April 23 2012: Alberta Provincial Election

[Senator Clay Davis]

Bahaha. I'm an idiot. Cannot believe I didn't get the C.R.A.P reference at first.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I don't think this is a move in the "How to not look like a Liberal" playbook...

Progressive Conservative Leader Alison Redford says her party could work with the NDP or the Liberals in a minority government — but finding common ground with the Wildrose could be challenging.


"There are significant enough number of policy differences that that would probably be a relationship that would be very difficult to work with," Redford told reporters in Edmonton on Friday.


"We did see yesterday in the CBC debate some areas where we did have common cause or common interest with the NDP and the Liberals and so we'll see how it goes on Monday night."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/albert...-minority.html

[Fire]

Prediction

WildRose: 49 seats
PCs: 32 seats
NDP: 4 seats
Liberals: 2 seats

Wildrose majority. Will basically sweep the rural ridings. Will remain in power for 30 years.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Fire

Prediction

WildRose: 49 seats
PCs: 32 seats
NDP: 4 seats
Liberals: 2 seats

Wildrose majority. Will basically sweep the rural ridings. Will remian in power for 30 years.

Kill me now.

[kn]

Progressive Conservative Leader Alison Redford says her party could work with the NDP or the Liberals in a minority government — but finding common ground with the Wildrose could be challenging.


"There are significant enough number of policy differences that that would probably be a relationship that would be very difficult to work with," Redford told reporters in Edmonton on Friday.

I don't think it's anything you'll have to worry about Alison.

[Flickered Flame]

Smith continues to support her party members:
http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/lo...b=EdmontonHome

[Flickered Flame]

Originally Posted by kn

I don't think it's anything you'll have to worry about Alison.

Is this an admission by Redford that the PCs are already left of center or about to move left of center?

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

Is this an admission by Redford that the PCs are already left of center or about to move left of center?

It's an admission, it's likely inadvertent, and it's probably a bad idea to do so.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Fire

Prediction

WildRose: 49 seats
PCs: 32 seats
NDP: 4 seats
Liberals: 2 seats

Wildrose majority. Will basically sweep the rural ridings. Will remain in power for 30 years.

Latest projection from http://threehundredeight.blogspot.ca/

WildRose. 45
PCs. 37
NDP. 4
Liberal. 1

Still a majority

[kn]

She wants to "change the character" of Alberta, has offered promises costing billions, and now she says she can't work with a conservative party? It would be one thing if her government was ethical and beyond reproach but you combine her desire to shift the spectrum left along with the scandals and culture of entitlement and you've got to wonder what the hell she and/or the PCs were thinking. Perhaps it was a strategy banking on "new Albertans", I don't know.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Don't be naive. You don't think there is a big difference in weight given to what Al Sharpton has to say in support of a "black" issue vs an "outsider"? It may not be right, but that's the way the world works.

That is not because Al Sharpton is black. It is because Al Sharpton is Al Sharpton (as others have already noted.) Do people (other than racist tea partiers) give less weight to what President Obama has to say about issues that might affect blacks in America?

Do people give less weight to what Mayor Nenshi has to say on issues that affect Muslims in Calgary?

Anyway, what are Muslim issues in Alberta? What are Sikh issues in Alberta? How are they different than "white issues"? (I'm sincerely curious.)

And more importantly, are these the sorts of perceived (and imagined) divisions that candidates should be campaigning on? No, absolutely not. Like I said: nonsense.

[jayswin]

Just out of curiosity, if Redford is ousted, does her unconstitional drining and driving law go with her? Or are we stuck with that?

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Just out of curiosity, if Redford is ousted, does her unconstitional drining and driving law go with her? Or are we stuck with that?

If the Wildrose win, I suspect they'll repeal it in short order.

And rightly so.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Just out of curiosity, if Redford is ousted, does her unconstitional drining and driving law go with her? Or are we stuck with that?

