Alberta's Education Minister skips education forum in his own riding

Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark attended Calgary
Elbow's education Forum. Gordon Dirks
was a #PCnoShow. (Jeremy Nolais/Metro)

Albertans are used to Progressive Conservative candidates being no-shows at public events, debates and forums.

During last year's by-election, Jim Prentice was a no-show for an all-candidates forum.

In March, Gordon Dirks was a no-show for an Alberta Teachers' Association all-party forum on education.

Ten days ago, not one PC candidate from Red Deer North, Red Deer South or Innisfail-Sylvan Lake could be bothered to show up for an all-candidates education forum in Red Deer.

On Tuesday, April 28, PC candidate Gordon Dirks was another PC no-show for an all-party public education forum in Calgary. 

That's right, Alberta's Education Minister skipped an education forum in his own riding.

Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, who is leading Dirks in Calgary-Elbow, said, "The basic expectation for anyone who seeks elected office should be public accountability -- you should attend debates. The PCs had 71 other MLAs and they didn't send a representative. They're not interested in talking with teachers, they're not interested in engaging with parents. They're hiding."

For more details on the public events that PC candidates decline to attend, follow the Twitter hashtag #PCnoShow.