Edmonton Sun backs Stelmach

The Edmonton Sun comes out in support of Stelmach but without great passion it seems! The author actually puts in a plug for the NDP!
The Calgary Herald still seems to hold out some hopes for Liberals at least in Calgary.

" Liberals are hoping to wedge through widening cracks in several Calgary ridings, a once nearly impenetrable Tory fortress, while the New Democrats, Wildrose Alliance and Greens are also vying to break through in the city's 23 seats.

"Calgary is where one senses change," said political analyst Bruce Foster, chair of policy studies at Mount Royal College."

This is from the Edmonton Sun.

March 2, 2008

Steady Eddie the best choice

By NEIL WAUGH



If elections were all about issues then the candidate with the biggest wheelbarrow of documents would win.

And if the barrage of policies and promises coming out of Liberal Leader Kevin Taft's war room were measuring sticks, then the Alberta Liberals would take Election 2008 in a runaway.

But if Albertans' past election records are anything to go by, they look beyond the pitches and stump speeches for an intangible ingredient in their politics. That's a difficult-to-define concept best summed up in one word: Leadership.

While the Canadian parliamentary system is the sum of many parts, the person who occupies the premier's office must be someone who Albertans admire, respect and believe in to do the right thing when the chips are down and Albertans' backs are against the wall.

In recent memory, we've been blessed with several such leaders.

Both former premiers Ralph Klein and Peter Lougheed earned their stripes as leaders. And the late Laurence Decore and Grant Notley, while neither formed a government, continued this strong Alberta legacy of leadership.

It's clear that many Albertans were searching for leadership throughout the campaign, reflected in the large "undecided" bloc in the polls.

Early on, the blunder-struck campaign of PC Leader Ed Stelmach muddled the political landscape. But when the other three provincial party leaders were given the chance, they failed to seize it.

The turning point for us was the TV debate where Stelmach clearly showed the cool, calm leadership qualities Albertans have come to expect of a premier. The other party leaders' credibility deteriorated as the squabbling, name-calling grew.

After that, the PC campaign gained momentum by placing Ed out front. With Tory policies and spending announcements already laid out, Stelmach's leadership qualities shone through.

And it became clear to us at the Edmonton Sun that Stelmach and his Progressive Conservative candidates are the best choices to govern the province.

But that shouldn't mean we're giving Steady Eddie a blank cheque.

The last few years of PC rule exposed a lot of backsliders and goof-offs in his cabinet and backbenches.

We expect and demand that Stelmach use the same leadership skills he displayed on the campaign trail by whipping his new government into shape pronto. And we'll be the first to criticize him if he doesn't.

Albertans also need strong opponents to the PCs in the legislature to keep Team Stelmach on its toes.

During the campaign, Brian Mason's New Democrats have shown they have the policies and philosophy to provide effective and consistent opposition.

That said, the rest is up to you - the voters.