They would be running off of the Arif Kahn list from 2012 and maybe the federal list from randy boisenoit? spelling (but probably not that). Plus if I were the liberals I would be throwing everything I could into that race as a pick up there would likely stop the party from collapsing post election.

Yesterday was also my first sighting of Wildrose and Green signs (both in the southwest).

That's really well done.

I'm now wondering whether the PC's internals are showing the same numbers as the google surveys. Prentice is treating this like a two leader debate with Notley. Jean is at least being engaged with by the other leaders. That beats Swann, I don't think anyone other than the moderators has acknowledged his presence.

It has very much been a Prentice vs. Notley debate, with Jean running around like a chicken with its head cut off repeating "Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! Taxes!"

And of course Swann looking glum in the corner and wondering why everyone is ignoring him.

At one point I thought that Prentice was actually going to address something that Swann said. Then he said Brian in his rebuttal.

I'd say that Notley clearly won the debate. At times. a random viewer could have been forgiven for assuming that she was the incumbent Premier. Prentice was okay but just that. Jean remained on message and avoided fatal errors but failed to look like a leader who could deal with anything other than taxes. Reading something from his notes that wasn't at all connected to the question at hand didn't help. Swann came off as ineffectual and a non-factor. He needed to come off as anything else if he hoped to avert the meltdown.

I watched the last half of the Alberta debate. I gotta say, I am impressed with that girl. She seems to have her stuff together and her responses are very professional.

I listened to the debate on radio and IMO there were no clear winners. Prentice needed to star and didn't. He didn't do badly.
A friend watched it on Global and thought Swann and Jean were reading from notes and thought Notley won.
The difference between radio and video and individual perception.

The consensus on my newsfeed and from polls seems to be that Notley was the big winner of the debate and Jean the big loser.

I personally thought Prentice held his own. Swann was basically Prentice's parrot.

The two of them were going after Notley, which is good news if you're an NDPer.

Jean was horrific. You could have made a deadly drinking game for every time he said "The Wildrose are the only party that won't raise your taxes!"

With the obligatory cautions for alcohol poisoning.

It's hard to say what impact this debate will have. I truly think this will heavily discredit the Wildrose.

Danielle Smith just tweeted that Notley won the debate.

For anybody who missed the debate.

• Video Link

More than a little schadenfraeude in that tweet, I'm sure.

Jean sounds like amateur hour, which is too bad for WR supporters as a more capable leader could have been on track to seize a big majority. How hard is Saskiw kicking himself for stepping down from his seat? He would have done a better job.

Haha yeah. I don't see Danielle feeling too much love for the leaders of either of her former parties. Although, even the Calgary Sun gave Notley the win (although reluctantly, and was quite clear they did not endorse her party or policies).

Well, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that you are never going to get the taxes as #1 issue people back into the PC camp from Jean, so guide everyone else to make the the PC - NDP choice.

PCs could be in a 15 point lead and you still make the same move.

Latest Forum Research poll - Slim NDP majority taken prior to the debate.

http://poll.forumresearch.com/post/2...ake-of-debate/

Could it be true or just wishful thinking on my part.

It will be quite something if the NDP are elected to government in Alberta, and then the Manitoba NDP are turfed as expected... Alberta could be the only province with an NDP government!

A notion:
Federally, two progressive parties - NDP, Liberal, and two conservative parties - Progressive Conservative, Reform. Two conservative parties subsequently merge and are elected.

Provincially, in Alberta, a non merger of progressives coalescing around one party. A defacto voter merge?

If the polls are to be believed, which I don't, but lets say you do.

This one will come down to:

• strength of get out the vote organization in rural constituencies (Wildrose vs. PC); and,
• does the NDP break out of the Calgary beachhead.