Mediaboss Marketing

Reclaiming a seat in the legislature is the goal for the Alberta Liberal Party in the May 29 provincial election.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Party Leader John Roggeveen acknowledged his Liberals face an uphill battle against the UCP and NDP in the upcoming vote, but said he wants to provide Albertans with a third choice in what he described as a two-party system which currently leaves some voters without any good options.

At the start of this campaign, we face two much larger opponents, Roggeveen told party volunteers in northeast Calgary Sunday afternoon.

We have a government thats led by a premier whos never managed to get a mandate of the people, in a general election at least, and an opposition led by a former premier whos been rejected in the past election.

The Alberta Liberals campaign slogan You deserve a better choice reflects Roggeveens pitch of his party as an alternative to the elections two heavyweights.

He outlined some of the partys key areas of policy interest, with focus on climate policy including a just energy transition, and health care and mental health funding.

Theyre policies that largely mirror those of the federal Liberal party, but Roggeveen said the two groups are separate entities, and his party is willing to take stances that go against those of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The Alberta Liberals have historically won seats in Alberta, including two decades where they sat as the provinces opposition government from 1993 through 2012.

But their support has dwindled with the rise of the Alberta NDP, with only then-Leader David Swann winning a seat in 2015 and the party being shut out of the legislature entirely under David Khans leadership in 2019, the partys first zero-seat result since 1982.

Polling suggests the party will remain a non-factor in this springs vote, but Roggeveen said hes pushing for an upset on May 29.

He announced hell run in Calgary-Lougheed, facing off against UCP candidate Eric Bouchard and the NDPs Venkat Akkiraj. The party has currently named candidates in fewer than a dozen of Albertas 87 ridings, but Roggeveen estimated their slate of candidates will total 22 to 24 by election day.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

We face many challenges in this election, in large part because we dont have the financial resources of the two titans, Roggeveen said, saying his party needs to redefine itself for voters this election.

We must remodel and renovate our party, so we can once again be part of the political conversation in the province and elect members to the legislature.

In British Columbia, that provinces Liberal Party recently renamed itself to British Columbia United. There are no plans for a name change in Alberta, however, Roggeveen said.

Premier Danielle Smith has indicated she plans to drop the writ Monday, kicking off a four-week election campaign before Albertans head to the polls May 29.

See original here:
Alberta Liberals eye return to legislature in election campaign kickoff - Calgary Herald