Project Alberta

IF YOU MOVE TO ALBERTA - ADAPT OR LEAVE
By Craig B. Chandler

Yet another Liberal poll. The Alberta Progressive Conservative Party has dropped again by another 22%

CTV Calgary reported that a Cameron Strategies poll showed support for Alberta Tories has fallen to 32% across the province from 54% seven months ago.

Stelmach's approval rating from January to August fell from 58% to 45% in Edmonton and from 52% to 38% in Calgary.

Overall support for the PC party fell by nearly half in both cities: from 50% to 27% in Edmonton and from 59% to 30% in Calgary.

I feel there are 4 reasons for this and not one of them have to do with Ed Stelmach himself. I do not feel that any of this is his fault.

Firstly, Alberta is growing in a way that was never expected and many of the people coming here do not truly appreciate Alberta or even understand the history of this province or the relationship with small 'c' conservatism. To those of you who have come to our great land from out of province, you need to remember that you came here to our home and we vote conservative (meaning Social Credit, Alberta Alliance, Wildrose or the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party). You came here to enjoy our economy, our natural beauty and more. This is our home and if you wish to live here, you must adapt to our rules and our voting patterns, or leave. Conservatism is our culture. Do not destroy what we have created.

Secondly, I feel the Alberta Progressive Conservatives are dropping in the polls because some of our MLA's have forgotten to show up at peoples doors. MLA's need to show up and consult the voters. The APC Party needs to get back to doorstep democracy and look at the whites of the eyes of the voter. We need to get back to the relationship that the voter is the employer and the elected official is the employee.

Thirdly, although I sincerely respect Ralph Klein and much of what he did for Alberta, I do think he should have at least had an effective exit strategy and transition for the new guy. He knew at the end of his rule what the issues were. Mr. Klein knew that the province was growing, that infrastructure was needed, that there was a looming health care crisis and that education lacked serious monies.

Mr. Klein needs to shoulder some of this responsibility, because Ed Stelmach is merely becoming the fall guy for things we could have done better. As a conservative myself I will and am apologizing for some of what we have done wrong and I will continue to do so. What the voter wants to hear is that we realize what mistakes we have made and to commit to fix them. However, one thing that is crystal clear. No one saw this boom coming and I am thankful the Alberta Progressive Conservatives were our government or it would have been a lot worse.

Lastly, the polls are manipulated, at least anything by Cameron Strategies. Cameron Strategies are Liberals and can't be trusted. Mr. Cameron was on Mayor David Bronconniers campaign team. This is just part of Mayor David Bronconniers grand plan to eventually lead the Alberta Liberal party. Admittedly, Bronco is quite brilliant in his political manipulations as he first attacks with mistruths, discredits with false polls and then prays for defeat, all the while scheming for his own interests. Nothing that comes from Cameron Strategies can be taken seriously and any media that prints their rubbish has fallen victim to manipulation.

Again I will make clear what I am saying so no media can twist this around (we all know they will) here is my 30 second sound bite:

If people are going to come to Alberta, they must understand that we have a small 'c' conservative culture. This does not mean we favour one party, but a conservative philosophy. We value less government, lower taxes, political accountability and being debt free. If people do not wish to adapt to this culture and expect us to get back into debt and spend more then we have... they can leave.

Until next week.

Craig Chandler is the Executive Director of the Progressive Group for Independent Business (PGIB) www.pgib.ca & can be heard on the Freedom Radio Network at www.freedomradionetwork.ca

Craig, you say you don't believe the Cameron Strategy poll, then go on to explain why the PC's have dropped in voter support, according to the polls????

Then you extend the blame to those from the East. Somehow, I don't think you can blame Easterners for the Tories slide. Don't forget, it was your party that elected Ed and allowed 2 minute Tories to vote ... so the Tories got exactly what they deserved.

Fixing past mistakes isn't the issue. The issue is why I must continue to vote for a party that has accomplished little in the past 5 years; offers no original, new or meaningful ideas to foster growth or change in Alberta (same old s*** day after day); retracts on just about every statement they ever make when it comes to standing up for most Albertans (NEP, same sex marriage to name just 2 issues); and continues to tax the hell out of me when they have pulled in huge surpluses (not very conservative if you ask me).

