Stettler residents headed to the polling station at the Stettler Royal Canadian Legion Branch 59 Tuesday to vote in the provincial election.
Many voters coming out in the afternoon were decidedly for the United Conservative Party in the Drumheller-Stettler riding. The incumbent is Independent Rick Strankman.
Long-time UCP voter Doreen LaRose said she always vets the candidates but feels the UCP is the best choice for her. She was impressed when she heard UCP Leader Jason Kenney speak in Red Deer in March.
“Away with the carbon tax and get the pipelines going. All those issues that are so near and dear to most of us here. There are people who are looking at the risk of losing companies. There are people who have lost jobs — it’s even affecting our economy on Main Street,” she said.
While LaRose called Ottawa’s carbon tax ‘a farce’ and wants it scrapped, she said she is still concerned about the environment and feels the UCP addresses those concerns.
“There has to be balance and there has to be truth,” she said when asked about the party’s stance on the environment.
“I think that is what we are getting with the United Conservative Party, especially in this area. I am quite confident of that.”
A voter who wished to remain nameless said he protest voted for the UCP.
He said he liked some of the NDP policies but had a parent who died from doctor malpractice and didn’t like the party’s response, receiving what he called a “blah, blah letter.”
The federal carbon tax is a big issue for him and local businesses. He said small businesses in town will loose much needed revenue under the tax.
“Everybody is going downhill,” he said. “I can’t have the carbon tax keep coming and the choice is really between two people really. I really had to hold my nose and vote.”
Rachel Lilly said she felt the UCP most aligns with her values.
“I hope the Conservative candidate gets in,” she said. “I don’t really care for the NDP. I’ve always voted Conservative.”
But Fern Lindstrom said she voted for NDP candidate Holly Heffernan because she was happy with what the provincial government has accomplished in the past four years. She feels the riding will sway to the right with the Conservative party.
“I like Rachel Notley. She was dumped in with a lot of debt. I know she has created debt too but she did come in to where there is a lot of debt and she has done well with the roads — I’m very impressed.
“If the Conservatives do come in, I don’t think things are going to change that much.”
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