Stelmach calls election

[flamey_mcflame]

I don't know if I'm the only one who follows this strange logic. But I vote for the Green Party mostly because I want the NDP reduced to irrelevance.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Wild Rose Alliance.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I'll end up voting conservative as usual.. I fear the other parties besides the alliance will have poor judgement in dealing with the oilsands.. I'm all for improving things environmentally, but lets not run the economy into the ground..

only focusing on oil and ignoring the environment, instead of trying to harness it into another new energy industry, is exactly what's going to drive the economy into the ground. whether alberta likes it or not, the future (and the money) is with renewable energy....it can choose to become a leader now and transfer over smoothly, or get left behind with its head in the oil sand.

but hey, going green = hippie tree hugger right?

[Russic]

I can't put my support behind any party as my views don't align 100% with any of them. I'd do what I always do. Listen to what they all have to say and vote for the one that annoyed me the least.

[Cheese]

Looks like a CP minority Government. Funny how the lean in politics from a US view is to the Liberal side and yet here it is still strongly Cons.

Shake them up for a term...all government is close to the same anyways. Albertans need change but are afraid to actually do it.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Table 5

only focusing on oil and ignoring the environment, instead of trying to harness it into another new energy industry, is exactly what's going to drive the economy into the ground. whether alberta likes it or not, the future (and the money) is with renewable energy....it can choose to become a leader now and transfer over smoothly, or get left behind with its head in the oil sand.

but hey, going green = hippie tree hugger right?

Lets not get into the discussion on the science of global warming (there are a ton of threads on that!!!), however it should be noted that Alberta is the ONLY province that has emission standards.

I do agree with moving to other forms of energy though. Nuclear really is the key to the future of mass producing energy. There are a few issues that need to be figured out though.

[GrrlGoalie33]

I've gotten phone calls both from the Liberals and the Convservative party in the last three days.

The call goes "We are calling on behalf of [insert canditate name here] of your [insert party here] party. Can we count on your support in the future?"

My response goes something like "I have no idea who [insert canditate name here] is or what they stand for, so no."

That is the standard response...although I had a bit more fun with the conservative person that called...

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by flamey_mcflame

I don't know if I'm the only one who follows this strange logic. But I vote for the Green Party mostly because I want the NDP reduced to irrelevance.

The NDP have been irrelevant in this province pretty much since it was founded.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

it should be noted that Alberta is the ONLY province that has emission standards.

too bad those standards are pretty attrocious.

I'm not arguing the science here (personally, I think it is akin to evolution....dead obvious). What I am arguing is that there are economists and leaders around the world acknowledging that green energy is an an inevitable oncoming wave, and our leaders need to be aware of this. Alberta, if it wants to stay ahead, needs to be aware of this and make the push to be the leader. With it's knowledgable energy work force, it can become the Silicon Valley of the industry.

The point is, ignoring environmental issues is not what will drive the Albertan energy industry in the future...ignoring it is exactly what will kill it.

[Robbob]

I'll probably vote PC but I'm not happy with them. We'll see closer to March 3rd but honestly this is the first time going into a provincal election I'm not 100% sure.

[the_only_turek_fan]

All 4 candidates will be on QR77's Rutherford show right now.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I'll probably vote PC but I'm not happy with them. We'll see closer to March 3rd but honestly this is the first time going into a provincal election I'm not 100% sure.

If you're not happy with them, why vote for them? That only makes them think their current course of action is supported.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by fotze

Because you may be confident in the fact that the other choices would fit even worse to your views. Sometimes (actually most times) it is not about picking the best candididate its about picking the least crappy candidate.

In that case I would spoil the ballot, or well, just not show up. However I vote for I'd like to have some semblance of being a positive reflection of my beliefs. Otherwise, protest vote.

[Robbob]

Fotze has it right. You can probably say in most elections your picking the lesser evil. I really don't agree with the spoiling of the ballot because I want my voice heard and not tossed aside (with is another reason why I choose to vote). Like I said originally I'm not 100% certian this year and it just might be a protest vote but if I protest I don't want to accidentally vote in someone I don't agree with. Aren't politics fun.

[Bobblehead]

I just think people associate provincial liberals with federal liberals. And while there is some overlap, generally they are very different animals.

A business or party keeps a name because of the Goodwill it represents (in the economic/financial sense - the positive feeling people associate with your "brand"). But in Alberta it would make sense for the Alta Liberals to re-brand themselves; just to get a clean start without the association to the Trudeau/Chretien federal Liberals.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Looks like a CP minority Government. Funny how the lean in politics from a US view is to the Liberal side and yet here it is still strongly Cons.

