Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy6
You'd think that, although the rural heartland of southern Manitoba was as hostile to the NDP in the 70s as it is today. It was in some of the more marginal farming areas in the Parklands and across through the Interlake and into the southeast of the province that they did better. In fact, they've never once won a seat other than the Brandon seats west of the Red River and south of Riding Mountain. But that was likely an extension of the differing ethnic composition of those areas. It was similar in the city - in my middle class neighbourhood in St. Vital, most of the NDP voters were either hard-nosed old union guys from England or Ukrainian-Canadians. Among almost everyone else the PC vote seemed to be nearly unanimous.
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It's interesting to see the change in demographic from the old centre-left voters in many parts of the city and province to the new generation that are more inclined to vote centre or centre right. Never in my life did I think a riding like transcona would go PC. Even at the federal level when elmwood transcona went conservative. I think a lot of young people are getting away from the union/govt should do everything for you mentality to I want to pay less tax. It'll be interesting to see in Manitoba the next election and if the PC's can hang on to those ridings that switched and make headways into say The Maples where they narrowly lost. I think the NDP will have a lot of problems attracting centrist voters. Especially since the Gary Doer's of the world are no longer part of the party.
If they pick from the current pool of MLA's to lead the party, the party shifts left. That will alienate a lot of suburban voters who supported the NDP in the past. I except the NDP to be in the political wilderness for awhile, unless they can select a leader that appeals to the new middle class.
We definitely just had a realigning election that might foreshadow the political future of this province for years to come.