What will Calgary and Alberta be looking for this election?

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Voters in Calgary and Alberta will be watching the election campaign closely to make sure their voices are heard.

In 2015, 29 of the 34 seats in the province went to the Conservatives with the Liberals winning four seats and the NDP capturing one.

Mount Royal University Political Scientist Lori Williams said the Conservatives are looking to make sure the whole province is painted blue.

“They’re focusing on the connections, the corporate connections with the Liberal government and how those corporate connections are the real indication of the priorities of the Liberal government and also the ethics.”

Williams expects a fairly negative campaign, especially from the Liberals who will be opposing the Conservatives on several fronts.

“They’re focusing on the opposition to progressive, saying their cutting taxes for the wealthy and services for everybody else to try and make the connection to Doug Ford which they know is a real vulnerability for the Conservatives.”

READ MORE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to start election campaign Wednesday morning

Meanwhile, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce released its to-do list for federal parties with the biggest goal being of people back to work.

“What we’re asking for is to have a competitive environment in our businesses, to grow businesses, create jobs, invest in Canada and most importantly give back to our communities,” said President and CEO Sandip Lalli.

Lalli says the Chamber has five main priorities for the election: develop a climate policy, expand trade, create a globally competitive tax system, close the skills gap and plan for the fiscal future.

In advance of the upcoming federal election, we are launching a joint federal election platform with @EdmontonChamber. Our platform includes 12 recommendations across five pillars for all parties' consideration. Learn more: https://t.co/BU8K3JKBIO #PodiumofRecord #cndpoli pic.twitter.com/9DWGZvLZM7

— Calgary Chamber (@CalgaryChamber) September 9, 2019

Despite policies and pushback from the federal government, Lalli said Calgary’s oil and gas industry is here to stay.

“Our bedrock industries are still our bedrock industries and there’s an infusion of innovation into those industries.”

The industry has many Conservative supporters in Alberta with Williams saying the biggest one being Premier Jason Kenney.

“When the pipeline announcement was made, Andrew Scheer said ‘show me the pipeline,’ whereas Jason Kenney provided a brief but very effective commentary about the legacy of the Liberal government and his concerns about their support for the energy industry.”

On Tuesday, the UCP government officially filed its constitutional challenge to Bill C-69, the Environmental Assessment Act.