So here we are, in the middle of the 28th Alberta General Election. The formal election day is set for April 23, 2012 and this election is poised to be the most interesting since the Progressive Conservative took power in 1971 and have held onto majority power ever since. This is the first time in 41 years that there has been a credible threat to not only remove the PC’s from a majority, but to remove them from forming a government altogether and for the Wild Rose Alliance Party to form a majority government, if the polls are to be believed.
I believe in voting, it is our democratic right to do so. Yet, in my opinion the Progressive Conservatives have been in power, and with a majority, for much too long in this province. Lately with the leader who came 3rd; in 2006 Jim Dinning was the front runner, but the party members who weren’t in his favour supported Ed Stelmach. Now after Stelmach’s resignation Alison Redford is Premier of Alberta for much the same reason; a party who has such internal hatred for a leader candidate that they’d rather have the the runner-up as their leader than the ‘other guy/gal’.
The biggest problem with the PC’s is that they lack the decisive factor to come out and say “This is what needs doing and we’re going to do it”, they’re afraid that the voting public will reject them if they make too hard of a line. The PC’s have move too far to the the centre of the political spectrum for the average Alberta voter. The voting public doesn’t want wishy-washy- politicians, they want deciders, thinkers, and people who act. This is exemplified when the Alberta Liberals and the Alberta NDP are scrutinized, neither party has the focus to appeal to “Voter Joe”. This is why the Wild Rose has gone from 4 seats to potentially forming the next majority Provincial Government. The Wild Rose Alliance is giving the people what they want to hear; “The PC’s have screwed up the province, let us fix it”; “The PC’s have done this, that, haven’t done this, haven’t done that”, we will fix it.” However, and this is a big however, they haven’t told the people of Alberta how they’ll accomplish this. The Wild Rose is gaining momentum solely by telling the public that the PC’s have been in power for too long and more people have bought in than they expected; now they’re scrambling to invent party policies as the election comes at them. And unfortunately the party id filling with disgruntled PC’s (Danielle Smith, Guy Boutilier) or politicians who have nothing but self interest in mind.
Going on to the Fort McMurray local candidates, Don Scott, Doug Faulkner, Guy Boutilier, and Mike Allen. Both WRP candidates (Faulkner and Boutilier) are former Mayors of YMM and are intimately knowledgeable about the city, municipality, its strengths and weaknesses. Both PC candidates are municipal councilors and have small businesses within Fort McMurray. So now this makes deciding whom to vote for even more difficult. All 4 MLA candidates are well known to the community, have their strengths, have their short-falls and undoubtedly have the region’s best interests in mind.
I find myself thinking the following: I know the PC’s are going to continue on much of the same path that they has been put before them and I disagree; the WRP proposes new and perhaps better change for the province, yet I can’t in good conscience vote for a party that has no focus and the potential to drive the province back into 1950’s politics.
In closing, whoever you are, if you reside in the province of Alberta, on or before April 23rd, 2012, vote! It is your democratic right! Democracy relies on everyone to make a choice, make yours!
