Monday, March 03, 2008

A headline that was written a long time ago...


Another Alberta election, another Conservative majority. In Alberta it seems change will be glacial, as the party of Lougheed and Klein once again delivered a majority government, this one belonging to Ed.

While some held out hope that Alberta may become a more diversified political landscape, in the end and when the counting was done, Alberta today looked very much like the Alberta of yesterday and the day before. Solidly Conservative, overwhelmingly Conservative and now apparently enamoured of Ed Stelmach.

In an election where many thought that finally the provincial Liberals may gain some ground, especially in the booming cities of the oil rich province, the count was much the same as before the ballot boxes were brought out of storage for the day.

The Conservatives have won at last report, 73 of the Legislature's 83 seats, though their margin of victory was significantly lower, claiming only 53 per cent of the popular vote across the province. The Blowout box score provided by the Globe and Mail shows a wide block of blue with just the occasional intrusion of red or orange to get in the way.

Still it was a remarkable performance once again for what has become Alberta's governing empire. Part of the success for the Conservatives was a split of the opposition vote in those riding's where the Conservatives may have been weak, the lack of the Liberals ability to capture that vote for their own seems to have spelled their demise once again.

Some political observers suggest that if the Liberal's couldn't make hay out of the most recent times, then they must surely be asking themselves if they will ever be able to make inroads against Canada's most imposing political force.

It could be that sense of hopelessness that has driven the voter turn out to the lowest numbers in Alberta history. While the final tally of voting percentage has yet to be released, Alberta observers suggest that they don't anticipate it being above the previous low of 44.7 per cent participation from 2004. That level of apathy won't be helped by numerous complaints of problems at polling stations, incomplete voting lists and other impediments to the process of selecting a representative to reflect the electorates wishes.

For the Liberals, 2008 means that it's now 87 years and counting for an opportunity to form a government, 1917-1921 was the last time that a Liberal government ruled over Alberta.
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At that time Charles Stewart was appointed Premier by Lieutenant-Governor Dr. Robert G. Brett effective October 30, 1917, beginning a four year term as Premier. And as would be the case through the decades to come, when the time came for the next General election, Stewart would win his seat, but lose the legislature as a more populist option, at that time the United Farmers of Alberta claimed the government in 1921.

Judging by the results today, the Alberta Liberals may end up commiserating over a centennial celebration of electoral woe.

National Post--Steady as she goes

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