Alberta Green Party deregistered

[Zarathustra]

Originally Posted by Slava

I can tell you without question that this has been discussed in great detail. The problem in Alberta is that the rural seats dominate the vote...its a longer term plan for sure, and to really be effective a party has to virtually sweep the cities to prove their point.

Why should farmers and small town folk have such influence when 2/3rds of the population lives in Calgary/Edmonton? We can also assume that these cities will continue to get bigger and rural districts will continue to lose people to the big cities.

[Mark]

I heard the ridings are up for a scheduled refresh before the next provincial election in 2012. We could already see the cities becoming more important.

Too many Albertans like to link the federal and provincial Liberal party as one entity and Trudeau this and Trudeau that blah blah blah. Whether it is a Liberal-NDP merger or just a new party from the ashes, the void that is the Alberta opposition needs to be filled with something new. The Conservative party turned into the Saskatchewan Party 10 years ago after stumbling a bit and it paid immediate dividends and are now in power.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Hard to say, I'd still consider them fiscally moderate, socially moderate/liberal, at least on Canada's political continuum. Although I still don't feel like I have a really strong grasp on exactly what Ignatieff's fiscal/economic policies would be.

The problem with being fiscally conservative and being socially liberal in Canada is that an awful lot of people think that simply running a balanced budget is being 'fiscaly conservative' (High taxes to support a balanced budget is not a 'fiscal conservative' hallmark) and the percieved "Socially Liberal" context includes a smattering of expensive government funded programs to oversee societies "Social Progress."

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

The beauty of a multi-party first-past the post system

I think that's an oxymoron

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

Why should farmers and small town folk have such influence when 2/3rds of the population lives in Calgary/Edmonton? We can also assume that these cities will continue to get bigger and rural districts will continue to lose people to the big cities.

Because:
Why should Western Canadians have such influence when 2/3rds of the population lives in Eastern Canada?

But you raise a good point because democracy is about the majority of people, but sometimes they are far away...

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

Why should farmers and small town folk have such influence when 2/3rds of the population lives in Calgary/Edmonton? We can also assume that these cities will continue to get bigger and rural districts will continue to lose people to the big cities.

You won't get an argument from me as to why the rural areas dominate the legislature. Even after the redrawing of the constituencies however you can expect a significant number of seats to be rural or at least contain a huge percentage of rural votes to keep the seats in the PC's hands.

[mykalberta]

When you combine Lethbridge, Red Deer, GP and Fort Mac with Edmonton/Calgary region you do get a majority. Slim but its possible.

Also this assumes the PC gets all the vote on the right and its not split but another roc party like WA.

Also of those rural areas alot like where my parents have little 20k cities that you would get as well.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

You won't get an argument from me as to why the rural areas dominate the legislature. Even after the redrawing of the constituencies however you can expect a significant number of seats to be rural or at least contain a huge percentage of rural votes to keep the seats in the PC's hands.

Earlier in the thread I thought maybe you were speaking federally, but this clarifies you mean provinically.

There are 23 in Calgary, 18 in Edmonton, 2 in Red Deer, 2 in Lethbridge and 1 for Medicine Hat. Other cities are either split in half or are within a rural area.

That is a total of 46 seats that are exclusively "urban". How do the rural areas "dominate" the Leg. with the lremaining 37 seats?

[Yeah_Baby]

If Smith wins the WRA leadership, I'm curious to see what she can do.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Earlier in the thread I thought maybe you were speaking federally, but this clarifies you mean provinically.

There are 23 in Calgary, 18 in Edmonton, 2 in Red Deer, 2 in Lethbridge and 1 for Medicine Hat. Other cities are either split in half or are within a rural area.

That is a total of 46 seats that are exclusively "urban". How do the rural areas "dominate" the Leg. with the lremaining 37 seats?

I would probably classify Airdrie-Chestermere as completely urban, and would not be surprised if Airdrie itself is a riding next time around. The two ridings in Grande Prairie would also be heavily urban focused.

Rural ridings still have a disproportianate voice, but the balance will continue to swing in favour of urban areas with redistricting prior to the next election.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

You won't get an argument from me as to why the rural areas dominate the legislature. Even after the redrawing of the constituencies however you can expect a significant number of seats to be rural or at least contain a huge percentage of rural votes to keep the seats in the PC's hands.

Other than Airdrie, which already dominates its riding, where else could you "eliminate" the rural aspect of a riding? Outside of the four big cities, Alberta is rural dominated, so your best hope of redistricting adding more urban flavour is to give Edmonton City and Calgary more seats.

As it is, the PCs took 34 of 45 seats in the four biggest cities, so it isn't like the rural vote is what is keeping the Conservatives in power.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Earlier in the thread I thought maybe you were speaking federally, but this clarifies you mean provinically.

There are 23 in Calgary, 18 in Edmonton, 2 in Red Deer, 2 in Lethbridge and 1 for Medicine Hat. Other cities are either split in half or are within a rural area.

That is a total of 46 seats that are exclusively "urban". How do the rural areas "dominate" the Leg. with the lremaining 37 seats?

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Other than Airdrie, which already dominates its riding, where else could you "eliminate" the rural aspect of a riding? Outside of the four big cities, Alberta is rural dominated, so your best hope of redistricting adding more urban flavour is to give Edmonton City and Calgary more seats.

As it is, the PCs took 34 of 45 seats in the four biggest cities, so it isn't like the rural vote is what is keeping the Conservatives in power.

Both of you are right here, but the problem is that while the seats are apportioned this way, the population is heavily weighted towards Calgary and Edmonton in particular, but the major cities in general.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

If Smith wins the WRA leadership, I'm curious to see what she can do.

Here let me sum up her probable platform for you:

A) When times are good: The government should cut taxes...clearly they are getting in the way of productive business.

B) When times are bad: The government should cut taxes...clearly people need more money in their pockets and this will stimulate the economy so that we can get back to arguing for position A again.