WATCH ABOVE: Alberta is just days away from a historic election. The progressive conservatives have been in power for 40 years but the left is challenging. Reid Fiest reports.
ALBERTA – Party leaders are running out of time to win over voters ahead of Tuesday’s provincial election.
Leaders have been focusing their attention on Alberta’s two largest cities in the final weekend of the campaign.
Progressive Conservative Leader Jim Prentice is looking to gain some ground in Edmonton, which polls suggest may have become an NDP stronghold. Both he and NDP Leader Rachel Notley are focusing their efforts on the capital city while the other three party leaders are spending time in Calgary.
Prentice’s Sunday tour includes:
- 11:15 a.m. – Gurdwara Millwoods
- 1:00 p.m. – Multicultural Women & Seniors Centre
- 3:00 p.m. – Campaign stop in Mill Woods
- 5:00 p.m. – Cha for Tea Palace Restaurant
Notley is attending an NDP Rally for Change at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre in Edmonton at 1:45 p.m.. A similar rally at the University of Calgary Saturday drew hundreds of supporters.
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean had a busy list of campaign stops scheduled in Calgary for Sunday. Instead, he’ll be spending most of the day in Fort McMurray, after his Air Canada flight to Calgary was cancelled Sunday morning. Jean will, however, make a media announcement by teleconference around 2:00 p.m.. He flies into Calgary around 4:00 p.m. and then makes his way to Airdrie for a volunteer appreciation event.
Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann is getting his hands dirty Sunday, volunteering at Calgary’s annual Pathway and River Cleanup. At 2:00 PM he attends a campaign rally at Liberal candidate Avinash Khangura’s campaign office, located at 5075 Falcon Ridge Blvd. Northeast.
Finally, the Alberta Party’s Greg Clark starts the morning in the Global Calgary studio for an interview. He will spend the rest of the day door knocking, trying to secure votes in his battleground riding of Calgary-Elbow.
WATCH: Alberta party leaders use final days of election campaign to win over voters
Mount Royal political scientist Lori Williams weighed in on the current campaign strategies. She says that the fact that both NDP and PC leaders are in Edmonton, suggests that there are seats there that are still in play.
“These parties have the money to poll individual ridings, and the places they spend their time will tell you something about who they hope to reach. They will likely be back in Calgary tomorrow, and other ridings that are close,” Williams said.
“Rachel Notley seems to be focusing on rallies that enable her to maintain or perhaps even ramp up her momentum. Media coverage of these rallies will reverberate into places she cannot hope to visit in person in the remaining days of the campaign.”
“Jim Prentice is in Edmonton to connect with undecided voters, or those whose support for other parties is soft. Since the PC campaign is less reliant on the leader, his presence in support of strong candidates will be part of the ground campaign in key ridings,” she said. “Brian Jean’s campaign is unlikely to have the benefit of internal polling, nevertheless it is clear that he hopes to retain the Calgary seat being vacated by Heather Forsyth, and that he hopes to pick up seats in Calgary.”
“David Swann will continue to focus on Calgary, and on his riding. His participation in a city-wide Pathway and River Cleanup. This has the advantage of appealing to voters in his constituency and city-wide on an issue dear to Liberal hearts. The future of the provincial Liberals depends on retaining Swann’s seat, since the only other Liberal incumbent has attached herself to the Alberta and Green parties,’ Williams said.
Lastly, Williams said that Greg Clark is in a very tight race, and the future of his party hinges on winning a seat in the Legislature.
“His presence in the riding, contrasted with Gordon Dirks’ absence, is his best strategy to pull ahead,” Williams said.
Comments