Alberta Election Thread - Election Day April 16 2019

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I guess I'm only speaking anecdotally, as it's happened to me before.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

The politics of GSAs as an election issue are interesting to me

It’s largely a non event outside Alberta. Notley has successfully made it a wedge on a pretty fine point of distinction compared to other provinces. And she’s mobilized her supporters to hammer it.

Kenney had to know that was coming. So he’s clearly betting that the level of noise <> level of actual opposition and a more populist position will help him. He’s defending his position but not overtly attacking the other side. That suggests to me he is trying to be onside with populist views but sensitive to not appearing mean spirited to those who would see this issue as beige.

He might be dead wrong on all counts. Notley can only play the indignation card so many times before it loses effect though. If he’s right, she’s wasting a lot of campaign capital.

It’s a significant risk for both sides.

It has to be careful political calculus on the part of Kenney.

The Wild Rose got ~34-35% of the vote in 2012 in the 'Lake of Fire' election in the middle of the $100/bbl with pipeline access days. You would have to figure that regardless of how regressive the UCP policies get, he probably has that percentage of the vote in his back pocket (the more retrograde the social policies might even motivate portions of that base to show up for him on election day even more!). Layer on the economic issues and he probably figures he's still going to come out with 45-50% of the vote which is way more than enough to have a majority government and he gets to do it while tossing some red meat to his base.

For those of us that are more progressive in our social stances, but simply cannot accept another NDP government on fiscal / economic grounds, it's unsettling that this trade off is being made because it leaves open the door for the NDP to pull this one out and exposes an opening for the Alberta party to steal urban, non-religious conservative votes. We'll see if the Alberta Party can capitalize on this and shift a little right in their campaigning. No evidence of that thus far as their announcements have been for increasing spending in areas and a promise of gender equality in cabinet. Their game-plan looks to be to attempt to rise in relevance by rivaling or displacing the NDP as opposition to a UCP government rather than to steal UCP votes. Looks more like Justin Trudeau's Liberal party than a fiscally conservative, socially neutral party.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I completed my undergraduate degrees and masters at the U of C. I can't say I ever utilized any of the campus radio, tv, or newspapers. I might end up being in the minority but I will guess that 95% of the students don't utilize any of those media... so for me, I am perfectly fine with getting rid of them.

I'd say you are probably in the majority. But, these platforms are one of the few voices that minority views have in the community - ex. LGBTQ, indigenous, ethnic and cultural. Music, arts and political programming that isn't offered on commercial radio. Campus news and events.

CJSW was the only local station to hold mayoralty race forums.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

How do you know it wasn't the homeowners removing signs placed on their property without permission? There are always a bunch of... zealous... volunteers early on who seem to think they can put the things wherever they please.

I suppose that is possible too.

Wouldn't both be a crime? Removing signs, or placing them on private property without permission.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'd say you are probably in the majority. But, these platforms are one of the few voices that minority views have in the community - ex. LGBTQ, indigenous, ethnic and cultural. Music, arts and political programming that isn't offered on commercial radio. Campus news and events.



CJSW was the only local station to hold mayoralty race forums.

Fair enough

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by troutman

I suppose that is possible too.

Wouldn't both be a crime? Removing signs, or placing them on private property without permission.

I think placing a sign in an unapproved location is just a violation of a city bylaw regarding sign placement. I don't know that it's a crime. I guess you could argue some form of trespassing, but that's a stretch.

Removing a sign placed legally is theft.

EDIT: Here's a weird and totally academic question. What if you just turned a sign 90 degrees? There are plenty of them placed along roadways that would basically be worthless if they weren't facing oncoming traffic. What trouble could you get in for that, I wonder?

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'd say you are probably in the majority. But, these platforms are one of the few voices that minority views have in the community - ex. LGBTQ, indigenous, ethnic and cultural. Music, arts and political programming that isn't offered on commercial radio. Campus news and events.

CJSW was the only local station to hold mayoralty race forums.

