde was chosen as the Wildrose candidate on October 8, 2010. Since that time he has been working to meet the constituents in the diverse community of Highlands-Norwood. By listening to their concerns and input, Wayde will be an effective, accountable voice for the community in the Alberta legislature.

Wayde and his wife Lori are proud to call Highlands-Norwood home, as they have for the last fourteen years. He has certificates in General Arts and Science, as well as Voluntary Sector Management with a major in fund development from Grant MacEwan University.

Prior to entering the Alberta political arena, Wayde worked for a wide range of nonprofit organizations. His most recent position was Chairman of the board of the Innovative Housing Society of Canada, a position he held for the past ten years. The society builds assisted living complexes for seniors and persons with a wide variety of disabilities. Helping the physically challenged is a real passion of Wayde’s.

Wayde has always said, “Growing up with Cerebral Palsy has been the best training ground for entering Alberta politics. When you grow up with a physical challenge you do not realize things in life are not supposed to be difficult. I have had to fight for every success I have ever achieved.”

Wayde does not believe in the word no. He starts with maybe and works his way to yes until the problem is solved. This is the same conviction and perseverance that he promises to use while representing the needs of the people of Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood.

Cristina Basualdo (Progressive Conservatives)
Cris Basualdo is passionate about improving central Edmonton neighbourhoods and business districts.

A University of Alberta graduate, Cris lives, works, and recreates in central Edmonton, balancing a busy professional management career at NAIT with extensive local community involvement.

Her focus is on quality of life.

Over 17 years, Cris has partnered with area Community Leagues and resident-led organizations to resolve crime, disorder, traffic, planning, and development issues. She advocated against needle exchange and severe addiction services at the East Edmonton Health Centre and for family and seniors care and emergency services for area residents.



Cris has led the community fight on our behalf at the civic level, rallying support from neighbours and neighbourhoods to stand together with one voice on important issues like saving our schools and improving safety. She successfully carried those messages to City Council meetings and Federal committees studying the impact of crime on communities.

She has served as Crime/Safety Coordinator and then Treasurer of Alberta Avenue Community League, as well as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Community Action Project and Ambassador for the Action for Healthy Communities. She continues to give time to the Dickensfield Amity House.

Dari Lynn (EverGreen)
Dàirine Lynn (Dari for short) is an activist, an herbal practitioner, and a business owner. She has lived in Alberta all her life, residing in many rural towns with her family. She currently lives in her own home in north Edmonton with her four year old son, Cael, and many lively cats. Dari works at home on a daily basis, traditionally training apprentices and preparing herbal cosmetics/organic health care products to sell online as well as at farmers markets and craft shows. She is an advocate for eco-consciousness, sustainability, and responsibility in her business, as well as all other aspects of her life.

For fun Dari loves to create things, first and foremost beer, wine, and mustard! She is getting more geared up and experienced with year-round cycling and thoroughly enjoying it as her primary form of travel. She is passionate about horses and about cooking, and aspires to surround herself with lots of both later in life.

In this election, Dari will be running as an EverGreen in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. This is her first time running. She says, “The excitement is hard to contain!” She finds it crucial to become more involved with our politics and is striving to encourage participation in our democracy and government, especially within youth. She is looking forward to working with the locals to strengthen grassroots connections and enable organic growth within the province. Dari says that, “choosing to work with the EverGreens suits me well, as I already live by Green principles.”

Cameron McCormick (Alberta Party)
This dedicated family man, life-long volunteer, and student of life believes that an active community engaged in the discussion about their governance is the key to democratic renewal in the upcoming election.

A born and raised Edmontonian, Cam is passionate about his city and province. Cam has been a volunteer with the Edmonton Folk Music Festival for twenty years and understands the impact volunteerism can have on creating community through engaging all levels of stakeholders. Having watched the unprecedented growth Alberta has undergone in the last 25 years with only a reactive government in place, Cam was drawn to the Alberta Party because it offered a new way of thinking about Alberta politics with an eye to the future.