'Taking advantage of the fear': Campaign's negativity worries election panel

Voters in a CBC election focus group are despairing over the divisiveness and negativity of the current election campaign, and worry Alberta may end up with MLAs from only two parties after the vote on April 16.

UwemOkome, a 45-year-old social worker who came to Canada from Nigeria a decade ago, says political parties are playing on people's fears.

"When there's frustration, people are angry," she said. "And they know that anger works. ... They're taking advantage of the fear factor that people are experiencing."

New voter Cassie Breton, 23, said the decision-making process has been "stressful."

"There's four options but there's only really two, and I don't really think I like either," she said referring to the United Conservative Party, led by Jason Kenney, and Rachel Notley's NDP.

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"You have the homophobia stuff with Jason.But then, do you want jobs or do you want to be a good person?"

Breton and Okome met with other members of an Edmonton panel on Monday to discuss the campaign. The focus group ispart of a project the CBC has undertaken in Calgary and Edmonton with Janet Brown Opinion Research.

The discussion was led by Brown, who asked the group about the tone of the campaign, the leaders' debate and how if at all their opinions have shifted during the campaign.

The negativity of the campaign disturbed many panelists. They talked about ad hominem attacks, "bickering" between Notley and Kenney, and an incident where a vehicle was keyed with an anti-NDP message in Red Deer.

"People are voting for what they don't want," said John Campbell, 67, a retired accountant. "They're voting against something, not for something."

A two-party future?

Panelistsalso worried about another potential outcome of the province's political divide an Alberta legislature with representation from only two parties: the NDP and the UCP.

"Nobody wants a two-party system," Okome said. "What I would really wish to have isthe other two parties, the Alberta Party and the Liberal Party ... so that we will have that balance."

Dennis Blowers, who has voted for the Progressive Conservatives his entire life, challenged Breton's statement that voters only have two options.

"The sad part is that we continuously focus on these two parties," said Blowers, a 54-year-old owner of a home construction and renovation company.

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"I just think there is a solid alternative to the negative approach that these other two parties are taking."

For Blowers, that alternative is the Alberta Party, which he is "90 per cent" leaning toward supporting.

He won't vote for the UCPbecause he doesn't like Kenney, he said, butAlberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel made a good impression during last week's debate.

"He's not fighting everybody," Blowers said. "He's not negative toward people."

LGBTcommunity 'terrified' of UCP

One of the main themes of the campaign has been the constant revelations of past statements made by candidates that are homophobic, racist or bigoted.

Kenney was the focus of fierce criticism last week for standing by the UCP's Drayton Valley-Devon candidate Mark Smith, over statements that Smith made in a 2013 sermon.

The former teacher questioned whether love between same-sex couples was real loveand suggested that women who'dhad abortions were murdering their children. Kenney condemned the comments but refused to drop Smith from the ballot.

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"I'm not in the LGBT community but I know people in that community who are terrified of the UCP, because they have so many people who have been very blatantly against their community," said Allan Malcolmson, 30, who leans left in his political views.

Malcolmson said it would help if candidates would stop being evasive, admit they made a mistake and explain how their views have changed.

But Jonathan Schonewille, whose politics normally lean toward the right,suggested that some of these stories have been "character assassination" hit pieces.

"I think there has been a lot of conflation about what someone's personal views are and their ability to execute their public office," the 37-year-old life insurance broker said.

"Show me a person in this room who has never changed their mind on anything in their life, and I'll show you a liar."

Party platforms a letdown

The panelists had mixed feelings on whether the campaign has changed their minds.

Malcolmson and Campbell said they haven't changed their minds. Campbell went into the campaign disliking Kenney said his opinion was confirmed after listening to the UCP leader's interview with radio host Charles Adler.

Campbell said he regularly seesFacebook posts about how the NDP is on track to a $100-billion debt by 2023. He is disappointed that Notley and the NDPhaven't done a better job explaining how the money was spent.

"Parties don't win elections, they lose elections," he said. "The NDP is going to lose the election because they really didn't defend why they're running a deficit."

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Commercial banker Jeff Lasher, 33, said his opinion on who he wants to vote for has shifted in the campaign, but he is still not decided. He said the party platforms lack substance.

"We see the policy," he said, "but not the how or the why behind it."

Okomesaid she plans to vote for the UCP although she acknowledged Mandelmade an impression on her.

Schonewille said he voted NDP in 2015 as a protest vote but doesn't plan on doing that again.

"The results just objectively haven't been here in this province," he said. "We're in hard, hard times."

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