Surprise

Given my expectation of a WRP majority, this is certainly a better result. In fact, if Redford governs from as far left as she campaigned (not, you know, super far left, but better than the last many years), it might be a good result. But the "how" mystifies me a little bit. Stelmach did the same thing, polling not nearly as well as he finished on election night. Is there some sort of "vote Tory" programming in Albertans that only kicks in when faced with a ballot in their hands?

Walking

 I'm sure, if the Legislature seems to be shaking out to be in minority territory with an advantage to Wild Rose this evening, there will be some talk about which of the elected PCs can be talked into walking the floor to get WRP to a majority and shut the smaller parties out of the process. If this does in fact come to pass,let me be the first to issue a warning: the PCs that win tonight will owe those victories to not being Wild Rose. If they switch allegiances, they should remember that the WRP has promised a recall process. I'm just saying.

Strategic voting, again

There's been lots of sturm und drang the last couple of days regarding a video produced with some Calgary youngsters, promoting a plan of "hold your nose and vote Tory."

 Here's the thing: there's a certain sympathy to this strategic vote plan. Going by this campaign, the Progressive Conservatives are much more moderate than the Wildrose party. Of curse, going back 41 years, maybe less so. Ted Morton's still a Tory, right?

 I digress. My point is that if you live in a riding like Airdrie, sure, vote PC to beat a WRP'er. We get that the right-wing has to split many more ways before other candidates are in a serious run. But if you're in Edmonton, in almost any riding, red or orange can win the day so long as people don't assume blue is the only colour capable of stopping green. Vote with your heart in the two big cities, and you'll be amazed at what can happen.

Your local candidates

You know, I could accept Allan Hunsperger's "gays will burn in hell" nonsense, if it was left there. But it wasn't. Hunsperger went on to complain that Christian schools that fell under the auspices of the public school system would have to follow board policy, which says "The Board is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe, inclusive, equitable, and welcoming learning and teaching environment for all members of the school community. This includes those students, staff, and families who identify or are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two- spirit, queer or questioning their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Board expects all members of our diverse community to be welcomed, respected, accepted, and supported in every school."

In other words, he opposes a public policy which disallows him from making students feel unwelcome, disrespected, rejected, and unsupported for their sexual identities. That's not about his role as a pastor at some reactionary church, that's about his role as an educator. That's not about the afterlife, that's about the lives of children under his authority today.

By the way, Hunsperger is pastor of something called "The House Ministries of Tofield", which sounds associated to no popular denomination of my experience. Here's a link to the site for his church, which gives me, as a practicing member of a major denomination, pause.

Me too

I heart taxes