Oh please, let’s not drag out the eastern b*stards not ‘getting’ western Canada. My family’s from the west and I’ve lived and worked out west. So let’s put that hoary old myth to bed where it belongs. And don’t talk as if the west is a monolithic political block; it isn’t and hasn’t ever really been. Now if you’re using “west” as shorthand for Alberta, then say so. Because Saskatchewan and Manitoba have their own priorities.
That said, the “west” has been more right-leaning historically. But the problem now is with oil money that in a much larger way has brought the social problems that follow money around. And especially now, “get a job” isn’t cutting it as a flip response to someone cadging change on the street. The “power base” is all well and good as a theoretical concept. As long as you don’t plan to expand your impact, then accommodation isn’t really an issue. The problem in real life is that flexibility is required, whether you’re a politician or not. Unless you happen to be independently wealthy, you’re going to have to give in on some things.
Welcome to real life.
Tell you what, we’ll swap you Alberta for the entire political farce of the Northeastern U.S., and we’ll even throw in the execreble West Coast to be Baja British Columbia. Deal ?
The ‘West’- northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, Sask, Alberta, and BC are solid conservative majorities in federal elections - period ....your spin will not change that.
You worked out west....LOL ....that makes you an eastern not a Western Canadian......lol.......
The economy of Ontario and Quebec is about to go into the tank and the socialists including red tories want to bail it out with The West’s tax money. 27% of the population (Western Canada) supplies 80% of Canada’s resources while the power structure of the east has kept 80% of the manufacturing in Ontario and Quebec. Well that is about to end and the stranglehold of federal power; Ontario and Quebec enjoy with it. With the exceptions of northern Manitoba (native reserves) and Vancouver (la la land) the West in conservative. We have had enough of the east’s socialism and red toryism polluting conservatism federally.