Conservatives dominate Alberta despite Liberal victory

CALGARY — Alberta was painted blue on Monday as Conservative candidates reigned supreme, with just four ridings province-wide not voting in a Conservative candidate.

Of those who took home a victory in Calgary on Monday was the Conservative incumbent for Calgary-Nose Hill, Michelle Rempel Garner.

WATCH: Michelle Rempel Garner speaks outside of her headquarters in Calgary-Nose Hill following her landslide victory. 

This is not new territory for Rempel Garner, who was initially elected to represent Calgary-Centre North in the 2011 election, before being elected in Calgary-Nose Hill and holding that position since.

Meanwhile, Ron Liepert, the Conservative incumbent for Calgary-Signal Hill, was re-elected, coming away with 63 per cent of the vote. He has held the position since claiming it in the 2015 federal election

For Calgary-Forest Lawn, Conservative incumbent Jasraj Singh was elected, taking home 47 per cent of the vote. This will be Singh’s second term after taking the position back in 2019.

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Shifting to Calgary-Heritage, Bob Benzen of the Conservative Party walked away with 59 per cent of the vote. This will be Benzen’s third term after he claimed victory in the 2017 by-election following Stephen Harper’s resignation.

In Calgary-Midnapore, Stephanie Kusie, the Conservative incumbent, won the riding with 59 per cent of the vote as well.

COVID’s role in Alberta voting

A Calgary professor explains COVID-19 management likely played a huge role in which federal parties garnered the most votes from Albertans in the election.

Melanee Thomas, an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Calgary says there was a discrepancy between the Conservative Party of Canada making gains in Atlantic Canada, meantime they experienced a significant drop in terms of public support in Alberta.

“This combination I think where you’ve got really good COVID management over in Atlantic Canada, and like such bad management that Alberta’s healthcare system has actually collapsed that you can’t understand why the conservatives are picking up in Atlantic Canada and dropping precipitously in Alberta without understanding those two things,” she said.

She explains that while some people lay blame on Kenney for Leader Erin O’Toole’s election loss, that’s an over-simplification.

“But it would be fair to say, the conservatives dropping 14 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 in terms of public support and losing three seats, its fair to ask what’s going on in Alberta specifically that’s leading the federal conservatives to lose that much support,” she said.

Meantime, the People’s Party of Canada finished second place in five Alberta ridings; Bow River, Fort McMurray-Cold Lake, Lakeland, Peace River-Westlock and Yellowhead.