Chris Clegg
If the headline to this editorial sounds vindictive, we apologize.
But, please, hear us out.
If you talk to almost any locally elected municipal government official they will tell you the same thing. Rural Alberta is being short-changed when it comes to money being spent outside of Edmonton and Calgary. It seems like the cities get all the gravy and rural Alberta gets the crumbs. In a province as rich as Alberta, this is unacceptable.
The results of the May 29 Alberta election could change that. It has been decades – if ever! – that rural Alberta has enjoyed the political power it does today in the hallowed halls of decision making in Edmonton.
The United Conservative Party won 49 seats to the New Democrat’s 38 in the Alberta election. Of the NDP’s 38 seats, 20 were from Edmonton ( a sweep!) and 14 from Calgary. Three other city ridings elected an NDP MLA including Lethbridge – West, St. Albert, and Sherwood Park. The only rural Alberta NDP seat went to Banff – Kananaskis.
If there was ever a chance rural Alberta could stick it to the cities, now is the time! It is rural Alberta’s chance to get the gravy and leave the crumbs to the cities.
But one can wager heavily that the UCP will continue to kiss the ass of Alberta’s cities. It is doubtful the UCPs will muster up the courage to take on the city voters. The first priority of most politicians after winning an election is to win the next one and to hell with the people.
A not-so-bold prediction: instead of rewarding the people who voted for you, the UCPs will fall over themselves trying to woo the city voters for the next election four years down the road.
Why? Edmonton has proven they bleed orange. Perhaps if you do not support the party that elected you, it is time you paid the price. Rural Alberta has supported Conservative governments for years and watched their resources being stripped away and used to make city living better while rural Alberta is being told to suck it up and pay more.
What a wonderful democracy we have here in Alberta! Both the UCP and NDP miserably failed rural Alberta since the NDP win in 2015.
Is the UCP party actually stupid enough to think that Edmonton will suddenly see the UCP’s “light” and walk over to the other side? Are they that stupid they think spending money in Edmonton and Calgary will bring them a larger majority in four years?
For that reason, rural Alberta should teach urban Alberta a lesson.
Calgary, you want to go orange? Perhaps tightening the government pursestrings a bit just might remind you that you had had a good thing before you decided to cross over to the other side?
The UCP better be reminded over and over until it sinks in that they should reward the people who voted for you.
Rural Alberta’s frustration with the government based in Edmonton and the fact we have not been getting our fair share is well-documented. May 29 changed that. Rural Alberta has been handed the golden opportunity to get its fair share.
Will the UCP have the guts to act accordingly?