Rumour: March Call/April Vote Alberta Election

[edslunch]

What a BS move. Need a mandate???? They've got 70 freaking seats. This is pure opportunism while the opposition is in disarray. I hope the LG tells him to stuff it

[malcolmk14]

It's a life-long dream of mine to run for office one day.

Likely provincial politics.

One day.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by edslunch

What a BS move. Need a mandate???? They've got 70 freaking seats. This is pure opportunism while the opposition is in disarray. I hope the LG tells him to stuff it

I hope you realize just how empty that hope is. The LG is a basically just a ceremonial role, nothing more.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I hope you realize just how empty that hope is. The LG is a basically just a ceremonial role, nothing more.

Sadly true......

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Dion

A waste of 20 million for an election that is not needed!

I think a change is very needed. Unfortunately it likely won't come any time soon.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I think you'll see a void of credible opposition candidates in many ridings. It would comes as no surprise if only the PCs ran candidates in every riding in fact.

This leaves voters looking for an alternative and a well organized, credible, efficient independant candidate may never get a better look than this election.

The WRP has a large war chest of money to attract good candidates to run for their party. Derek Fildebrant (taxpayers association) is running as a WR in the Chestemere riding. As for the other ridings time will tell as to who runs.

[FireFly]

Am I the only one who thinks this could be interesting?

If the PCs are calling an election basically instead of releasing a budget, they're asking for carte blanche. All we've heard is doom and gloom from them for a number of months and questions of "What do Albertans want to see? Taxes or Cuts?" They haven't told us what they're going to do and why is that? Is their platform going to be "Do you trust us?" and not much else? Someone needs to grow some balls and make a budget.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Not really a surprise but had a source with strong political ties suggest an election will be called after the throne speech or budget in mid March.

Many opposition party ridings will be scrambling to fill spots so roll up your sleeves and run

Definitely the bolded, there has been talk of this since not long after Prentice won a) PC leadership; and then stronger talk not longer after b) he won his byelection; and c) super strong talk once the tip of everything oil was just talked about/a rumour to be happening.

So, opposition parties have know about this for a long, long, long time. Have been working to find candidates etc, but they will all likely be in tough to field a full slate (of strong, credible candidates).

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I think you'll see a void of credible opposition candidates in many ridings. It would comes as no surprise if only the PCs ran candidates in every riding in fact.

This leaves voters looking for an alternative and a well organized, credible, efficient independant candidate may never get a better look than this election.

Anything could happen, I suppose, but an independent being elected I would view as extremely - as in very, super extremely - being elected, let alone even being anywhere in the ballpark in a vote...

Originally Posted by Dion

The WRP has a large war chest of money to attract good candidates to run for their party. Derek Fildebrant (taxpayers association) is running as a WR in the Chestemere riding. As for the other ridings time will tell as to who runs.

Strathmore-Brooks, not Chestermere. Although that would be a good fight with Bruce McAllister of the PCs (formerly Wildrose) there. As is, Fildebrant is going up against floor crosser Jason Hale.

Originally Posted by FireFly

Am I the only one who thinks this could be interesting?

If the PCs are calling an election basically instead of releasing a budget, they're asking for carte blanche. All we've heard is doom and gloom from them for a number of months and questions of "What do Albertans want to see? Taxes or Cuts?" They haven't told us what they're going to do and why is that? Is their platform going to be "Do you trust us?" and not much else? Someone needs to grow some balls and make a budget.

I think they do speech from the throne, and then likely a budget, "sit" long enough to pass it, and then, boom election.

All in all, I would say the only "surprise" about an election is that it has taken this long for it to happen.

[RedHot25]

My question though is: where does Greg Clark run for the AB Party? He's not going again in Calgary Elbow, I believe Troy Millington (? - pardon the spelling) is running there for his party.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

My question though is: where does Greg Clark run for the AB Party? He's not going again in Calgary Elbow, I believe Troy Millington (? - pardon the spelling) is running there for his party.