I think that is why I (and you at one point) supported other conservative contenders out there. That is why those who typically vote conservative stayed home in droves in Ralph's old riding ... they would rather not vote at all.

So from the "whites of my eyes" that is my perspective. I am sure under the facade, you firmly believe Cameron polls numbers ... and so do I. Because they are probably closer to the truth than you are comfortable accepting.

Those polls will not translate into votes for another party. Consider that a vast majority of Alberta Citizens are apathetic. Also consider that there are simply more voting or participating PC's than all the other party's put together. The math is simple, the PC is still a majority government.

The only way to change this is to have continual media criticism and constant gaffs on the part of the government. It is PC support that needs to be eroded in order to remove the from office not merely gains in other party's.

Ed is well on the way to accomplishing that but it will take time to do it right. I actually think that the longer he is in power the greater the chances for eventual defeat during a general election. At this point in time I think the PC government still has enough internal support to retain power. So if he calls an election now, or at least very soon he will get his hands on another five year mandate, whereas if he waits too long he will never gain a mandate based upon his leadership.

"IF YOU MOVE TO ALBERTA - ADAPT OR LEAVE".

That's a bit abrupt, don't you think?

I can't speak for Chandler but in my mind the comment isn't abrupt, it's completely accurate. One can't move into a new culture expecting that culture to adapt and change just for them. They must instead adapt to the culture that they made a conscious decision to move into...

Not at all. That's the way it should be.

I agree!

This is our home and if you wish to live here, you must adapt to our rules and our voting patterns, or leave.

So those of you who so strongly support this view believe that a person moving to Saskatchewan or Manitoba has to vote NDP since new arrivals should vote the way current residents do!

Being able to vote for whatever party one choses is a fundamental freedom and I like to think that no matter where I choose to live I will also be able to back the party I want to support. What is the next step; Put on hoods and torch the homes of suspected liberals and socialists?

I see CTV picked up on your blog Craig.

Story: http://tinyurl.com/2rc56q

Besure to click on the video.... on right.

You don't have to put on hoods for that.

I only agree along the lines of that the reason they moved here was for a "better life" and the reason life is better here is because we built Alberta up on conservative values. If they move here and then change it too much, they could (and would) destroy the reason they moved here - the "better life". They would then move back to another "better life" and leave us true Albertans to pick up the pieces and rebuild.

FYI: A true Albertan is one that calls Alberta home.

Another Chandler political analogy that doesn't hold water.

These pollsters are all tied to liberal fortunes...Liberals rule by poll so Liberal regimes fatten corporate polling firms....there is NO pollster which is unbiaed when his boss wants preconcieved notions sanctified by a poll to be presented publicly.

The big story in the polling is that no matter how they spin it the drop in PC popularity has not manifested itselfe as support for any of the left of center opposition.

The popularity gulf with the PCs is a matter of the PCs not behaving like conservatives and actually bluring the distinction between their vision and that of their opposition.

Obviously the electorate do not like what the opposition is selling as an alternative....and they sure as hell are sick of status quo PC rudderless visonless leadership.

Stelmach will lose upt to 6 more seats but will win the next election because there is no one else to park a vote with for most Albertans...Lib-left support has never gone above the 18% peak so this BS about "new Albertans" is just so much partisan gibberish. The lost seats will result not from a surge in opposition support but simply by former PC voters staying home.

If Stelmach wants to return a PC majority it is quite doable. Simply release a policy plan that promotes/protects long term Alberta prosperity, tackles current boomtime goblins, and has an Alberta-first direction to priorities.....in other words act more like a committed populist conservative and less like a flakey Fed lib on a "symbolism" jag.

Alberta voters ( regardless of how "New" they are) are meat and potato issue voters...obviously nothing in the PC policy platform has addressed the issues closet to them. Stelmach and the PCs need to get their ass back in the grass and take the populist pulse again....then deliver on their policy promises.

Right of center voter confidence ( which is the vast majority of Alberta voters) in the PCs is at an all time low....this will not neccesarily translate to a rise in voter confidence in the left or an immediate PC loss...the PC loss will occur when a viable right of center alternative appears for disillusioned conservatives to park their vote with.