There is little time to absorb the
by which Alberta reverted back to the Conservatives on Tuesday, ending NDP rule after only one term in office.
Next week, voters in
will head to the polls. In contrast to Albertans, voters in Canada’s smallest Province may well choose to use this opportunity to make history by, for the first time, charging the
and its leader
with forming government. This would be unprecedented in Canada and would throw up interesting questions to ponder prior to the federal election scheduled for later this year. The rise of the
in the country testifies to the increasing relevance of environmental issues and the role they play in politics all over the world. The Greens have demonstrated their ability to appeal to a wider section of the electorate in Provincial elections in
and
already, but the widely used
will make it difficult for the party to achieve a genuine breakthrough and to be represented according to its share of the vote. Thus, it will be another interesting aspect of the election in Prince Edward Island to see if the
on electoral reform passes. Its perhaps most vocal proponent, Greens leader Peter Bevan-Baker,
that there is now a good chance for the ballot initiative to be carried, making the electoral system in the Province much fairer and more representative.
Most
has the Green Party in-front, but it is unclear whether any of the parties will be in a position to form government in their own right. Most indicators point to minority government, another historic and unprecedented outcome in the Province.
The governing
under the leadership of Premier
are struggling to win a fourth consecutive term in office which, as even opponents concede, is a difficult undertaking for any party burdened with longterm incumbency in the Province. The
under the leadership of
would under normal circumstances and following historical precedent be in with a good shot at governing, but the party has been beset by severe leadership problems for a long time.
Therefore, the Greens have stepped up to the plate and seem ready to fill this political void, allowing voters to endorse change without having to support either of the two traditional forces.
Weather patterns in this Province have always been inconsistent, but this has traditionally not effected political life here, with both major parties reliably alternating in power since the early 1850s. No matter how tight the election outcome, this is likely to change.
I keep my fingers crossed for the Greens and Peter Bevan-Baker to make history on Tuesday; even though its immediate impact would be largely on the Province, its repercussions would be reverberating throughout the nation, effecting political calculations in Ottawa as well.
For more on Canadian elections and politics read
this.
Reflective contemplations 