The Pollcast: Two provinces, two elections
Catching up with CBC's provincial affairs reporters Kim Trynacity in Alberta and Kerry Campbell in P.E.I.
It is an election year in Canada, but in at least two provinces voters may be heading to the polls sooner rather than later. Alberta is scheduled to hold its election this spring, while rumours are rife that an election call in Prince Edward Island could be made in the coming weeks.
So where do things stand as these provinces head toward the campaign trail?
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There is more certainty surrounding Alberta's election. The province has an election campaign window that runs from Mar. 1 to May 31. Rachel Notley's NDP government is kicking things off with a throne speech on Monday, which could be followed shortly after by a trip to the lieutenant-governor to drop the writ.
But expectations that the New Democrats would send the province to the polls early have been dampened, even as the opposition United Conservatives deal with potentially damaging internal affairs. Notley's NDP is trailing the UCP by a margin of about 25 points. The party is desperate for anything that could narrow that gap — letting the UCP's internal problems play out in public might accomplish that.
In P.E.I., Wade MacLauchlan's Liberals are also looking for a break. A recent poll put his party in third place, well behind the Greens and just a few points behind the Progressive Conservatives.
But old habits die hard, and P.E.I. has only ever been governed by Liberals or Tories. Can the Greens really make good on their strong polling and form their first government anywhere in Canada?
To break it all down, Pollcast host and CBC polls analyst Éric Grenier is joined by the CBC's provincial affairs reporters Kim Trynacity in Edmonton and Kerry Campbell in Charlottetown.
Listen to the full discussion above — or subscribe to the CBC Pollcast and listen to past episodes of the show.