Conservatives must find middle ground between west, urban ridings in the east: political scientist

CBC

29-04-2025

The Conservatives again dominated federal election ridings in Saskatchewan and Alberta, but it wasn't enough to form government.
Justin Leifso, an assistant professor in political studies at the University of Victoria, says rumblings of western alienation will continue because of the result.
Leifso said westerners must face the fact that if Conservatives are to form government, they must also appeal to urban voters in Ontario and Quebec.
"Are [voters in Saskatchewan and Alberta] going to keep parking our political interests with a party that is so focused on grievance?" Leifso, who grew up in Moose Jaw, Sask., asked Tuesday on CBC Saskatchewan's The Morning Edition.
"Or are we OK with a party trying to broaden its scope in terms of getting enough seats to form government?"
Leifso said the Saskatchewan results were not surprising.
Liberal candidate Buckley Belanger being the projected winner in the north riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River had more to do with boundary changes than anything else, he said.
"We didn't see the same sort of red wave that the polls, maybe like about three weeks ago, nationally were showing."
The NDP fell to third place in the province for the first time in years. Leifso said that result had everything to do with U.S. President Donald Trump and the trade war.
"This was progressive centre-left voters who were frankly spooked by Donald Trump, his authoritarian tendencies and of course the tariffs, who voted strategically in their own minds, giving their vote to the Liberals," Leifso said. "I have no idea if that's going to remain.
"The question of the fortunes of the NDP in the mid- to long-future is completely up in the air because of that."
Conservative Kevin Waugh, the projected winner in Saskatoon South riding, pointed out that the Tory vote held steady in Saskatchewan and Alberta while making some gains in Ontario.
"I think our party is strong, we have 144 [projected MPs], so roughly 25 more MP's heading to Ottawa," Waugh said Tuesday on CBC's Saskatoon Morning.
Waugh said the big story was the crumbling support for the NDP, which garnered just seven seats nationally — not enough to maintain official party status.
"Perhaps if they would have moved their vote up a little bit we'd be in government today. But still, 40 per cent nationally for the Conservative Party, with roughly eight million votes, speaks volumes."
Waugh said he has complete faith in Pierre Polievre, despite the Conservative leader losing his own seat.
"We're gonna reconvene here in May and we're gonna have a game plan," Waugh said. "I think Pierre needs to be our leader. I think we need to find a seat for him in this parliament, and that's what we're going to discuss when we come back in."
Leifso said Conservative Party members are going to have some tough conversations.