Shake them up for a term...all government is close to the same anyways. Albertans need change but are afraid to actually do it.

Should you be giving advise to Albertans, when you guys in Ontario voted in the NDP some time ago, and everyone, even the NDP were shocked. The NDP then proceeded to double Ontario's debt to a point where I believe it is now the largest debt for a non sovereign entity in the world.

Even though our electorate and politicians do stupid things at times, I don't believe we could ever be as foolish as those in Ontario.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by fotze

I think it is fear, at least it is for me, the thought in this province (which probably is why the same party has been in power forever) is if one of those other parties gets into office, you will eventually be layed off and have to move your family to another country because of the specialized skill set that they have that is valuable here.

The liberals have never realized this unchanging fact. If they could legitimately bring forward some actual quality and honest re-assurance that their vision will not make people lose their job, then they might make inroads. Whenever they talk about energy policy, you can tell immediately that they are so far removed from any of it that the instant reaction is "don't let these fataers anywhere near it".

If I were to discuss with you about how you could perform your job better, you would realize pretty damn quickly that I know absolutely nothing about graphic design which would render my views absolutely worthless in your eyes, or at least it should.

Its kind of a viscious cycle in the province, the liberals need to re-invent themselves but I don't think they have the resources to do so.

There's a reason this man has three red squares. Well put.

The crisis many of us centre-right voters have is while we have great disdain for Stelmach, because of his rural mindset and general incompetence... we realize the major alternative is even worse. If the Royalty Review implementations that Stelmach put in were exploitative and unfair, just imagine what Taft would do, when he said he felt they didn't go far enough. Classic example of someone who knows nothing about the industry except that there's a lot of money in it.

The question is, how do we get Stelmach tossed out or just to send a message that we're unhappy without getting in bed with the devil?

[Slava]

^ To me this is a pretty easy answer. Vote Liberal. If no other party has a chance to win seats and make a difference than sending a strong contingent of opposition MLA's is the best thing you can do. Let's face it...the Liberals will not win the government here, but if there are a lot of opposition MLA's at least they can provide some balance to the proceedings, and present an alternative viewpoint.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Table 5

only focusing on oil and ignoring the environment, instead of trying to harness it into another new energy industry, is exactly what's going to drive the economy into the ground. whether alberta likes it or not, the future (and the money) is with renewable energy....it can choose to become a leader now and transfer over smoothly, or get left behind with its head in the oil sand.

but hey, going green = hippie tree hugger right?

I look at Montana as a good example of the dangers that lie ahead for Alberta. 50 years ago, Montana was one of the top extractors of copper and other metals. They had one of the top incomes in the USA. There was no plan, no adherence towards any environmental policy, and 50 years later, Montana has a bunch of poisoned holes in the ground, 49th lowest income in the USA, and absolutely no money.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Should you be giving advise to Albertans, when you guys in Ontario voted in the NDP some time ago, and everyone, even the NDP were shocked. The NDP then proceeded to double Ontario's debt to a point where I believe it is now the largest debt for a non sovereign entity in the world.

Even though our electorate and politicians do stupid things at times, I don't believe we could ever be as foolish as those in Ontario.

That's a pretty naive view on things.

It was a similar situation to what is happening here in AB - nobody liked EITHER of the 2 main parties, they voted NDP without expecting them to win.

And yeah, it kicked them in the ass.

So then Mike Harris swept to power in his "Common Sense Revolution". Similar to when Ralph came in and made cuts, there were demonstrations by public sector workers, OPSEU (Ontario Public Sector Employees Union) had a long strike, but next election Harris won again. When he stepped down, the (fiscal) damage was well on its way to being repaired (although other issues cropped up as a result - see Walkerton). Many people still blame Harris for the damage caused by the cuts he instituted, but I believe the goal was worth the cost. The issue is what has happened since.

Ontario is in such trouble because of subsequent governments that have tried to spend their way into power.

I still think the Klein and Harris governments show that the general populace is willing to accept cuts to get the finances under control. People realize debts must be paid. But everyone also has their own special interests that they would like to see enhanced, and it is when a government tries to pander to too many of these interests that the trouble occurs.

Don't think that Alberta has the finances it does today simply because of sound management. yes, that is needed; but all that black stuff that has been the lifeblood of the world for the last 60 years has sure give Alberta an advantage.