[Dion]

Next premier faces rallies, protests and conspiracy theories: pundits

Political pundits say whichever party wins Tuesday’s provincial election will have to deal with mounting opposition from both political rivals and dejected voters, after a hard-fought — and sometimes nasty — campaign.

With negative attack ads, social media mining for buried so-called Bozo eruptions and polls showing a tightening race between Jason Kenny’s United Conservative Party and Rachel Notley’s New Democrats, Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt is calling this “the most unique election in Alberta’s history.”

With polls showing the UCP holding on to a lead, Bratt said Kenney would likely face an unusually strong official opposition even if the UCP win majority government, due to NDP cabinet ministers retaining their ridings.

“In this case, the NDP could have eight to 12 to whatever number of cabinet members facing off with (the UCP) with a firm handle on their portfolios in opposition, so that’s something we haven’t seen in this province before,” Bratt said.

Ellis also said he predicts a UCP-led Alberta would face “non-stop protests like we see in the United States” by voters on the left, and a continuation of “gutter politics,” mudslinging and attack ads, which have dominated the NDP’s campaign strategy.

“There are just some people that are going to refuse to accept Kenney as premier and they will be protesting immediately, and then there will be demonstrations. So that’s what Kenney’s going to have to deal with,” he said.

As for suggestions on what course corrections the winning party should make once taking office, Bratt said Kenney may need to be a bit less bullish when dealing with Ottawa and B.C. or risk “retaliation” he may not be expecting, including a sudden federal reversal on the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Ellis said Notley would have to “scrap the carbon tax” and rein in spending to win over conservatives, while Kenney should be “magnanimous” and adopt an “all is forgiven” stance with the NDP.

https://calgarysun.com/news/local-ne...e-b220255582c6