I thought Clark had said he was running there again?

[killer_carlson]

I the Alberta Party doesn't come out with some actual platform and policy, they will be at risk of attracting candidates who are totally off message with the rest of the group. The AP has done a good job at listening, but thus far nothing has come from it.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

My question though is: where does Greg Clark run for the AB Party? He's not going again in Calgary Elbow, I believe Troy Millington (? - pardon the spelling) is running there for his party.

I would consider throwing my vote his way if he ran in Calgary Varsity. I did not live in Calgary Varsity during the previous election so I don't know much about the MLA, Donna Kennedy-Glans, or the other candidates. The only thing I recall is Donna leaving the PC party in protest of Redford and subsequently returning.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

Whats the over/under for PC seats? Maybe 80? I think I would take the under, but if the line was 75 I would probably take the over. This will be crushing for the opposition I think.

What opposition, this is a pretty cynical move by Prentice who knows that he has to have an election now before the stuff really hits the fan economically, and before the opposition parties can get leadership in and established.

He's going to run on a platform is that we're going to try to not implement taxes, or not mention them at all.

Then after he wins, with a strong majority he's going to do a mass tax implementation. He also is going to run now before any more scandals hit the papers like cellphonegate.

Its easier for him to campaign now. Even though its a waste of time and money to have an election now.

Right now the only victory that the opposition can really hope for is to whip up enough hatred to get rid of Danielle Smith and any of the other floor crossers. I believe that will consititute a major victory of the WR, Libs and AP.

[CaptainCrunch]

If they drop the writ and the early election happens. I won't be voting for my PC MLA. I've had enough of the guy and his party.

I might as well hope that the communist party or the Marijuana party runs. If I had the money to burn, I would probably want to start a ridiculous protest party to see how many votes we would get.

I don't think anyone wants to vote for the PC"s, I think this is going to be along the lines of people plugging their noses and voting.

[killer_carlson]

We should revive the Rhinoceros Party and our platform will be to compel a reduction in the number of seats in the Legislature, going down to 45 from 87.

I wonder if you could put enough candidates in each riding to put their name forward on that one issue: Reduce the number of MLAs, it's going to be the PC's anyways.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We should revive the Rhinoceros Party and our platform will be to compel a reduction in the number of seats in the Legislature, going down to 45 from 87.

I wonder if you could put enough candidates in each riding to put their name forward on that one issue: Reduce the number of MLAs, it's going to be the PC's anyways.

We'd need to get 7600 signatures and run candidates in at least half the ridings.

It sounds like way to much work for the Corruption Party of Alberta or CPA.

[Puppet Guy]

It's a shame that provincial elections don't mobilize the crazies the same way municipal elections do.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We should revive the Rhinoceros Party and our platform will be to compel a reduction in the number of seats in the Legislature, going down to 45 from 87.

I wonder if you could put enough candidates in each riding to put their name forward on that one issue: Reduce the number of MLAs, it's going to be the PC's anyways.

The Wild Boar Party from last time!

[ken0042]

I get calling an election when your opposition is at a weak point; I can respect the political strategy behind that. My issue is that the opposition is at a weak point because the ruling party just took their leader into their fold.

I'd love to see the LG refuse to allow an election to be called. The reasoning is just that they just strengthened their party; no need to get a mandate now. The strengthening comes from the recent by-election wins and the MLAs crossing the floor.

[Resolute 14]

The LG really can't prevent an election. If Prentice went and said he feels his party can no longer govern without a fresh mandate, the LG's only real options are to dissolve the legislature or to offer the opposition a chance to govern. Putting aside the fact that the opposition couldn't even fill every ministry without making each MLA wear four or five hats each, it would be defeated on the very first confidence motion and trigger an election anyway. Which is why the LG would never do it - Ethell would only come out of a decision like that looking like a fool.