NDP leader Rachel Notley hits two last campaign stops on the way home for election day
After spending some time in Calgary over the weekend, NDP leader Rachel Notley wrapped up her campaign today with two rallies on the way home to Edmonton ahead of election day.
Notley focused on pushing home some of her key campaign promises for health care and education, while calling out UCP leader Danielle Smith for being "unreliable."
The first stop was Red Deer.
“This is a historic election in Alberta and the decisions that Albertans make tomorrow are going to have huge, huge implications for our province's future and I am confident!” Notely told the crowd.
Despite the latest polling data showing a slight edge to the UCP, Notley and her supporters were optimistic.
“I’m feeling more confident than I ever have," said Red Deer resident Grace Page. "I’ve talked to lots of people that have said they’ve never voted NDP before, but this election it just seems like such an obvious choice to them as well.”
Another NDP supporter, Kayley Holmes, said she's feeling nervous about Monday's results.
“I have incredible anxiety about it just because I feel like so much is hanging in the balance in regards to what the outcome is going to be. I have never hoped for anything so hard in life,” Holmes said.
Being a teacher in Red Deer, Holmes said Notley has been her only choice from day one.
“Obviously I’m worried about things like class size, school funding, EA’s and the curriculum, certainly in terms of social studies," she added. "We need a modernized progressive curriculum.”
Further up the QEII for her last campaign stop, Notley spoke to a packed room at the Polish Hall Banquet and Conference Centre near Kingsway Garden Mall.
“You’re concerned about the cost of living and the state of public health care, well me too. You want more jobs and a more resilient economy with no income tax increases and no sales tax, well me too,” she told the crowd.
Turning up the heat, the NDP leader also took the opportunity to call out Premier Danielle Smith several times.
“She’s all over the map," Notley said. "You never know what she’s going to say next.
"Her staff have had to reign her in so much they may as well have stuck her inside the Talus balls.”
UCP leader Danielle Smith ended her campaign with a rally in Calgary on Thursday. She did not make herself available to reporters on Sunday.
Polls open on election day at 9 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
More information on voting in Alberta can be found on the Elections Alberta website.
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Hurricane Milton is forecast to become a Category 5 and is taking aim for Florida
Milton rapidly strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and was forecast to become a Category 5 storm on a path toward Florida, threatening a dangerous storm surge in Tampa Bay and setting the stage for potential mass evacuations less than two weeks after a catastrophic Hurricane Helene swamped the coastline.
A woman was recently diagnosed with scurvy. Here are the factors tied to the disease
Scurvy is not just an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers and doctors should be on the lookout for possible cases, according to researchers following a recent case.
Lawyers for Madeleine McCann suspect seek acquittal in his German trial on unrelated sexual offence charges
Lawyers for a man who is also under investigation in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann called on Monday for him to be acquitted in his trial on charges of unrelated sexual offences.
Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, dead at 63
Christopher Ciccone, a multihyphenate artist, dancer, designer and younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Alleged suicide kit salesman files in Supreme Court to contest whether assisted suicide can ever be murder
Lawyers representing the Ontario man accused of selling hundreds of suicide kits with deadly effect around the globe have filed to intervene in a case in Canada’s highest court, arguing there is no way he can be charged with murder under Canadian law.
Canadian leaders, demonstrators hold events on anniversary of Oct. 7 attack
Ceremonies, events and protests are being held across Canada today to mark the anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
Rare cloud formations ripple the sky over Ottawa
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Man arrested after stealing Vancouver police cruiser, driving it into neighbourhood park
A man stole a police car and drove it onto the field of an East Vancouver park Sunday morning, placing 'dozens of bystanders in harm’s way,' according to police.
War rages on multiple fronts as Israel marks a year since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack
Israelis held sombre ceremonies on Monday to mark a year since the deadliest attack in the country's history, a Hamas-led raid that shattered its sense of security and ignited wars on two fronts with no end in sight.