Bruce Fenwick Thanks
Our Speaker, Duane Bratt | | Maxine Morrison introduced Duane Bratt, who presented The Long Campaign: Preparing for the Spring 2019 Alberta Provincial Election.
Although the next provincial election is expected to take place between March and May 2019, the election campaign effectively began in October 2017. At 18 months, this long campaign is unique in Alberta's history. We have never seen an electoral matchup between two such high-profile leaders who are offering Albertans a clear choice between the right-wing United Conservative Party (UCP) and the center-left NDP.
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This upcoming election is being contested against the backdrop of the worst recession since the 1980s, in which the economy has yet to recover to 2014 levels. The election can be viewed as a referendum on the NDPs record, which represents the most radical change in Alberta politics since the Klein revolution of 1993-1994. For most voters, the ballot question is likely to be how well the government has managed the Alberta economy. They will be rendering their verdict on the NDP's climate strategy (its carbon tax and phasing out coal-based electricity generation), government debt, pipeline approvals and the farm bill. Another NDP majority government is possible because economic growth is occurring, the deficit is declining, and pipelines are being built. In the event of another NDP win, the carbon tax will become a resilient policy. A second NDP majority government is likely to make health care, education and protecting vulnerable Albertans its priorities. At the conclusion of his presentation, Bruce Fenwick thanked our speaker. |
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