Skip to content

EDITORIAL: Rural Alberta

With the UCP garnering so much of its support from rural ridings, small-town Alberta will surely enjoy unprecedented influence in the legislature for the next four years. 
Editorial Stock Photo

The Rural Alberta Advantage is more than just an indie rock band at the moment, thanks to the results of the recent provincial election. 

Rural and small-town Alberta certainly came out as the true 'winner' following the May 29 vote. With the UCP garnering so much of its support from rural ridings, small-town Alberta will likely enjoy unprecedented influence in the legislature for the next four years. 

There was a clear divide between how urban and rural voters cast their ballot on election night. Nearly all of the runner-up NDP's 38 winning candidates were in the big cities – particularly Edmonton and Calgary, but also Lethbridge. Apart from the NDP's one rural candidate in Banff-Kananaskis, the rest of the province was virtually a UCP sweep. 

However, that means there will be a notable decrease of urban representation in Premier Danielle Smith's new cabinet, which will have to be largely comprised of rural MLAs. This will give rural Albertans an influence in government the likes of which they've probably never seen before. Having so much voice in government is something rural Albertans have long been waiting for, since so many of Alberta's recent cabinets were dominated by Calgary- and Edmonton-area MLAs during the Jason Kenney, Rachel Notley, Jim Prentice, and Alison Redford years.

That being said, a lack of UCP MLAs in Edmonton is going to be a headache for Smith. With no winning candidates in Edmonton to draw upon, Smith will have to figure out a way to ensure Alberta's capital city is represented when it comes to forming her inner circle. Having been asked about this conundrum already, she's floated the idea of forming an advisory council made up of the UCP candidates in Edmonton who lost in the election. Such an answer will likely not bring inspire confidence among Edmontonians. 

Despite a lack of support for her and her party in Edmonton, Smith is going to want to improve her relationship with voters in Alberta's capital city – after all, that's where nearly a quarter of the province's population resides.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks