The electoral map has been repainted, but rural Alberta blue hasn’t budged an inch.
Despite some promising gains in urban areas, the NDP failed to make headway in less populated parts of the province during Monday’s provincial election.
It is a trend that is only becoming more evident.
“The rural/urban question is one of the most important political questions of our generation,” said Athabasca University professor Paul Kellogg. “The vote difference isn’t just in Alberta, it’s definitely noticeable (here).”
The NDP will walk away from the last provincial election firmly in Edmonton and an additional 11 seats in Calgary.
This makes the UCP the first provincial winner that does not hold a majority in either of the two urban centres.
Kellogg believes he could take the conservative caucus in different directions.
“It is a very real tension that they will have to pay attention to if they want to govern successfully,” he said.
The party will certainly listen to suggestions from Take Back Alberta (TBA), a rural-based group.
“The Conservative movement is based in rural Alberta,” said TBA’s Marco van Huigenbos. “Always has been, always will be.”
TBA is confident that it can continue to effectively mobilize voters to promote rural interests.
So far, van Huigenbos says he’s happy with the work Smith has done.
“He united the caucus, a very divided caucus, and he won a clear mandate,” he told CTV News. “Based on what rural Alberta values, a Conservative win was critical.”
DIFFERENT INTERESTS
The urban-rural divide is evident all over the world.
In Alberta, it’s perpetuated by industry and education, Kellogg says.
“The fear that exists in small towns and the countryside and the elitism that can sometimes seem to exist in the cities, these two things should not exist,” he said. “We have to find ways to communicate and relate.
“We live in both places. Our society depends on the country and the city. We cannot have one without the other.”
Kellogg also believes that part of the divide comes down to political representation. Many urban voters in Alberta feel undervalued compared to their counterparts.
The population in some of the ridings of Calgary and Edmonton is almost double that of some of the rural areas.
“We need to find ways and mechanisms to better reflect multiplicity, because it’s an increasingly diverse society we live in,” Kellogg said.
The UCP won 52.6% of the popular vote on Monday. The NPD took 44 percent.