It seems unlikely that the Alberta legislation is unconstitutional. Broadly similar legislation in British Columbia was recently challenged and upheld by the British Columbia Supreme (Sivia v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2011 BCSC 1639 (CanLII); available here)

I suppose we will have to wait until a Court of Appeal or even the Supreme Court considers this type of legislation until we know for sure, but at the very least, its a bit early to be flippantly declaring this legislation unconstitutional on internet message boards.

[Thunderball]

It really shouldn't exist, but its pretty obvious that people in minority enclaves tend to vote for minority candidates, since the perception is they will react to issues specific to them sooner than someone who isn't as connected to their community. Is it stupid? yes. Is it backwards? yes. Does it happen anyway? Yes, ask PC candidate Muhammad Rasheed.

What bothers me is how poorly Leech addressed it. As a candidate for office, you simply have to stickhandle around issues like that. Canned responses like, "well, its unfortunate to think that way, I'd like to think all candidates of all backgrounds would want to represent all their constituents regardless of race, and those who don't should question their motives for office" go a long way in noting the reality and taking the high road.

What really concerns me, on another note if I may derail... is reading citiesmatter.ca and realizing how completely out to lunch the PCs and NDP (big surprise) are with the SWRR, a positively massive Calgary issue.

Both the Liberals, Alberta Party and Wildrose realize the Tsuu Tina route is essential, and are sticking to that routing as Plan A full stop. The PCs meanwhile, stated that if they can't agree with the Tsuu Tina, their Plan B is a ridiculous suggestion of twinning 8, 22 and 22x and calling it a day.

Its only 12 or so kms out of the way for truck traffic heading east towards Calgary looking to head south on Highway 2, so it may actually save a few minutes of travel. In fact, I'm sure more than a few truck routes follow this detour. However, it does absolutely nothing for SW Calgary's traffic woes.

It also does nothing for the majority that expect reasonable intracity transportation to be a side effect of the pricey Alberta Ring Road Project. What the end result there would be is nothing but a broken ring with a massive detour. Really, nobody driving from Shawnessy is stopping off in Bragg Creek on the way to the University or Foothills Hospital. The majority of traffic would still clog Glenmore, 14th, Anderson and Deerfoot. To be fair, at least they agree the Tsuu Tina route is the best, but are they that scared of losing the Premier's riding that they would take the time to discuss a ridiculous Plan B to placate voters in Lakeview from the reality that 37th St corridor has and always will be Plan B?

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Makarov

It seems unlikely that the Alberta legislation is unconstitutional. Broadly similar legislation in British Columbia was recently challenged and upheld by the British Columbia Supreme (Sivia v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2011 BCSC 1639 (CanLII); available here)

I suppose we will have to wait until a Court of Appeal or even the Supreme Court considers this type of legislation until we know for sure, but at the very least, its a bit early to be flippantly declaring this legislation unconstitutional on internet message boards.

I agree to a certain extent, in that I think there is a real need for the BC regime to be subjected to a thorough appellate review. But in the meantime, having read the decision of the BCSC here, its reasoning makes no sense: I'm therefore pretty comfortable saying that, at least, the constitutionality of the .05 regime is highly questionable.

[kn]

Paula Simons made a several great comments tonight on the Rod Breakenridge show but I wanted to bring attention to this one in particular (paraphrased):

She said that she has no doubts that Danielle Smith is not racist or homophobic, but by failing to come out early and condemning what Huntsperger said, Smith has given license to those who are racist and homophobic to think that their beliefs are validated.

I'm really glad I heard her tonight as it has helped me understand the comments made during our debates in this thread.

[_Q_]

Maybe we should have a poll for this? I'm kind of interested to see how CP will be voting on Monday.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Maybe we should have a poll for this? I'm kind of interested to see how CP will be voting on Monday.

Voting on Monday is for noobs.

[Rathji]

Are advanced polls open on weekend?