Quote:
Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo
I think there's a mischaracterization there (although unintentional).
Pre-Trudeau, Alberta was Pro-Conservative. Liberal candidates were still often elected. This all changed after Trudeau, at which point Alberta became staunchly anti-Liberal.
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Yes and no, I think. You have to go back to the mid 1950s for the last time the Liberals consistently had support in Alberta, and back to the 1930s, Liberal election of MPs was always hit or miss. But yes, they had a lot more support. The irony of Trudeau's interactions with this province is that his first election in 1968 was the Liberal high weather mark for the past 60 years - 36% of the vote and 4 seats. He eroded that to 25% and zero seats by the 1972 election, then down to just 12% of the vote by 1984. The Libs haven't recovered.
It was asked earlier what it would take for the Liberals to gain support out in the west. Two things come to mind...
First, stop announcing anti-oil patch policies out in Ontario and Quebec. All that ever accomplishes is to play the east against the west. Things like this cap and trade system... come to Alberta, talk to the impacted companies and communities. Build a plan everyone can live with then go present it to the nation.
Second, break the habit of electing Ontario and Quebec elites as leader. The only truly western leader the Liberals have ever had was the lame duck John Turner. And while MacKenzie King was based in Saskatchewan for a time, he spent most of his career out east. The Liberals have always been the party of Eastern Canada, and it shows when you look at who has typically occupied power positions within the party.