Conservatives Are Taking Alberta's Votes for Granted

On Thursday we learned an extension of the current equalization formula was passed on June 6, 2018.  Why were we surprised to learn this?  Because none of the Conservatives who voted against the amendment mentioned it even though they (mostly) showed up to vote on it.   No, we learned this from the media three weeks after the fact.

Since the final vote on June 6, the silence has been deafening. There are 53 CPC "defenders of the West", including its leader, Andrew Scheer (SK).  There is also a guy in Alberta whose heart and mind is hardly a moment away from the House of Commons, the Leader of Alberta's Official Opposition, Jason Kenney.  And none of these representatives, not one of these "unfair equalization" proponents was passing around the gasoline for the West to light its hair on fire?  Get real.

Part of that would of course be due to the fact that there was a federal by-election going on in Quebec that saw the Conservative Party of Canada win a seat on June 18.  While campaigning in Quebec, a political party does not need half of its caucus making waves against the province.

La Presse Canadienne / Jacques Boissinot

The only hiccup for the Conservatives was back in May when Manitoba MP Ted Falk let his social conservatism fly in the House of Commons when he yelled out "abortion is not a right!" in response to the Prime Minister.  Quebecers are, apparently, more liberal-minded than the Western CPC MPs and Conservative MPs from Quebec were forced to distance themselves from the comment. Ain't unity grand?

And speaking of unity, the only CPC MP who appears to be maintaining the purported conservative values is Maxime Bernier, who was removed from the front bench by Andrew Scheer earlier this month.  The CPC is on a mission: Elect a provincial Conservative Party in Quebec in October.  All MPs must toe the party line.

To do that, Andrew Scheer must continue to be the champion of all things Quebec; from supply management to equalization (no link available because; silence).  Jason Kenney, who likely wanted to be on as many stages as possible in Quebec during the summer, will have to stand up for Alberta as the lone voice for Alberta Conservative values of "it's mine, damn you, all mine!"

Andrew Scheer will have to continue to be the voice for Quebec, at least until October 2, 2018, but they won't worry too much about the Conservative support out West; Kenney has plenty of gasoline for all of those who can be set off by incomplete and misleading remarks about equalization. And while your hair is on fire, don't forget to donate to the CPC; they need your support to campaign for Quebec's interests.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
Content Director/Writer

NOTICE: This article is a mixture of both opinion and fact. Links within the article.

The New Conservative Paradise is Ontario; Up Next, Quebec?

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean
Friday June 8, 2018

Alberta Conservatives are rejoicing in the wake of Doug Ford's election as Premier, with a majority government, in Ontario.  "Ford Nation" proved that a party could be elected with no platform and the mathematically improbable mantra of cutting taxes and increasing spending while reducing debt; music to the ears of upcoming Conservative campaigns in Alberta.  For Jason Kenney, who has been equally light on solutions but big on improbable promises, Ford's win must be especially comforting.

"The winning strategy was simply to take the angry rural conservative base that's been building... and add the established voting pool... that core group of supporters" ~ Don Guy, veteran strategist; CBC, June 7, 2018 

Jason Kenney / Facebook

It was written about Ontario but it sounds awfully familiar.  The United Conservative Party has been building this perfect storm for almost three years now and we will likely see a surge in their froth-inducing narrative over the coming months.  Anger, hate and fear: the basis of a winning strategy in the Conservative heartland.

Anger over a government trying to inch Alberta into a green economy, hatred of evolving social norms and fear of an uncertain future.  From 2015 - 17, Saskatchewan and its Premier embodied Alberta's Conservative utopia. Now, Saskatchewan has a higher unemployment rate than Alberta.  Since Brad Wall abandoned his post as Premier to seek greener pastures in Calgary, his austerity measures and failure to rejuvenate the Saskatchewan economy are Scott Moe's problem.  But hope came from Ontario.

Now the United Conservatives have the once Liberal but suddenly Conservative province of Ontario to show Albertans where the greener grass grows.  Keep in mind that only 40% of the vote went to a conservative party while the other 60% went to the Liberals, NDP and Greens.  Reminiscent, one might say, of the 2015 election that saw the NDP rise in Alberta over the conservative parties with only 41% of the vote. 

"The (Party) was humiliated by voters going from a majority government to a small handful of seats"~ email to UCP members from Jason Kenney, June 7, 2018

Doug Ford / Facebook

One should expect few major moves from Ontario's new government prior to the Alberta election in 2019 aside from cutting taxes. The Conservative coalition within Canada will want to assure voters in Alberta that what they love, social programs, education and healthcare spending without the bill, will remain in place under a provincial Conservative government.  Ontario: Alberta's new Conservative Paradise... ?

Doubtful anyone ever considered that a possibility even though Conservatism might look a little different there than it does in Alberta.  Ford's promise of one dollar beer and government mandated cheaper gas doesn't just happen on its own in a free-enterprise society, you know.  And nothing says "open for investment" like dictating prices to private companies - as any good Conservative knows.  But don't concern yourself about that; Ontario certainly didn't.

Francois Legault / Facebook

As if there wasn't enough celebrating to be had, hang on to your hats, Alberta, because the party has only just begun.  The next provincial election is on October 2 in Quebec and there's been some very interesting developments on the Conservative front there as well.  Francois Legault, leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), a 'progressive conservative'-type party, has said "a CAQ government will aim for zero equalization" in four years AND ... you probably guessed it, cut taxes.  As is becoming the norm for Conservative politics, Legault says there will be no service cuts either.

Something isn't adding up in provincial politics lately.  Alberta's Conservatives have been calling for a return to the basics in education, particularly in math.  I'm beginning to see why.