Fraught with criticism and controversy, Rachel Notley’s rise to power as head of the NDP government in Alberta has been an unprecedented change in the province’s politics.
Don Braid and Sydney Sharpe, authors of Notley Nation: How Alberta’s Political Upheaval Swept the Country, said this change represents much more than a mere political shift: It’s cultural and societal, too.
“This was the biggest, most cataclysmic change in political life in Alberta since 1935. A bigger change in Alberta politics than even the Lougheed victory in 1971,” said Braid in a recent interview with The Press.
“They are trying to deal with what was cluttered up in 43 years, and change it in four. And whether that gets them re-elected is really open to question.”
Sharpe is a Calgary-based free-lance journalist. Braid writes a column for the Calgary Herald on Alberta politics.
So how did a province that loves to hate the NDP, end up ditching the PC party in favour of its favourite scapegoat?
“I think it’s real simple,” said Sharpe. “The PC party, after 44 years, had lost touch. They forgot who their constituencies were. In Peter Lougheed’s day, he had a handle on every constituency in the province.
“Initially, they started out with the whole philosophy of inclusion. You know, the large tent, bring everybody in and deal with the interests of most. But they slowly lost touch.”
Braid pointed out some of the specifics of the PC party downfall.
“Look at the disasters they had, they had all those premiers,” he said.
“They fell apart as a unit, they thought that they could do just about anything and that the people would still let them.
“There’s no question that a great number of [NDP] supporters were temporary. They were people who were voting against the Conservatives.”
The strategic vote by left-leaning Conservatives could, in fact, be one way for Notley to be re-elected in 2019, even if former federal Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney succeeds in his quest to “unite the right,” he said.
“[The NDP] are now turning their minds to the very strong prospect that there will be one conservative party next election. Their job is to win over every progressive from the PCs,” said Braid.
Notley has her work cut out for her, though, and in a province that has been profoundly affected by the recession, she doesn’t seem to be gaining any fans.
“She actually concedes the fact, albeit obliquely, that they could be defeated,” said Braid.
But Notley is also determined to leave a legacy of environmental stewardship by creating a carbon tax “so entrenched it can’t be reversed if the NDP is defeated.”
Both Braid and Sharpe said that Albertans have to look at the bigger picture when it comes to the NDP’s policy changes, especially when it comes to one of the biggest crosses Notley has to bear: Alberta oil.
“Notley assumed power in the worst economy since William Aberhart, so she’s got this huge, huge dilemma that isn’t in any way of her making. The price of oil, that’s completely out of her control,” said Sharpe.
“What’s also been out of her control is getting access to tidewater – that’s pipelines. She’s been extremely supportive of the pipelines that, in her view, make sense. Meaning the ones that have the best chance of being built and addressing all of the stakeholders.”
And indeed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, alongside Premier Notley, recently approved two major pipeline projects, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and Line 3 by Enbridge.
This could be a turning point for a re-election bid, and a chance for Notley to make up the ground she has lost.
The recent pipeline agreement could also be seen as a peace offering to those in the oil and gas sector who expressed anger that the Notley government wasn’t acknowledging the struggles of thousands of Albertans affected by the economic downturn.
Another challenge for the NDP lies in trying to maintain a legacy of positive social change within the provincial government.
“The culture of power has changed dramatically. This is, in a sense, an experiment with what happens when you have near gender parity in a caucus which is the government of the day,” said Sharpe.
“So you go from what was a culture of competition, head-butting and confrontation to one based more on co-operation and conciliation.
“Issues that were relegated to the basement of power, like abuse, for instance, suddenly has moved to the forefront. Social issues, so-called ‘women’s issues,’ become an important part of the political discourse. The whole agenda changes.”
Braid agreed.
“A male caucus can turn a female leader into Margaret Thatcher, but a female caucus has real power. The important thing is the (influence) of women. It’s changed the whole tone of government.”
However, with this sea change comes what Sharpe called “a dreadful backlash” of unprecedented cyber and inter-party bullying.
While the Notley government has near gender parity, the opposition Wildrose party has only two women in caucus, “and of course the PCs now have no women and they made [MLA] Sandra Jansen’s life hell. That is the reality,” said Sharpe.
Braid, who has written two Calgary Herald columns on the vicious bullying attacks that led to Jansen’s crossover from the PCs to the NDP, said, “The NDP is getting ready for the culture war and Jansen is on the frontline.”
Jansen’s defection caused such outrage that she now has her own protective detail.
Sharpe said it’s imperative that respect and inclusiveness be at the forefront of all government, citing the friendship between Peter Lougheed and Notley’s father, Grant Notley.
This was the biggest, most cataclysmic change in political life in Alberta since 1935. – Don Braid
“They dramatically disagreed, but had enormous respect for the integrity of the politician and the human being.”
Sharpe believes that Rachael Notley’s practice of consulting with all stakeholders on an issue, even those in disagreement, harkens back to her father’s mutual respect for Lougheed, and is one of the greatest contributions the NDP has made to the Alberta government so far.
“I don’t believe the legislature should reflect the corners of our culture, it should reflect the mainstream of our culture.
“It really limits the potential of a province, and limits the potential of any party that wants to be in power and wants to run this magnificent province.”
Notley Nation is published by Dundurn Press. It sells for $19.95 in paperback, and is available at Calgary booksellers.