It’s anybody’s guess who will represent Innisfail-Sylvan Lake in the legislative assembly following the April 23 provincial vote.
But rural Central Alberta voters sense there’s going to be a change in Alberta’s political landscape.
Many voters say they are either undecided or will cautiously stick to their Progressive Conservative roots.
In Sylvan Lake, many residents are upset with the Tory government’s controversial decision to make the intersection at Hwy 781 and Hwy 11 a right-in, right-out configuration, instead of installing traffic lights.
“People are not happy with that,” said Bonnie Collins. “I don’t think that did (incumbent PC Luke Ouellette) any favours.”
Collins said she supports Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s federal government but is not impressed with Alberta’s premier. Collins said Premier Alison Redford does not know whether she is coming or going.
As an example, Collins said Redford’s about-face in ordering the “no-pay” committee MLAs to repay the $1,000 a month they were paid for three years was bizarre.
Collins and her husband, Wayne, moved from Estevan, Sask., to the resort town about seven years ago.
Both said they do not know much about the local candidates but will likely cast a ballot for the Wildrose Party because of its policies and leader Danielle Smith, who has “her head on straight.”
“Ralph Klein was the real deal when we were in Saskatchewan,” said Wayne Collins.
“It made people mad but it worked. What he did worked. It certainly made Alberta a prosperous province. We’d like it to stay that way now that we live here.”
Tom Cook of Innisfail, said it doesn’t matter which candidate wins in his riding because the politicians speak for the party, not the local constituents. Cook said the politicians go in with the best intentions but once they get in they have to toe the party line.
Cook said he’s a Tory supporter but feels the party is getting “old in the hat.”
“They have been around for too long,” said Cook. “Probably we are in for change. But what do we change to?”
Cook said the Wildrose Party has got to the point where it could turn a lot of Tories because former premiers Ed Stelmach and Don Getty led Alberta down the wrong road.
“People got fed up with the attitude of take me or nothing attitude,” he said.
“They feel that they deserve it or something. You get into a place long enough, you think you own it but you don’t.”
Undecided voter and longtime Tory Brenda Ward of Innisfail said she has paid close attention to the campaign since the writ dropped almost two weeks ago. While she is not ready to cast her ballot yet, Ward feels Redford has not been given the chance to run the province. Instead, she said, Redford has been sabotaged by the ‘old-time’ Tories within her party.
“She’s a very clever woman who has had to come in and clean up the mess before her,” said Ward. “I think even if we go back as a minority, she should be given a chance. If we go in as a minority, it will be a wake-up call for us.”
Ward was hesitant to say who she is leaning toward but indicated Tory incumbent Ouellette needs to dig deeper and knock on doors in Innisfail.
“Just because you were in before doesn’t mean you’re a shoo-in,” said Ward. “Especially now.”
Sylvan Lake’s Val Hilker said he is concerned with the high fuel prices and rising utility costs in Alberta.
“I’ve always been a happy Conservative, for all my life,” said Hilker. “Then they privatized everything and now all our utilities are going up. I want to see what the other parties are going to offer. . . . Gas prices are going up. It’s outrageous and we’re supposed to be a have province. It doesn’t seem to be true anymore.”
Hilker’s wife, Audrey, said the province’s decision on the Hwy 781 and Hwy 20 intersection was rushed and she doesn’t know if it was the right choice. The Hilkers are undecided but would like to see more emphasis put on health care in Sylvan Lake, and the promise to bring an urgent care centre to the resort town fulfilled.
Tory supporter Gavin Lobb, of Innisfail, said there needs to be more access to funding for people living with special needs. He said the provincial government worries too much about unions, teachers, and hospitals and ignores the people with special needs.
“They forget about these guys because they don’t vote,” said Lobb, whose 23-year-old daughter is handicapped. “They have to loosen up the purse strings.”
Another undecided voter, Helen Bradford of Sylvan Lake, said she is tired of the “American-type” campaigns. Bradford said she wants the leaders to stick to the issues instead of focusing on petty things like the design on the Wildrose bus. Bradford said she wants to hear more things than health-care related promises from Liberal Leader Raj Sherman. She is concerned with the environmental repercussions of the oil industry.
“I know they are anxious to bring in the oil revenue but at what cost?” she said. “I think there are a lot of environmental issues they have to deal with. I think there’s a lot of problems there.”
Bradford said the Tory incumbent is not in touch with the local issues in Sylvan Lake. Bradford said Ouellette should have fought harder to put in a set of lights in the controversial intersection.
“I just don’t think he has got his finger on it,” said Bradford. “There should be a set of lights there. To wait several years for an overpass is not satisfactory.”
Bradford, who voted Tory in previous elections, said Alberta is “due for a change” and politicians are leaving “a bad taste in our mouths.”
In the Village of Elnora, with a population of 320, residents have traditionally voted Tory, says Elnora Deputy Mayor Ross Twidale. “I don’t know if it will stay that way or not,” he said. “There will be some support go the (Wildrose) direction from talking to people.”
Like others in the vast riding, he senses a time of change. Twidale said education is an important issue but “throwing money at an issue” isn’t always the best solution.
“Gee whiz, people need to get creative and start discussing things,” he said. “I don’t know for sure but I think throwing money at problems isn’t the best way.”
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake
Location and description: Located south of Red Deer spanning from the Blindman River, north of Red Deer, to Olds in the south; east of Benalto and west of the Red Deer River.
Returning officer: Carla Gabert, ro64@elections.ab.ca or 403-227-0121 and 1-855-837-0121.
Candidates: Incumbent Luke Ouellette, Progressive Conservative; Les Vidok, Liberal Party; Kerry Towle, Wildrose Party; Danielle Klooster, Alberta Party; Patricia Norman, New Democratic Party. (Nominations close on Tuesday.)
Major towns: Bowden, Delburne, Dickson, Elnora, Innisfail, Penhold, Springbrook and Sylvan Lake.
Population: 25,923 electors.
Election Forums: Innisfail Chamber of Commerce hosts a candidate forum at the new Library Learning Centre on 5300 55th St. Close, across from the Innisfail Cemetery, on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. The Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce hosts the candidates at the Fine Arts Centre in the Fox Run School (2 Falcon Ridge Drive) on Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.