NDP majority in Alberta

[lg28]

You guys. This is crazy. This is like someone left of the democrats taking a majority in.....Oklahama? Or Texas?

My uncle was re-elected (conservative) so I'm happy for him buy secretly thrilled at the NDP win.

www.cbc.ca/m/news/topstories/alberta-election-2015-results-ndp-wave-sweeps-across-province-in-historic-win-1.3062605

[loira]

I grew up in Alberta and I honestly never thought I'd see this happen. I spent my early voting years feeling like my vote didn't count (still voted though, obvs). I think this is a combination of rapid urbanization, a younger population, and immigration (both from abroad and from other provinces). I can't vote in Alberta anymore since I live abroad, but I think it's great!

[rugbywife]

Well, guess that's what happens when the price of oil drops...aka, all the eggs were in one basket and that basket done broke.

[Velar Fricative]

I always thought the conservatives of Alberta were still way more American-style liberal than their conservative counterparts in the US lol.

[FloFTW]

My husband's cousin was ECSTATIC on facebook.

[lg28]

May 6, 2015 8:32:16 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I always thought the conservatives of Alberta were still way more American-style liberal than their conservative counterparts in the US lol.

Not necessarily in Alberta though! Like a conservative in other provices or territories, yes. Alberta has long been considered the last true right-wing place.
I think the influx of young people, immigrants and people from other provinves migrating there made the election.

[deo]

This is crazy. I thought there would be some sort of change, maybe a minority NDP government. But a Majority NDP government with a Wildrose opposition is a shocking change.

Maybe if the PCs had stuck to their original fixed election date (a law they created) they would still be a valid party.

[Deleted]

I hope they don't fuck it up.
I liked Bob Rae but most people in Ontario ended up disappointed after his term and he is one of the big reasons the NDP can't seal the deal in Ottawa. So if this NDP does okay even just in the short term - maybe.
Then again, there are a lot of people who would vote NDP for the province but never federally.
I feel shame in Ontario.
Alberta
Elected a NDP premier and a Muslim mayor and we had a racist mayor and we are protesting sex ed in schools. We are aupposed to be the progressive ones. Lol

[Deleted]

Now let's abolish the senate

[oreos]

My Facebook is full of doomsdayers right now, as if the NDP are going to abruptly double corporate tax rates and all the rigs will stop operating. 

[deo]

May 6, 2015 9:34:22 GMT -5 oreos said:

My Facebook is full of doomsdayers right now, as if the NDP are going to abruptly double corporate tax rates and all the rigs will stop operating. 

Mine too... My mom is the worst offender which why I can never discuss politics with her.

[Deleted]

Time for a sales tax!

Really, though, politics needs change. No party should rule for decades unchallenged. I doubt this will stick for more than one term, but the next government will enter knowing they're expendable. I'm in Saskatchewan, and things tend to switch over every 8-12 years, which is a good way to be. At least they have to keep trying to do a good job, a little bit, or they know they'll be out on their asses.

[Deleted]

May 6, 2015 8:32:16 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I always thought the conservatives of Alberta were still way more American-style liberal than their conservative counterparts in the US lol.

I mean, they don't go around talking about outlawing abortions or how Jesus is the best, but they're pretty "no taxes, more bootstraps!" in Alberta. 

[lg28]

May 6, 2015 10:29:23 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

May 6, 2015 8:32:16 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I always thought the conservatives of Alberta were still way more American-style liberal than their conservative counterparts in the US lol.

I mean, they don't go around talking about outlawing abortions or how Jesus is the best, but they're pretty "no taxes, more bootstraps!" in Alberta. 

My uncle (well, my husbands uncle) is a well-known politician there (Dr.No for any Albertans) and he's definitely in the camp where tax raises are evil, people need to do things on their own, etc. However - I will say that I've learned a lot from him, and its not necessarily that he is against helping people, but he is against deficits and spending $$ the gov't doesn't have. He wants private charity to step in a lot of places instead of the gov't. I believe that perhaps caden and him share that view, and I can definitely agree to a certain extent that the gov't shouldnt be spending $$ it doesn't have.

[rugbywife]

I think it was easy for the govt and the people voting for them, to be anti deficit when they were raking in millions because of gas prices. Not so easy to run a whole province without the money though.

[downtoearth]

I always thought Alberta was like MT - more likely to be moderate/center/to left at the provincial government level, but goes conservative in National elections.

[Deleted]

May 6, 2015 13:53:41 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

I always thought Alberta was like MT - more likely to be moderate/center/to left at the provincial government level, but goes conservative in National elections.

