Is it true that south alberta is as conservative as Texas, utah etc?

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fleurpixie

Well in terms of the people, it depends. Lots of left wing liberals in places like Jasper, Banff, and Canmore for example. As well as in itinerant work towns where a good portion of the population is from the East. I found the rest of the province very conservative. Both in terms of politics, and social outlook, and I lived in Jasper, Calgary, and Edmonton.

In governmental policy that's an affirmative. If they could, they'd have the death penalty back. Multi-tiered health systems, reverse legal same sex marriages, etc. The economy is based on oil, farming and ranching, so there's another similarity for you.

Mike R

It's the most conservative part of Canada, so definitely conservative compared to Ontario - but I would say it's close to many of the Western states. Although the type of conservatives that are there are generally more libertarian - meaning they have fewer property rights laws and stuff like that, but socially they're not as conservative. Just like the western mountain states in the US - like for example Nevada allows all kinds of stuff (gambling, medical marijuana, etc...) but they have fewer property rights laws and lower taxes. So it's more like libertarian conservatism rather than the Christian-right, Evangelical conservatism that you see in other places like the South.

giacarangi_99

In the last federal election, the only liberal riding in Alberta (and there was only one) was in downtown Edmonton, other than that the vast majourity of Albertans (especially southern) are strong Conservatives. Of course there are a few do-gooder libs around, and the odd green party and what not, but to be honest libs are seen almost as a disease in Calgary. I don't say this to speak against anyone, it's just my observation. I'm a born and bred Conservative and was raised with the belief that everyone is (am from Calgary) so when I moved to an extremely liberal town in BC last year I got the shock of my life. They hate Albertans in this town, and think we are all money hungry devils. This isn't the case, we aren't gun-toting like Texans or anything. I have many friends who are as liberal as I am Conservative and respect that, but they are few and far between in Calgary. Alberta, in short, is conservative compared to the rest of Canada in general.

Fotomama

Cardston, Taber, Lethbridge, Magrath, Raymond...south western Alberta is really heavily populated with Mormons, and Mormons are, by definition, more conservative in their values and beliefs than not. Alberta is the only province in all of Canada that elected ALL its MPs from the Conservative Party.

There are a lot of Christian-based faiths here with "good ol' boys" values and attitudes. Cowboys still open doors for ladies and chivalry is not dead here.

Phaedra T

Don't know but I have some family in drum they are a total farm community but they accept me and my gay cousin just fine.

Toni_busy

I would compare Alberta to Colorado. YES, it leans toward conservatism BUT we don't all carry guns!

I'm south of Calgary (here from south of Denver) and do like it. We moved here because we feel it's safer for our kids.

If you like something more liberal, go to BC.

mb

cuddles

sure is

Johnny Canuck

I'm a British Columbian again after living three years in Alberta and in my mind there are three Albertas: urban Alberta; oil Alberta; and farm Alberta.

Farm Alberta is the tiny hamlet town on the prarie Alberta. There's not a lot of newcomers. There's not alot of business. Everyone and their family have been there forever and they all ranch/farm. These people are generally small c conservative types just like they are anywhere else in the country. That is just the way small agricultural towns are. It is no worse or better in Alberta than it is in Ontario.

Oil Alberta on the other hand is a completely different place. Oil Alberta is the small/medium towns where everyone in new and from somewhere else in the country and they all owe their living to mother oil. Whether you work the cafe, the rig, or the shop, your life begins and ends with the sludge in the ground. These people are the type that have uprooted themselves from their homes and families and moved out there for what they figure is a better life. These people are therefore independant, make it on your own types generally. This doesn't mean they're small c conservative at all. Some of those places are pretty rough and tumble and put up with some pretty libertine lifestyles, but you're not going to see them voting NDP enmasse and supporting community initiatives like smoke free zones or free daycare.

In urban Alberta however, that is where I'd say you see the real regressionist conservative attitudes just as you'd see their largest leftist bent because that is exactly where the greatest contrast between the bourgeois and the proletariat types is happening. In Calgary or Edmonton you're either one of two types: the working guy constantly struggling to make his rent/mortgage or the arrogant rich type that is giving Alberta a lot of the stereotypes it has.

Anyway, my point is there are a lot of stereotypes out there and none of them are really accurate. I'm sure there's lots of people that could punch a million holes in what I said here, but I thought I'd share the way I understand the province. I'll leave it to you to make your own impression.

PS: Always remember, Alberta is a province of four million people. Thing is over a million live in Calgary. Just under a million live in Edmonton. Add the magor oil industry hubs of McMurray, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, and the Hat, you'd get somewhere between another 3/4 to a full million. Doesn't leave much of the population left to fill out the rest of the province does it? More often than not, when you apply the label "Albertan" who you're really talking about is a urban workin' type.

maple1985

I don't know but I'm going to stay out of there just in case!

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