Strategically Voting for the Pot or the Kettle

Strategic voting, as Albertans were exposed to last election, is useless when all you're considering is a Pot and a Kettle.People in Alberta were scared of a number of Wildrose candidates in the last provincial election. Candidates like Allan Hunsperger (author of "lake of fire" comments), Ron Leech (whose radio comments outlined how he could speak for everyone because he was white), John Carpay (legal representative for people who produced anti-gay hate literature, and proponent of private healthcare), former Senate candidate Jeff Callaway (removed as a candidate due to not following election rules), and of course leader Danielle Smith (waffled on "conscience rights" position, claimed climate change science was unsettled, showed contempt for cities regarding Edmonton's Airport and Calgary's GreenTrip issues) gave voters cause for pause. Following the election, newly-elected Gary Bikman blamed his party's loss on urban voters not having enough "common sense". Of course he was rewarded for these comments by being named Advanced Education critic.

So what do you do when the most vocal proponent of change is so scary? Stick with the status quo. And that is what Albertans did. The problem was that the PCs have just as questionable ethics as the Wildrose do. They're just a bit more subversive about it.

A quick list of examples for you to consider;

May

• Intimidation of Cultural Performers by cancelling the Shen Yun performances in Calgary and Edmonton.
• Entitlement by making it difficult if not impossible to let illegal contributions to PC candidates public knowledge.
• Breaking a campaign promise to get the South Calgary Hospital opened this summer.

June

• Entitlement by backing a plan to give MLAs big pensions, increasing the $11-billion unfunded pension liability in Alberta.
• Entitlement and Intimidation by putting off a promised health care review that doesn't even address concerns over doctor intimidation.

July

• Breaking a campaign promise to properly support continuing care facilities by closing one such facility in Carmangay, damaging those tenants access to proper care, and crushing the local economy.

August

• Entitlement by spending lavishly on a trip to the Olympic Games in London.
• Entitlement as the CFO of Alberta Health Services who has PC ties is let go for spending $350,000 in car repairs/upgrades and entertainment. The Board member who approved it also resigned.
• Entitlement as the Ethics Commissioner waives a conflict-of-interest clause so that defeated PC candidate Evan Berger, former Minister of Agriculture, is given a 6-figure appointment in that same ministry.

This is what has happened since the election. This is what Albertans "strategically" voted for. So what is a person to do when the Wildrose clearly has a challenge with ethics, and the Alberta PCs continue their culture of entitlement, intimidation and promise-breaking?Absolutely nothing. You're stuck with it. Anybody announcing "reviews" or "audits" of any of these issues is hoping to placate you, but it means absolutely squat, because no audit or review will remove the damage done.

So keep track of what you are stuck with. In four years, when we try this all over again, don't let your memory be as short as it was during this last election. Don't get stuck with it again. Think long and hard about where "strategic voting" has gotten you, and get it right next time.