They've had a conservative government on the provincial level since 1971. So no... not moderate or left at all provincially until yesterday. 

[rugbywife]

Let's be fair though...our Conservative is still NOTHING close to Republican. I mean, there are Christian Right influences within the party, but they aren't the dominant players and they don't really influence a lot.

[Deleted]

May 6, 2015 14:39:44 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Let's be fair though...our Conservative is still NOTHING close to Republican. I mean, there are Christian Right influences within the party, but they aren't the dominant players and they don't really influence a lot.

Oh yeah, I live in a city with some VERY right Conservative federal representatives, and they essentially get told to sit down, shut up, and vote as they're told. They're not allowed to whine about abortion or gay marriage or really speak to the press at all any more. 

[rugbywife]

May 6, 2015 14:59:27 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

May 6, 2015 14:39:44 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Let's be fair though...our Conservative is still NOTHING close to Republican. I mean, there are Christian Right influences within the party, but they aren't the dominant players and they don't really influence a lot.

Oh yeah, I live in a city with some VERY right Conservative federal representatives, and they essentially get told to sit down, shut up, and vote as they're told. They're not allowed to whine about abortion or gay marriage or really speak to the press at all any more. 

Lol, yep...I mean, really, all the years that we have had Conservative gov'ts Federally and things like abortion and gay marriage never even make it to the discussion table...if it did they would drive away any of the moderate Conservatives and they can't afford that. 

[gibbinator]

This makes me hopeful for the federal election.
Eta: rugbywife, that was my first thought too. Money and jobs gone... Suddenly left wing social programs look more interesting.

[rugbywife]

May 6, 2015 19:03:56 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

This makes me hopeful for the federal election.

omg omg omg...you mean a gov't that doesn't make secret 25 year deals with the Chinese and the end to those STUPID EFFING COMMERCIALS about how great their family incentives are on the radio? 

[gibbinator]

May 6, 2015 19:05:58 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

May 6, 2015 19:03:56 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

This makes me hopeful for the federal election.

omg omg omg...you mean a gov't that doesn't make secret 25 year deals with the Chinese and the end to those STUPID EFFING COMMERCIALS about how great their family incentives are on the radio? 

Lol, I'm not sure how I feel about a Trudeau government, but I definitely know how I feel about Harper getting another term. I can't believe he thinks people wouldn't figure out that selling off crown assets =/= balanced budget.

[gibbinator]

I also think it's amazing that Alberta abandoned 40yrs of conservative small government ideology and overnight switched to socialism.

[rugbywife]

May 6, 2015 19:09:10 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

May 6, 2015 19:05:58 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

omg omg omg...you mean a gov't that doesn't make secret 25 year deals with the Chinese and the end to those STUPID EFFING COMMERCIALS about how great their family incentives are on the radio? 

Lol, I'm not sure how I feel about a Trudeau government, but I definitely know how I feel about Harper getting another term. I can't believe he thinks people wouldn't figure out that selling off crown assets =/= balanced budget.

Trudeau will be fine, he won't be his dad, never will be (Just like JW wasn't Bush Senior), but he won't be Harper. As long as he doesn't screw it up so bad it all swings Right again...give some time to the party to find another leader.

[rugbywife]

May 6, 2015 19:11:22 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

I also think it's amazing that Alberta abandoned 40yrs of conservative small government ideology and overnight switched to socialism.

I don't know much about the NDP movement out there - is it as far left Provincially as it is Federally?

[gibbinator]

May 6, 2015 19:13:52 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

May 6, 2015 19:11:22 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

I also think it's amazing that Alberta abandoned 40yrs of conservative small government ideology and overnight switched to socialism.

I don't know much about the NDP movement out there - is it as far left Provincially as it is Federally?

Well we had an NDP government in NS last year and we ended up with taxes cut, which was counter-intuitive. But when you vote for a party who's core plan for the country is to convert to socialism... I'm sure some of that bleeds through on the provincial platforms.

[Deleted]

i am curious how the level of inexperience is going to impact how the government actually runs. Students who still live with their parents, and who have never had a FT job are going to be running our province. How many NDP MLA's have relevant experience? I am happy to see so many women though. 

[Deleted]

As long as they don't fire the staff they'll be fine. Mlas don't have to know much if they're willing to take good advice.

[anastasia517]

If those stupid ads the Conservatives have been running since before the last election would stop, that would be great. Seriously, the same sorts of things have been happening since I was in the house I moved out of in 2011.

Like I said in the other thread, I grew up in a ridiculously orange riding. Provincially, it has been orange every. single. time. since the early '70s. Unsurprisingly, all the people I went to school with who now live in Alberta seem happy about it.