Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Politicians Revving Up As Campaign Begins For May 5 Alberta Provincial Election

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Apr, 2015 01:36 PM
    Alberta's opposition parties may not like the early call, but they'll have no choice but to hit the ground running today as the campaign begins for an election on May 5.
     
    Albertans were not scheduled to go to the polls until the spring of 2016.
     
    But as was widely expected, Premier Jim Prentice dropped the writ on Monday, saying his plan to wean the province from its dependence on oil revenues demands an endorsement from the people.
     
    Prentice starts off today with an appearance at the coal mine in Grande Cache, then makes stops in Edmonton, Ponoka and Lacombe.
     
    NDP Leader Rachel Notley will spend her first day of the campaign attending rallies in Calgary and Lethbridge.
     
    Wildrose Leader Brian Jean hopscotches across the province with visits to Calgary, Kananaskis and Spruce Grove.
     
    The Tories held 70 seats in the 87-seat legislature at dissolution, including 11 members of the Wildrose opposition who crossed the floor to join the government.
     
    However, several of the defectors failed to win their nominations as Conservatives, including former leader Danielle Smith.
     
    Jean is now focused on getting his five-member team back into the fight with the goal of retaining official Opposition status, and says future defections will be met with a $100,000 fine from the party.
     
    The NDP had four members but Notley says she's seeing unprecedented support across the province partly because of Prentice's budget and partly because of a legacy of financial mismanagement and scandal under the Tories.
     
    Prentice's recent budget called for increases in taxes and fees, and cuts to public services, to help cope with a drop in oil prices that erased an estimated $7 billion from Alberta's bottom line this year.
     
    But while Prentice has said everyone must help fix Alberta's cracked fiscal foundation, he has not raised oil royalties or changed corporate taxes because he says doing that could harm the economic recovery.
     
    The Liberals had five members in the legislature, but only two — party leader David Swann and house leader Laurie Blakeman — are campaigning again, and the party only has candidates nominated in about 30 ridings.
     
    Blakeman, who favoured a merger with the Alberta Party earlier this year, is running under the Alberta Party and Green party banners in an effort to fend off the Tories.
     
    The Alberta Party, which did not hold any seats, has 32 confirmed candidates and is considering another 10. There were two vacancies in the last legislature, caused by the resignation of two cabinet ministers, and a former Wildrose member was sitting as an Independent.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Animal Rights Group Files 'False' Claims Complaint Against Maple Lodge Farms

    Animal Rights Group Files 'False' Claims Complaint Against Maple Lodge Farms
    TORONTO — An animal rights group has filed a complaint against one of Canada's largest chicken producers, alleging the company makes  "numerous false and misleading  claims."

    Animal Rights Group Files 'False' Claims Complaint Against Maple Lodge Farms

    Joe Oliver Says Conservatives Will Keep Promise To Introduce Balanced Budget Law

    Joe Oliver Says Conservatives Will Keep Promise To Introduce Balanced Budget Law
    TORONTO — Finance Minister Joe Oliver says the Conservative government will introduce balanced budget legislation.

    Joe Oliver Says Conservatives Will Keep Promise To Introduce Balanced Budget Law

    Longtime archbishop of Montreal, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, dead at 78

    MONTREAL — Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, who oversaw the funerals of NHL great Maurice (Rocket) Richard and former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau during his 22 years as archbishop of Montreal, died early Wednesday after a lengthy illness. He was 78.

    Longtime archbishop of Montreal, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, dead at 78

    B.C. Snowmobiler Captures Harrowing Video Of Being Buried Alive In Avalanche Near Sicamous

    B.C. Snowmobiler Captures Harrowing Video Of Being Buried Alive In Avalanche Near Sicamous
    Curtis Johnson, 52, captured harrowing video from a helmet-mounted camera of spinning in a sea of white powder during a sledding trip with three friends near Blue Lake, between Sicamous and Revelstoke, late last month.

    B.C. Snowmobiler Captures Harrowing Video Of Being Buried Alive In Avalanche Near Sicamous

    Desi 'Bombshell Bandit', Sandeep Kaur, Jailed For 66 Months For Robbing Four Banks In Three US State

    Desi 'Bombshell Bandit', Sandeep Kaur, Jailed For 66 Months For Robbing Four Banks In Three US State
    Besides serving 66 months in prison, An Indian-origin woman from California, nicknamed the "Bombshell Bandit" was ordered to repay the $40,000 taken in the four robberies.

    Desi 'Bombshell Bandit', Sandeep Kaur, Jailed For 66 Months For Robbing Four Banks In Three US State

    Richmond RCMP Say 'Jealous' Aunt Wei Wang Convicted Of Assault For Pouring Glue In Baby Nephew's Ear

    Richmond RCMP Say 'Jealous' Aunt Wei Wang Convicted Of Assault For Pouring Glue In Baby Nephew's Ear
    VANCOUVER — A bizarre case of deceit, jealousy and the cultural pressures of conceiving male offspring has landed a woman in jail, police say.

    Richmond RCMP Say 'Jealous' Aunt Wei Wang Convicted Of Assault For Pouring Glue In Baby Nephew's Ear