Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
How much was Notley the reason for the NDP’s strong appeal in Edmonton?
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I don't think it was Notley per-se, but the NDP has strong support in Edmonton because they are the NDP.
Reading through the past months of posts there is a lot of talk of how to stop the UCP. Change names, change colours, separate from the national NDP, move to more centrist policies.
That resonates with Calgary much more than Edmonton. As an actual NDPer, to me it isn't about stopping the UCP anymore than it was about stopping the PCs. It is about supporting a party who has the same ideals and values that I have.
And while Nenshi might create that more central idealism and broader appeal, he isn't a born and bled NDPer, he is an outsider who might change the party away from those ideals.
People who supported the NDP when there was only 1 MLA did it because they believed in the ideals of the party. Nenshi moving in is a threat to that.
If I wasn't BC bound next month, I would probably still vote for him because the UCP are that bad - but I can also understand how a lot of people who were committed to vote NDP might just be undecided until he proves whether he is here for the NDP or he is here to stop the UCP - because those are not necessarily the same goals.