Wildrose and Progressive conservative candidates drew hard distinctions between each other at Monday night's election forum, while other parties insisted this is more than a two-party race.
The St. Albert Chamber of Commerce forum once again put nine candidates from both city ridings on stage together. Representing the St. Albert constituency were Liberal Kim Bugeaud, NDP candidate Nicole Bownes, Alberta Party representative Tim Osborne, Wildrose candidate James Burrows and PC standard-bearer Steve Khan.
The Spruce Grove-St. Albert constituency, which includes the area of the city north of McKenney Avenue and west of St. Albert Trail, had PC incumbent Doug Horner, Wildrose candidate Travis Hughes, Liberal Chris Austin and NDP Rev. J.J. Trudeau.
The forum drew a capacity crowd to the St. Albert Inn with dozens of people left standing around the walls and drawing questions on oilsands, seniors' issues, health care, education and the Wildrose's proposed 'Dani Dollars.'
Burrows said his party has a clear plan for the province, one that did not involve more deficits.
"Alison Redford presented a deficit budget and has since promised hundreds of millions in promises to buy your vote."
Khan said the Wildrose vision of the province would take Alberta backwards.
"This campaign has brought into clear focus two very different views of this province, two very different sets of values."
Hughes said his party wants to return control of local institutions to local communities.
"This election is different, it is about where authority should reside. Do Edmonton bureaucrats or cabinet ministers make better decisions that we do in our local communities."
Horner said the Wildrose plan wouldn't provide the funds to expand the services a growing Alberta needs.
"We need to continue to build those new school spaces, increase access to health facilities and health spaces when and where we need them, not just when we have surpluses."
Horner and Hughes, who both mentioned they personally liked each other, did spar over the Wildrose's proposed energy dividend.
Hughes insisted a government needed fiscal discipline on handling any surplus, which in the Wildrose's case would mean payments to municipalities, allocations to the heritage fund and the $300 'Dani Dollars' payout.
"If you have a plan for surpluses you avoid politicians spending the money frivolously trying to get your votes."
Horner took a direct shot at the idea.
"It is interesting that a party that doesn't want to buy your votes is going to send you a $300 cheque."
Not a two-way race
Osborne disagreed with the Wildrose stance as well, pointing out the province's natural resource wealth should not be seen as the property solely of this generation.
"The oil we have today belongs not just to us, but to our children and our grandchildren."
Bownes also said it was wrong to hand out the funds when bigger priorities were at play.
"It is time to take that money and not use it for short-term gain," he said. "Alberta is the wealthiest province in Canada and we need to take that wealth and invest it in health care and education."
Bugeaud said more than just deciding how to spend the oil wealth, Albertans needed more information about how it is created.
"I believe that it is even more critically important to have information about the royalty regime, I don't know what it is and I find it difficult to find."
Austin made a pitch for neither of the right-wing parties, saying both represented turns in the wrong direction.
"The Liberal party is prepared to govern and the platform the Raj Sherman team has created is ready to be implemented."
He argued the Tories had spent 40 years putting Alberta on the wrong course and a Wildrose government would only deepen that turn.
"The Wildrose will not increase royalties to balance the provincial budget, they will also work hard to privatize health care with more of your hard-earned money being thrown out the window."
Trudeau argued it was time for Albertans to get a better share of their resources and said they wouldn't get it from a Wildrose government.
"The Wildrose has stated they would not change the existing royalty regime, indeed, I believe it would get worse."
Osborne said voting for his fledging party would be a sign St. Albertans wanted more dialogue and less bickering on the big issues.
"We need to start listening to good ideas no matter where they come from, whether it be from the left, the right or further to the right."
Bugeaud promised she would be a force for the local community in the legislature.
"All I can do is make one promise and that is to promise the citizens of St. Albert that the priorities of the citizens of St. Albert are mine."
Bownes, a registered nurse, said her biggest priority as an MLA would be health care
"I am passionate about ensuring Albertans have a quality health-care system," she said. "It is time to make real commitments to our public health-care system."
Albertans go to the polls next Monday. Advance polls open tomorrow and run Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Information on polling locations can be found using the Elections Alberta hotline 780-422-8683.
