Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Macman

Didn’t Trudeau just decline to help with energy to Germany, a lot of that would have come from Alberta. There’s also the growing homeless issue not just in AB but all across the country. So she could start by saying Trudeau should be a better advocate for Canadians.

Declined to send it through a terminal that doesn't exist? And Germany didn't particularly want it? Have any companies even proposed building such a terminal?

"One of the challenges around LNG is the amount of investment required to build infrastructure for that," he said.

"There has never been a strong business case because of the distance from the gas fields, because of the need to transport that gas over long distances before liquefaction."

Trudeau said private companies are investigating whether such multibillion-dollar investments would be worthwhile in this "new context."

...

Trudeau said Canada will push ahead with LNG projects that are already under construction on the country's West Coast, terminals that will supply gas to another energy-starved region: Asia.

With more gas coming from Canada, other major suppliers, like Qatar, would have a freer hand to send their product to Germany and other European countries, he said.

"Right now, our best [solution] is to continue to contribute to the global market, to displace gas and energy that then Germany and Europe can locate from other sources," Trudeau said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tru...rope-1.6558542

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Macman

But what’s the big deal for Smith moving one riding over for a by-election when Singh moved across the country when he was chosen NDP leader? Seems like a non issue to me.

If there’s one thing I’m glad to see it’s Smith taking on Trudeau and see if she can move him from his typical canned responses to everything.

I don't care what riding she runs in. It's the fact that she's only going to have a by-election in that riding, while leaving another open.

Either by-elections aren't necessary to save money... in which case both should remain vacant until the general election.

Or if you're having one, you need to have the other, so the people in both ridings can have an active representative.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Macman

There’s also the growing homeless issue not just in AB but all across the country. So she could start by saying Trudeau should be a better advocate for Canadians.

I thought Smith’s whole schtick was supposed to be more Alberta and less Ottawa?

Seems odd if the goal of her “standing up to Trudeau” would result in more involvement from the federal government.

I guess that type of logic from her supporters would be consistent with blaming the feds for vaccination policies and restrictions implemented by provincial/civic governments as well as private businesses.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If she is going to campaign in a general on those points, she is going to get destroyed.

You remember this is Alberta, don't you? She's not going to get destroyed in a general election. People are going to say she's terrible and then vote for the UCP anyway, because they can't bring themselves to vote NDP.

My hope is that she is so bad that enough people switch their votes that the NDP can squeak out a victory. The NDP is not going to win a landslide next year, no matter how awful the UCP is.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

You remember this is Alberta, don't you? She's not going to get destroyed in a general election. People are going to say she's terrible and then vote for the UCP anyway, because they can't bring themselves to vote NDP.

My hope is that she is so bad that enough people switch their votes that the NDP can squeak out a victory. The NDP is not going to win a landslide next year, no matter how awful the UCP is.

The NDP won a majority in 2015.

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

The NDP won a majority in 2015.

... due to a split in the right. There I finished your sentence.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Izzle

... due to a split in the right. There I finished your sentence.

The UCP is splitting the right themselves.

There are people like that that are small c Conservatives, that are completely turned off by the bull#### Conservativism of the UCP.

I will not ####ing vote UCP (although I didn't last time either, I voted Alberta Party cuz my candidate wasn't an #######).

This time my vote will be used to ensure the UCP does not get in, therefore it will land in the NDP.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by FormerPresJamesTaylor

You should probably log back in and say your account was hacked or something. Might be the dumbest post in internet history.

Come on... You have read Yoho and Stickman's posts right?

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Izzle

... due to a split in the right. There I finished your sentence.

No need, but thanks all the same. There are many people who voted UCP, that aren’t voting for them in the next election. I have fairly high expectations the NDP will win the next election.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

The NDP won a majority in 2015.

Because there were two parties to vote for and conservatives had been in power for 40 years, so many of them didn't even imagine the NDP would win. Now that they realize it can happen, they will do anything to prevent it... even vote UCP.

A few people here have said they will vote NDP, but in the "real world" I never hear those comments from conservatives.

I think there's a chance the NDP wins, with how horrible Danielle Smith really is, but I would not be surprised at all if the UCP holds on in 2023.

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

The UCP is splitting the right themselves.



There are people like that that are small c Conservatives, that are completely turned off by the bull#### Conservativism of the UCP.



I will not ####ing vote UCP (although I didn't last time either, I voted Alberta Party cuz my candidate wasn't an #######).



This time my vote will be used to ensure the UCP does not get in, therefore it will land in the NDP.

