THUNDER BAY – The polls closed in Alberta at 8PM MDT. Results are slow to come in, with the urban ridings reporting first. The experts are calling for a Wildrose victory. However in early results, the Progressive Conservatives are leading.
The results in Alberta will have an impact on Ontario and on Thunder Bay.
How? In Ontario the government has been running major deficits, and the province is, if you remember the Drummond Report, has some serious financial problems to overcome. The McGuinty government raised taxes on the most wealthy Ontarians today, and while they are calling it the NDP Surtax, it will likely generate some greater migration to Alberta.
In Ontario it is often difficult to understand the voters and the more conservative views of Albertans.
What the early results are showing in Alberta are that unless there is a major shift the Progressive Conservatives are going to win the election over the Wildrose. Chances are that the pollsters are going to be going forward from this election reexamining their results and methodology. Every pollster appears to have got it wrong.
Looking at the early results it appears that some of what are being called “Bozo moments” where Wildrose candidates made some ridiculous comments on social issues. That may have shifted voters to the traditional PC voter comfort zone.
That included statements by Wildrose leader Danielle Smith who stated that climate change isn’t settled yet as a man-made caused problem.
The PCs have taken a move slightly leftward, and already there are people who are suggesting that this is a referendum on climate change.