Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina
This whole scenario actually helps the conservatives, or at least should, and long-term will hurt the Liberals.
Calgarians were given a chance, outside of a full provincial election, to send the PCs a message - and they did. Now the PCs (if they have any brains) will realize they need to do some repairing in Calgary.
If this by election had not given such an opportunity, the Liberals would have gained much more in the next provincial election. Now the PCs are given a chance to regroup.
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I really wonder if the PCs will get the message and make the most of this opportunity. They have to fix their internal problems before they can address the external problems. It seems to me that their external problems reflect their internal problems ... a three-way split of interests between Edmonton, Calgary and rural Alberta. Plus, they've been in power for so long without any kind of meaningful opposition they've developed a certain arrogance and air of entitlement which seems to make them feel invulnerable ... kind of like the federal Liberals before they took a tumble in the last election.
The confounding thing about this province is the lack of an alternative that can win voter support. The NDP will never hit double digit voter support in this province, and there's so much federal baggage attached to the Liberals that drags them back. The other parties ... the AA, Greens, So Creds, etc. ... are just splinter parties that I can't see gaining enough support to go anywhere. Really, the only hope of dislodging the PCs is for the provincial Liberals to take advantage of the current politcial ill-will towards both the provincial and federal Conservatives ... IMO that is. To do that, they're going to have to convince voters they are in fact and deed not the same as the federal Liberals. That's a tough job. I don't think Taft or Bronconnier are the guys for the job either. Outside of Calgary Bronconnier comes across as a typical whiney, money-spending Liberal. I don't think he'd sell well across the province at all. I can't see Taft being a strong enough leader to capture votes either though.
Whatever, now is the time for the Liberals in this province ... voter support in Alberta for the Conservative brand, both federally and provincially, is about as low as it's ever going to get, and the provincial PCs have a weak leader who seems to be splitting the party and the province into rural vs Edmonton vs Calgary. If the Liberals, or some other party, can't take advantage of the current political climate we might as well just sign the legislature over to the PCs in perpetuity.