If this was the 1980s or 1990s I would agree with this statement. Where we are today at the conclusion of the back 9 of the second decade of the 21st Century I would argue two things:

-minority views have never in our society have had as big a seat at the table among mainstream platforms as they do now (Obviously debatable as to whether it theoretically should be a bigger seat)
-Given advances in technology, it's never been cheaper or easier to have a platform or create new ones that are broadly accessible

[troutman]

I see nothing in Election Act about lawn signs, but City bylaws state:

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages...ion-signs.aspx

Home owner's permission is required before placing a sign on their property. You are also encouraged to obtain the home owner's permission before placing a sign adjacent to their property.

If you know of a bylaw infraction and would like to report it, please call 3-1-1 (from within Calgary) or 403-268-CITY (2489) (from outside Calgary).

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Really? You're saying people have gone and placed lawn signs on private residence without permission? I've never encountered that.

I had an NDP sign on my lawn the day after the election call. It was without permission, perhaps due to a misunderstanding as the local candidate is a friend (as is the UCP candidate). Because of work I do I have to remain apolitical in provincial and federal elections so I took down and it’s sitting beside my front step.

[MoneyGuy]

Ralph Klein’s daughter is supporting the NDP.

https://globalnews.ca/news/1972434/d...TJi3w8kIjqm6PA

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Ralph Klein’s daughter is supporting the NDP.

https://globalnews.ca/news/1972434/d...TJi3w8kIjqm6PA

Last election?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Ralph Klein’s daughter is supporting the NDP.

https://globalnews.ca/news/1972434/d...TJi3w8kIjqm6PA

That article was from four years ago. Point remains though.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

That article was from four years ago. Point remains though.

No it doesn't at all. Time travelling tweets, social media posts, newspaper articles, etc. that are either plucked out of context, presented as current, or omit highlighting that they are old are an act of deception. The increased use of this tactic is not a positive development for democracy.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

That article was from four years ago. Point remains though.

Sorry, I read the article but didn’t notice the date.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

No it doesn't at all. Time travelling tweets, social media posts, newspaper articles, etc. that are either plucked out of context, presented as current, or omit highlighting that they are old are an act of deception. The increased use of this tactic is not a positive development for democracy.

That's rich considering the party you'll likely be voting for is accused of undermining the democratic process through campaign financing violations and bogus email addresses.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Sorry, I read the article but didn’t notice the date.

How’d you even stumble across a 4 year article about a former premiers daughter?
Surely someone went digging for it in the hopes of passing it off as current?
Im guessing a Facebook post?

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

That article was from four years ago. Point remains though.

What point is it you think remains?
That her father died? True
That she met her husband while he was escaped from prison at a hemp concert she was performing at? True
That she was charged for making false abuse claims against her husband? True
That she shares the same view and plans on voting for the NDP this election? Who knows.
So I guess technically you are correct some points still remain, only nothing to do with the current election.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

What point is it you think remains?
That her father died? True
That she met her husband while he was escaped from prison at a hemp concert she was performing at? True
That she was charged for making false abuse claims against her husband? True
That she shares the same view and plans on voting for the NDP this election? Who knows.
So I guess technically you are correct some pints still remain, only nothing to do with the current election.

Nope. The fact that a Klein family member voted for the NDP is important to demonstrate that Albertans do not blindly follow a singular party, especially in the face of assumed political leanings. I think that's an important message -both in 2015 and now.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Nope. The fact that a Klein family member voted for the NDP is important to demonstrate that Albertans do not blindly follow a singular party, especially in the face of assumed political leanings. I think that's an important message -both in 2015 and now.

One person doesn't make that true. There are plenty of people who will blindy vote for a party no matter what.

Edit: It was a fluff piece back then, who really cares who Kleins daughter votes for? It really shouldn't matter more than who you or I are voting for and no one is writing articles about us.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by GGG

It appears from the statements that Private schools would get 100% of the tax payer portion of the per student funding...

Kenny’s education plan is terrible and being lost in the GSA discussion that just sewers the debate.

Wow. I don't know what to say about the fact that this is buried in the coverage while the GSA stuff dominates.

Here's another nugget:

The UCP would also review the education funding formula, which rural school boards say is penalizing them when enrolment declines.

Read: Urban taxpayers would subsidize education in rural school boards even more than they do today.