EDMONTON- The next provincial election is more than two years away, but the Wildrose and NDP leaders want Albertans to start thinking about what the province could look like under a new government.
“Which way do you want the province to go? …That’s really what this debate is about. Which way do you want to go in the post-Progressive Conservative era,” said NDP Leader Brian Mason.
“We know that one political party can’t last forever. This party, by the time we get to the next election, will have been around for 45 years and I think we have to start thinking about what Alberta is going to look like after the PCs are done,” added Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith.
The pair held a debate at the University of Alberta Wednesday night. It’s part of a six-debate series that will see the two political leaders discuss provincial issues such as pipelines, the economy, sales tax and the overall political landscape in the province.
The debates will take place on campuses across the province over the next several weeks. Student associations on each campus will host the debates.
“We know that students are very concerned about the impact of the post-secondary cuts. And this, I think, will be one opportunity for us to hear exactly what kind of impact it’s having in the classroom,” Smith said.
“What I would like to see is more interest among young people in provincial politics, more awareness about where the parties are, and just a sense that you don’t have to just continue for year after year and decade after decade with one party and government. There are other options,” added Mason.
The next debate in Edmonton will be held at Grant MacEwan University on October 10.
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