“I think I can safely say that the majority of Members of Parliament inside the Alberta caucus, that I’m aware of, are leaning Wildrose,” Mr. Anders (Calgary West, Alta.) told The Hill Times in a phone interview from his Calgary riding. “There are still a few stragglers who are supporting the Progressive Conservatives, but they’re more reluctant to make a public admission of that because they see the numbers and where things are heading.”
Mr. Anders is sporting two lawn signs at the front of his house—one for Rob Solinger and one for Vittor Marciano, both Wildrose candidates running for MLA and federal Senate, respectively. Mr. Anders said he wants to see the Wildrose Party win because he’s worried taxes will go up, especially for energy producers.
“There’s a strong possibility of taxes going up under a re-elected Progressive Conservative government,” said Mr. Anders, who identified taxation as his main concern as a constituent in the Calgary-Varsity riding, told The Hill Times. He spoke favourably of Wildrose’s signed pledge to not increase taxes—a tactic that has been used by many U.S. Republicans affiliated with the Tea Party movement.
“At the end of the day that’s the number one thing that I ask any politician representing me to do—keep my taxes low.”
Mr. Anders, a controversial MP who has represented Calgary West, Alta., in the House of Commons for 15 years, also noted potential changes to Alberta’s royalty regime when it comes to the province’s natural resources.
In 2007, then Alberta premier Ed Stelmach tried to raise royalty rates after 14 years of low rates under the leadership of his predecessor, Ralph Klein. Mr. Stelmach faced a backlash from the oil industry and the public and lowered maximum rates in 2011 to 36 per cent from 50 per cent on gas production and 40 per cent from 50 per cent on oil production. Alberta conservatives have charged that the Progressive Conservatives’ ambitious plans for infrastructure, health care and education would lead to increases in royalty rates—a charge that leader Alison Redford has denied throughout the campaign and in last Thursday’s debate.
“My riding has a lot of oil patch executives in it, and they’re upset at that because it really messed with their business models. It saw a lot of oil barracks and rigs move to Saskatchewan, which has been very stable with its Royalty regime,” he said.
Following last Thursday’s debate an Ipsos Reid poll found that 37 per cent of survey respondents thought Ms. Smith won the leaders’ debate, compared to 28 per cent for Ms. Redford. Some 13 per cent selected Liberal leader Raj Sherman, and 10 per cent selected NDP leader Brian Mason. Some 13 per cent were undecided. Ipsos Reid pollsters also asked who lost the debate. 31 per cent said Ms. Redford, compared 16 per cent who believed Ms. Smith lost.
Cal Dallas, who has served as MLA in the Alberta riding of Red Deer South since 2008 and was appointed Minister of Intergovernmental, International and Aboriginal Relations soon after Ms. Redford was elected to lead the Progressive Conservatives in October, said that under Ms. Redford’s leadership the province has been “more global” in its approach to policy, actively looking to collaborate with other provinces and the federal government on issues such as coal-fired electricity regulations, immigration policy and joint transportation infrastructure projects.
“We’ve been looking at opportunities not just with the federal government, but with other provinces in terms of labour strategy, trade opportunities, business investments, and other opportunities for the provinces to participate in oil sands development,” Mr. Dallas told The Hill Times last week. “We’ve tried to redefine our relationship with Ottawa in terms of our commitment to make sure that we’re having comprehensive discussions where there are opportunities and challenges in the past with respect to provincial policy and federal policy. There’s a significant change in activity beginning with the formation of the new Cabinet back in October, [there is] a lot more interaction between provincial ministers and our federal counterparts.”
Mr. Dallas said this is in contrast to the Wildrose Party policy. “I’m not even sure there is a policy in that area,” he said, noting that although Mr. Anders has said the federal Alberta caucus is supporting Wildrose, it’s not something “that’s terribly relevant to the provincial election.”
Instead, he said, the PC Party is “very focused on presenting” its party platform and “trying to re-engage in a healthy dialogue” with their federal counterparts in “areas where there’s change contemplated or mutual opportunities.”
The Hill Times contacted several prominent members of the Conservative Alberta caucus for comment on the upcoming provincial election, but few responded. Assistants to Conservative MPs James Rajotte (Edmonton-Le Duc, Alta.), Jim Hillyer (Lethbridge, Alta.), and Blake Richards (Wild Rose, Alta.) all declined to comment on the race, which could see Alberta’s natural governing party ousted by the right-wing-upstart Wildrose Alliance.
An assistant to Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber (Edmonton-St. Albert, Alta.) responded that the MP had “no intention of getting involved” and had “no opinion one way or another” about the race, although Mr. Rathgeber tweeted that he was “really excited” at the prospect of a dinner time chat-about with Ms. Smith and fellow Alberta caucus members back in March.
Postmedia News national reporter Peter O’Neil reported that Cabinet minister Rona Ambrose (Edmonton-Spruce Grove, Alta.) was supporting Progressive Conservative candidate Doug Horner, who served as deputy premier to P.C. leader Alison Redford prior to the March 26 election call. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast, Alta.) has gone on the record as being neutral in the contest. “[The Prime Minister] said that people will obviously be involved in local campaigns, but asked that people restrict their activity to local campaigns. I’ve contributed to my local candidates for sure,” said Mr. Anders.
Newly-appointed PMO communications director Andrew MacDougall confirmed that it’s the government’s policy that Alberta MPs are free to support “individual candidates” within their own ridings.
The split between the centre-right Progressive Conservatives and the staunchly right Wildrose Alliance has been cast as a family feud between the moderate and hardline wings of Alberta’s conservative movement. Premier Redford has been branded as a Liberal for pursuing a more active role for the government in oil sands development and health care. Ms. Redford has also pledged a 10-year plan to eliminate poverty in her province—an unorthodox policy plank for Canadian conservative parties.
The Wildrose Alliance surged to as much as a 12-point lead in polling early on in the election campaign, with some surveys projecting a Wildrose majority in Alberta’s legislature, which expands from 83 seats to 87 in this election. A March 26 Forum Research Poll showed that 41 per cent of Albertans would vote for the Wildrose Party, while 31 per cent would vote for the PCs. The poll was conducted with 1,069 randomly people and is accurate to three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
However, that lead has narrowed in more recent polls. Among decided voters in a Léger Marketing poll conducted between April 5 and 8, the two parties are neck and neck. Among decided voters, the Wildrose Party received 35.5 per cent support and the PCs had 34.2 per cent support. The poll, accurate to 3.3 percentage points 19 times out of 20, showed that if Ms. Smith wins, it could be a minority government.
Going into the election, the Progressive Conservatives held a 66-seat majority compared to four seats for the Wildrose Alliance. Provincial Liberals held nine seats and New Democrats two, with one independent MLA and one seat for the Alberta Party. One seat was vacant when the election was called on March 26.
Original Article
Source: hill times
Author: CHRIS PLECASH
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