The Strategists weigh in on alleged 'secret' NDP Calgary office

There's nothing fishy about the NDP office recently established in northeast Calgary, butthe WildroseOpposition is doing a good job of casting doubt, say some political experts.

The WildrosePartyhas accusedthe NDP of using taxpayers' money to fund asecret campaign office in the run up totheCalgary-Greenwaybyelection.

Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman has denied those allegations and accused the opposition of making up scandals, adding thatthe caucus outreachoffice is meant to assist MLAs.

"It's not a secret office," said Stephen Carter,one of The Strategists.

"When you're running a campaign, you want people to go to the office. You don't put secret offices just outside a jurisdiction so that you can manage a campaign from it. That's ridiculous," he said.

"Either the Wildrose doesn't know this, or they're ignoring it, and I don't know which one is more damning on the Wildrose," Carter said.

"Seriously, we deserve a better opposition than these guys are giving us."

Zain Veljicredited theWildrose for capitalizing on the perception offoul play.

"The perception is, we are in a byelection, the NDP have a Calgary problem, and they've now put out an office that looks political in nature," Velji said.

"People at home do not have the depth of understanding, nor are they weird like us, to know that a campaign office is not in an industrial park in northeastCalgary," he said.

"Welcome to politics."