IMO, youre underestimating the pull conservatism has in Alberta. While you will be voting for anyone that can dethrone the UCP, I suspect many won't.

You've got decades of Albertans saying that their parents and grandparents have voted conservative, therefore they have to continue voting conservative. This is a very powerful narrative. It is part of one's identity.

Albertans have had one taste of something other than blue in the last 40 years. But that coincided with a plunge in oil prices and they subsequently blamed the NDP for it.

Even then, the NDP came in power due to the right split. If the 2023 vote comes down to a largely binary choice between NDP and UCP then I think the NDP will not get in. Back in 2015, people stayed true to their identity (being conservative) and voted either the PC or Wildrose. Their identity didn't come into question. The vote was split and NDP came in.

It comes down to Calgary. Anecdotally, from talking to people I know they're still partial to the UCP. This thought is still pervasive: "I'm not a fan of the UCP but they're still better than the NDP." I dunno, maybe I need new friends.

The other thing I find is that they're hyper focused on Federal transgressions. They knew that the leadership for the UCP was coming up some time in October but they couldn't tell you which day. However they know the exact date when the liberals and Trudeau TRIPLED the carbon tax and voted to KILL the Alberta energy sector. What happens federally serves as a distraction to what's happening right now provincially.

I would like most Calgarians to have your view but the sense still is that "woe is me, I'm a political orphan". However, these folks will vote and at the ballot box, when the choice is binary (blue vs orange : sticking to ones identity vs voting for something new) I'm afraid they will vote blue.

[cal_guy]

Originally Posted by Izzle

... due to a split in the right. There I finished your sentence.

I recall that post election polls found that a majority of Wildrose voters had NDP as their second choice.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Macman

But what’s the big deal for Smith moving one riding over for a by-election when Singh moved across the country when he was chosen NDP leader? Seems like a non issue to me.

If there’s one thing I’m glad to see it’s Smith taking on Trudeau and see if she can move him from his typical canned responses to everything.

Honest question for anyone with this hope. What impact on federal politics do you think an Albertan aggressive stance on Trudeau makes on federal politics? The rest of the country isn't Alberta so I'm not sure that would be a good thing for conservatives federally

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by cal_guy

I recall that post election polls found that a majority of Wildrose voters had NDP as their second choice.

While interesting I don't think that will hold up again. Rural folks will not consider the NDP at all.

@Amethyst also brought up a good point, back in 2015 the NDP was an afterthought. No one thought they would win. That's why it came as such a surprise. But now that conservatives know that an NDP win is possible they'll ensure that the NDP doesn't get a second choice placing.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Izzle

While interesting I don't think that will hold up again. Rural folks will not consider the NDP at all.

@Amethyst also brought up a good point, back in 2015 the NDP was an afterthought. No one thought they would win. That's why it came as such a surprise. But now that conservatives know that an NDP win is possible they'll ensure that the NDP doesn't get a second choice placing.

Younger people are starting to vote, and most of them imo, lean more left. Smith is a far right wing wacko, so I believe she will shed a lot of votes in Calgary.

[Duruss]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

Younger people are starting to vote, and most of them imo, lean more left. Smith is a far right wing wacko, so I believe she will shed a lot of votes in Calgary.

I believe that's why shee is blocking the by election in Calgary, as there is a real chance it goes NDP and that would mess un the conservatives narrative.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by Duruss

I believe that's why shee is blocking the by election in Calgary, as there is a real chance it goes NDP and that would mess un the conservatives narrative.

I can't think of any other reason than she thinks they could lose. Which does give me a glimmer of hope for the general election, but Albertans continually prove that as a group they would prefer to shoot themselves in the foot than risk supporting a different colour.

[troutman]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1578232448638648320

[T-Dog]

For what it’s worth, I’m a lifelong conservative voter and I won’t be voting for either conservative party in the next provincial and federal elections. I find both new leaders appalling and I suspect there are a lot of traditionally conservative voters that feel the same way.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by belsarius

I can't think of any other reason than she thinks they could lose. Which does give me a glimmer of hope for the general election, but Albertans continually prove that as a group they would prefer to shoot themselves in the foot than risk supporting a different colour.

Yeah, it’s tough to make much of a judgement from a byelection. They’re not the same as a general election because voters know what the outcome of the other ridings. They’re more likely to voter to send a message or that kind of thing. Parties trying to prove a point focus on those ridings as well, whereas in a general election it’s just 1/83 and doesn’t get that same attention.