They are twinning in their policies too!
(PHOTO Courtesy DAVID BLOOM /Postmedia)
If you find yourself scratching your head at the polling booth, it is okay. It’s not just you.
Alberta’s voter is confused. In a terrible last-ditch effort, the UCP and the NDP, have duplicated their stand on major policies. This brings the Danielle Smith and Rachel Notley’s leadership under scanner.
The UCP and the NDP have now twinned in their views on policies, that they previously opposed. The marginal gain of one party over the other, as predicted by major polls, is likely because the voter is confused, thanks to the ambiguous views of the two leading parties.
Here are the policies that the two previously debated on but are now sheepishly promoting:
- Health Care Teams: The UCP has now given a nod to the idea of healthcare teams, comprising family doctors, nurses, mental health care specialists, and specialty doctors. This policy was a brainchild of the NDP. However, the UCP seems to have given a thumbs up to it. Smith acknowledged it in the big debate.
- Caps on Emissions: The UCP was opposed to having a cap on emissions and called it a de facto cap on production. Rachel Notley says it will have an Alberta-appropriate cap and not the federally suggested one. She also says that growth in production will not be affected. However, she fails to explain the NDP’s strategy to reducing emissions, while increasing the production. The point is, both the parties want to increase production but have vague views on emissions.
- The South Edmonton Hospital, initially proposed by the NDP, was under scrutiny by the UCP. It cited that the proposed plan runs on a pipeline. After four years of sitting on it, the UCP now has the same South Edmonton Hospital on every flyer being handed out to its southern voters.
- The UCP had clearly and strongly proposed corporatization of the hospitals and a fee to attend family clinics. It has changed its tune in this election season and is now claiming that family clinics will not charge patients, just duplicating the NDP’s stand.
- At 4%, Alberta has the lowest corporate income tax under the Smith regime. Notley says that it will take the corporate income of the lowest province and transfer it to Alberta. She is not vocal about which province she wants to emulate. Will it be Alberta, which has the lowest taxes currently, or the next in turn, i.e., Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec at 5.75%?
- Budget: The UCP and NDP promise to keep the budget balanced, without reducing spending.
The confusing language has confused the voter even further.
Tough time for Albertans finding out who is speaking the truth and who is changing its tune following the direction of the wind.
