AGRDT's 2008 Alberta election endorsement post

After 4 weeks of one of the worst political campaigns in recent history, election day is nigh. Alberta voters will go to the polls on Monday, and for reasons most voters themselves are not aware of, we as a province will likely be sentenced to 4 more years of PC rule.

What was so bad about the campaign? We think the biggest problem is that it confirms again that critical thought has all but disappeared from the Alberta political sphere. As progressives, we're sad that a conservative party will likely be elected, but what troubles us so much more is that this party is not being elected based on platforms and policies. It is being elected on the basis of Albertan mythologies: 'we hate Liberals,' 'we hate socialists,' 'all governments are corrupt,' 'you can't change Alberta politics,' and 'we vote conservative -- that's just what we do.'

It's ironic that in a province that prides itself on being home to "mavericks" -- another mythology -- so many people don't have the wherewithal to question these dominant assumptions. This quote, from a Drumheller resident and taken from Graham Thomson's profile of that town, is indicative of what we perceive to be the salient theme of Alberta voting: I vote Conservative because my parents voted Conservative. Hereditary voting? Is that really a reason to support a party?

At least some of the fault goes to the opposition parties, because they haven't been able to present a vision compelling enough to force people like the one quoted above to ask themselves why they vote Tory, something we're not sure a lot of these people would be able to tell you. However, it's hard for these parties to make inroads with a population that seems totally unwilling to listen to what they have to say.

Examining a few developments from the campaign illuminates this all too clearly. Alberta voters have more-or-less consistently identified environment and healthcare as their issues of greatest concern for this election. In the last four weeks, we've seen the Conservation Voters of Alberta release a report grading the environmental platforms of Alberta's major political parties. Here the Liberals, New Democrats, and Greens were tied for first place with a "B," and the Tories were tied with the Wildrose Alliance in last with a "D." We've also seen the Alberta Medical Association release a similar report grading the healthcare platforms of the parties, in which the Liberals were awarded first place with a "B," the NDPs second with a "C+," and the Tories third with a "C."

We have independent bodies ranking the major opposition parties higher than the incumbent PCs on the two issues that matter most to Albertans. Yet, even in the face of this information and of many, many, many, many other embarrassments on the part of the PCs, they will likely be elected on Monday to their 11th consecutive majority. We feel that Alberta voters can do better.

Which brings us to the Alberta: Get Rich of Die Trying Alberta Election 2008 Endorsement: vote with your brain.

We ask Albertans to shed their biases, take a look at what matters to them and attempt to objectively gauge what party best represents these concerns. You're smart, hard-working and committed people that have made this province what it is today. You know you deserve better than this, in fact most of have already made it clear that it's time for a change. So now it's time to put your money where your mouth is.

Liberal, Green, NDP, WAP or even PC; the most important thing is that voters truly believe the party they vote for will run our province with Albertans' best interests at heart. That said, being a progressive blog,  we'll add that an objective look at the performance of this government likely won't lead you to vote for the Tories (unless you are in favour of corruption, inefficiency and incompetence). While you may not think the opposition parties are quite ready to govern, they will never become true alternatives if voters don't give them the chance to do so. More opposition MLAs means stronger parties with more resources who can work to deliver the change Albertans want to see and hold our government to account. And if you don't like them, you can always kick them out in four years. 

In conclusion, it is heartening to see that some people have started to change their minds about the PCs. We've seen new voices of dissent rising in places where they were rare before: rural Alberta, Calgary, and strangely enough, even industry. Unfortunately, though, we doubt there will be enough of them come Monday. Here's hoping that we're wrong. 

Comments

[Fort Redneck]

You mentioned that at least some of the blame should go to the opposition parties. How about 90% of the blame. What made people stop voting for the SoCreds like everybody had for a couple of generations? An opposition leader that inspired them - that's what. This was an excellent opportunity for someone, anyone from the Libs or NDP to make some serious inroads and they most likely blew it. And you want to blame this on the sheep mentality of the Alberta voter?

[Corey]

yo! kool website dude! i love elections man

[jk]

Fort Redneck:

I hardly think that blame for the stagnant political culture in this province can be laid entirely at the feet of the opposition parties. The general populace has nothing but forgiveness for the PCs -- ignoring ridiculous scandal after epic misstep after myopic failure. Honestly, in what other province could a premier drunkenly throw money at homeless people, a few months later admit that his government had no plan whatsoever for managing the growth of one of the largest industrial developments on the planet, and then have his party get elected to another majority?

Amazingly, these same people can't find enough ways to criticize the opposition. They'll look the other way when, say, it's revealed that the PCs ignored internal reports that said a royalty change was necessary that ultimately cost Albertans at least $1 billion, but when Taft has the audacity to point this out he's jumped on for being a whiny egghead. It's just completely ridiculous. How exactly is the opposition supposed to win votes? By telling everyone how good the governing party is doing?

It's my contention that this boils down to simple apathy. It's way easier to just assume everything is alright and buy into the asinine "Liberals = eastern money-stealing pinko academics," "NDP = commie money-wasting bleeding hearts" stereotypes than to actually think about stuff. I'm definitely not saying that all PC supporters are mindless idiots -- there are without a doubt very many of them who have examined the issues that matter to them and come to the conclusion that the PCs are the party to support. But I definitely am saying that there is a bloc -- large enough to ensure repeated majorities after countless examples of gross incompetence -- of habitual PC supporters that simply couldn't explain to you, if you asked them, why they support the PCs.

Is it the job of opposition parties to change this? Absolutely. Is it their fault that the province got to be like this? Absolutely not.