At Full Comment, I've got a survey of local reports on candidates' forums and a prediction for the overall outcome.
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At Full Comment, I've got a survey of local reports on candidates' forums and a prediction for the overall outcome.
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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on March 3, 2008 8:04 AM.
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Comments (10)
Quick question from an observer trapped by circumstance in Toronto: what exactly did Stelmach do to win over voters in Edmonton? That strikes me as one big part of the story; the PCs are up 11 points in the polls in Redmonton over the last campaign.
Posted by garnet | March 4, 2008 12:04 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 00:04
He promised more cabinet representation for Edmonton (if it sent him more Tories), which was a chronic issue under Klein. He's given the city some special attention funding-wise, though I don't know if that can be quantified; he benefits implicitly from some of the partly province-funded stuff going on here like the Henday Rd. and LRT extensions. Edmonton benefits disproportionately from anything that's done for secondary ed. And he made it clear, unlike the Liberal leader, that he doesn't favour destroying the economic basis for the city's existence.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 4, 2008 12:29 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 00:29
Been loving how wrong all of the bloggers have been - CG is hilarious. But it seems that despite your pessimism Edmonton - Crystal Meth - Sextrade did go PC! Even the pimps and drug dealers were worried about NDP and Liberal tax policies!
Too bad Ed is such a crap leader, and not a good conservative, but despite what Ezra says it's better than a real leftie. 72/73 - woohoo!
Posted by Hey | March 4, 2008 5:16 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 05:16
I'll let you in on a secret--I'm in a bad neighbourhood awaiting planned bohemianization, but technically it's not the poor riding 'cause I'm on the right side of the tracks. And if you think the bloggers have a lot to apologize for, try re-reading the print columnists.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 4, 2008 7:04 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 07:04
Being as far removed as I am from the political scene in Alberta, I wake up quite surprised as to the election outcome.
But what is one to make of the CBC headline (as of 9:50 EST)
http://www.cbc.ca/
"Follow the entrails of the Alberta election"
this seems an odd turn of phrase.
Posted by An American Passing Through | March 4, 2008 7:51 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 07:51
If Ed Stelmach is forced out as leader now, there might be a good chance of the PC party losing the next election. Forcing out a leader who's won a majority seems to be a harbinger of doom for a successful party - witness Thatcher's Tories and Chretien's Liberals. Of course, it's hard to see another party filling the vacuum in Alberta.
Posted by George Skinner | March 4, 2008 11:20 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 11:20
Uh, well, in case it's not clear, nobody is going to be pushing Ed out the door. More likely his caucus-mates will be offering him their daughters as concubines right about now.
The entrails the CBC is referring to are Kevin Taft's, I believe.
Posted by Colby Cosh | March 4, 2008 11:22 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 11:22
If offering up daughters as concubines isn't going to outrage the social conservatives, I don't know what is...
Seriously, I'm curious to see what happens. Stelmach won big in this election, but he's still the same guy the Ted Morton faction and Calgarians have been sniping at for the past year. If they decide that the victory is due more to a strong PC brand than Stelmach's leadership, I wouldn't put it past them to attempt a coup at the next leadership review.
Posted by George Skinner | March 4, 2008 1:06 PM
Posted on March 4, 2008 13:06
There's going to be a leadership review? One that actually matters, I mean?
Posted by Garth Wood | March 4, 2008 2:29 PM
Posted on March 4, 2008 14:29
Garth:
Let's see how he fares over the next 12 months with housing starts off 60%, natural gas exploration all but evacuated to SK and BC and a war over equalization in the offing with ONT. Something like 25% of the PC mlas are rookies with something to prove too.
Posted by Gord Tulk | March 4, 2008 6:52 PM
Posted on March 4, 2008 18:52