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Notley says Kenney has 'failed' to stop bigotry in UCP, predicts conservative voters will abandon party

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Conservative voters are turning away from the UCP, fed up with the intolerance within that party, NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Wednesday.

Citing several instances of past bigoted comments made by UCP candidates, Notley said some traditionally conservative supporters are souring on Jason Kenney’s party and urged others to follow suit.

“There are those who’ve voted PC in the past, but frankly can’t bring themselves to support Jason Kenney, who are not comfortable with the extremely divisive direction Jason Kenney is taking Alberta,” Notley said at Calgary-Currie NDP candidate Brian Malkinson’s campaign headquarters.

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The union of the Wildrose and PC parties has wedded intolerance and corruption, respectively, to form the UCP, said the premier.

“It’s clear Mr. Kenney didn’t bring the best of the PCs and Wildrose together, he brought the worst, he brought the sky palace to the shores of the lake of fire,” said Notley.

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And she said voters don’t need to prioritize economic issues at the expense of rejecting discrimination, adding she’s been fighting for the Trans Mountain pipeline and shipping oil by rail.

“We cannot let our economic troubles, as frustrating as they are, be an excuse to abandon our better selves,” said Notley.

Joining her was Alberta rodeo champion Denny Hay, who admitted to being a longtime Tory voter but one who’s become dissatisfied and has gone over to the NDP.

“As you can see from my outfit, I’ve probably voted Conservative in the past,” said Hay, donning a cowboy hat.

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“I’ve watched (Notley) progress and seen how great she’s been doing.”

Hay said the UCP stance on allowing educators to alert parents when their children join school gay-straight alliances is troubling and that he knows of other long-time Conservatives abandoning the party.

“I hope there are more like-minded people who’ll do this,” he said.

Polls for months have consistently shown the NDP trailing the UCP throughout the province except for Edmonton and that economic concerns easily trump others.

The latest survey conducted March 25-30 of 900 people by Janet Brown Opinion Research shows the UCP holding a commanding 53 per cent to 34 per cent lead over the NDP throughout the province, with a similar margin in Calgary.

When asked if UCP candidates’ homophobic and Islamophobic statements from years ago are falling on mostly deaf ears, Notley said, “Should Albertans have to be imploring someone who feels entitled to the premier’s office to take this issue seriously?”

She noted Kenney has chosen to keep Mark Smith as the UCP’s Drayton Valley-Devon candidate despite his alleged homophobic comments and actions in 2013 and 2015.

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“He was put to the test yesterday and he failed it,” said Notley.

In Edmonton to announce a First Nations energy policy, Kenney was dogged Wednesday by questions over Smith, the latest of several UCP hopefuls to be ensnared by past comments.

“Mr. Smith has apologized unequivocally for his remarks,” said Kenney, adding those words came before the one-time UCP education critic was elected to the legislature.

“This will be a government of inclusion regardless of cultural background … this will be a party that reflects the diversity of Alberta.”

Kenney said Smith’s ability to carry out his duties if elected hasn’t been jeopardized by the controversy.

On Wednesday, the UCP leader reiterated his belief that Notley’s failure to solve the province’s economic woes is hamstringing the NDP’s political fortunes.

Agreeing with that assessment was Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt, who said Albertans’ displeasure with intolerant remarks has its limits.

“I think it’s more like, ‘I’m going to vote for the conservative, but I’m not very happy about that stuff,'” said Bratt.

Such controversy gained more traction in the province’s 2012 election when the economy was more robust and not as big an issue, he said.

“If the economy today was the same as in 2012, the UCP would be sunk,” said Bratt.

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

on Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn

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