Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[timun]

I presume "Musselman" came from the old-timey "Mussulman/Musulman/other spellings" meaning "Muslim", (Muslim is still musulman(e), in French) which if so is an amusing irony.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Whats Jason up to these days?

https://www.reddit.com/r/alberta/com...ew_with_jason/

The RSVP URL is written in tongues.

[Bigtime]

How Albertans would feel if each of the following won NDP leadership:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1760021400725700731

https://www.pollara.com/how-albertan...ip-candidates/

[calgarygeologist]

Nenshi is the most polarizing and the negative sentiment is largest in Calgary which could potentially hurt the NDP a lot in what has become the significant battleground.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Nenshi is the most polarizing and the negative sentiment is largest in Calgary which could potentially hurt the NDP a lot in what has become the significant battleground.

sure but look at that upside. 41% positive.

Playing it safe with a less polarizing name might limit the downside, but it significantly limits the potential upside for a party that needs to grow the tent if they want to win government in the next election cycle. And it's the "excited" boosters that can make the biggest difference. 17% excited compared to just 3-4%? That's a landslide win for a Nenshi-led NDP compared to low voter turnout for anyone else.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Bahahah “angry”….. really? Angry?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Nenshi is the most polarizing and the negative sentiment is largest in Calgary which could potentially hurt the NDP a lot in what has become the significant battleground.

That is an entirely bizarre way to interpret those numbers lol.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Nenshi is the most polarizing and the negative sentiment is largest in Calgary which could potentially hurt the NDP a lot in what has become the significant battleground.

I think the lower polarization factor for the non-Nenshi candidates highlights more that their careers thus far have been so insignificant that they barely register with the general public rather than highlight a problem with a Nenshi candidacy. The 2 to 1 positive reaction compared to the rest of the field highlights this.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

sure but look at that upside. 41% positive.

Playing it safe with a less polarizing name might limit the downside, but it significantly limits the potential upside for a party that needs to grow the tent if they want to win government in the next election cycle. And it's the "excited" boosters that can make the biggest difference. 17% excited compared to just 3-4%? That's a landslide win for a Nenshi-led NDP compared to low voter turnout for anyone else.

I would argue that it is easier and better to start with a smaller population hating you and work on building support by getting out into the community and doing the grassroots stuff than it is starting with a larger group that hates you and will potentially put on an aggressive drive to dismantle you.

[Flames0910]

Ya you’re right. Jim Prentice, Jason Kenney and Danielle Smith were all about the long term play of starting small, getting into the community and building up grassroots support.

Pot, meet kettle.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I would argue that it is easier and better to start with a smaller population hating you and work on building support by getting out into the community and doing the grassroots stuff than it is starting with a larger group that hates you and will potentially put on an aggressive drive to dismantle you.

Who would you suggest is the best option for the NDP at this point?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Who would you suggest is the best option for the NDP at this point?

In terms of having the potential to grow and transition the party it would probably be Ganley or Pancholi. But that is because I believe the NDP needs to rebrand into a new alternative. Hoffman won't go after the large centrist, moderate group of voters due to her ideology. Nenshi hasn't said if he would run or what his vision and focus would be.

[Ozy_Flame]

When I think about it, I think an official break from the federal NDP, Pancholi as leader, and Nenshi as an endorsement and as an advisor would be a fantastic outcome. A re-naming is gravy but not critical (they came close last election even with the name brand). The right messaging and a publicly-visible centrist stance is the foundational move here.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Nenshi is the most polarizing and the negative sentiment is largest in Calgary which could potentially hurt the NDP a lot in what has become the significant battleground.

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

That is an entirely bizarre way to interpret those numbers lol.

I agree with calgarygeologist, Nenshi does seem the most polarizing. None of the other candidates come close in either approval or disapproval. And given Nenshi is largely unknown outside Calgary other than he was mayor of Calgary I would think much of the negativity would be from within Calgary. And that is not good if the NDP is trying to win Calgary.

[Cappy]

I wonder how much of that negative would vote for the NDP anyway.

Nenshi is probably the most well known municipal leader in Alberta since Klein.

I think the NDP has to put the chips on the table next election. Smith has been (predictably) atrocious and again the UCP suffers from putting forth policies that the majority of the province hates. Coupled with a potential economic downturn, they are ripe for unseating.

The NDP will likely not want to put it in the hands of an unknown at this point, and given the political illiteracy of general Albertans, i think a name would do well.

Polarizing political figures are successful in this political climate. An unknown or limp wrist is bound to be forgotten on voting day

[Slava]

^1000% this. If you have a leader and the entire province aside from political junkies is like “who?”, that doesn’t bode well. If Nenshi doesn’t run, those others are not winning the next election.

Although, I do find it rather amusing that they’re seemingly all in a rush to get rid of the carbon tax. Way to stick to your guns.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I think the lower polarization factor for the non-Nenshi candidates highlights more that their careers thus far have been so insignificant that they barely register with the general public rather than highlight a problem with a Nenshi candidacy. The 2 to 1 positive reaction compared to the rest of the field highlights this.

I’d be surprised if even a quarter of Albertans have heard of the other three. Which is going to be a big problem for the NDP.

[Weitz]

All I see if Nenshi becomes leader is motivation to vote against him in the only place the NDP needs more votes. Not sure how that would work out.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Weitz

All I see if Nenshi becomes leader is motivation to vote against him in the only place the NDP needs more votes. Not sure how that would work out.

If you read the report, he actually has the strongest vote share in Calgary. He does the best in Calgary. He is well known and well liked in Calgary.

You want to win Calgary, you pick Nenshi

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Cappy

If you read the report, he actually has the strongest vote share in Calgary. He does the best in Calgary. He is well known and well liked in Calgary.

You want to win Calgary, you pick Nenshi

You want to win an election. I still think Nenshi would be a net loss in votes. That poll doesn’t indicate either.