This time next year, our province will be in full election mode as Albertans traipse to the polls to vote for their next provincial government.
Even though there are many months before the official campaign kickoff, things are already beginning to heat up. There are a handful of names already announced to seek party nominations locally and many more mentioned in the rumour mill.
A lot can change between now and May 2019, but we are beginning to see a picture emerging of what the upcoming months will look like.
Party leaders have begun to ratchet up the rhetoric and paint themselves as the only option to lead Alberta into the future.
Although both the Alberta Party and Liberal Party offer alternatives, this election will almost certainly come down to Rachel Notley versus Jason Kenney.
Kenney took his aim at Justin Trudeau this week, saying the PM has “the political depth of a finger bowl.” Though many have pointed out this seems to contradict Kenney’s own edict that he wishes to raise the bar on decorum, his comments aren’t likely to hurt him.
Those voting for Kenney likely won’t be voting for Trudeau anyway, and Kenney is hoping to send the message that he will stand up for Albertans. Although the NDP will attack Kenney on social issues, the UCP leader is hoping to skirt past those issues in order to appeal to both social and progressive conservatives.
Though Kenney has claimed he’s interested in the grassroots, his ultimate interest, of course, is in governing. He’ll do his level best to steer clear of divisive issues and continue to hammer Notley on the carbon tax while pushing for the ever-popular promises of lower taxes and balanced budgets.
Notley’s party will paint itself as the progressive party in hopes of grabbing the centre while maintaining its left-wing support. Based on the results of their term, they will focus on only one economic issue: the construction of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.
Never mind the deficits, anti-business measures like the carbon tax and the rising minimum wage – they don’t want you to think about that. For Notley and her party, it all comes down to getting this pipeline built. The B.C. wine ban was just the appetizer for her party’s struggle with our neighbours.
Soon the NDP may turn off the taps to see that project to fruition, or even pitch in taxpayers’ money if that’s what it takes. Will one big success make up for four years of deficits and follies? Timing will be everything for the NDP and they are betting hard on Trans Mountain.
A lot can change over the next year, and already the political rhetoric has begun, but rhetoric has the depth of, well, a finger bowl. Look at what has been said, but more importantly what has been done. And think long and hard about what’s best for the future of Alberta.
- reprinted from the St. Albert Gazette, a Great West newspaper
