Airport tunnel hot button election issue?
Posted Sep 28, 2010 3:58 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The issue that seems to keep popping up in the civic election is the airport tunnel.
Some experts are sick and tired of hearing about it, questioning why it’s been so prominent in the campaigns and being called a waste of time for candidates.
Political Scientist at Mount Royal University, Keith Brownsey, says this topic won’t change people’s votes, but issues like affordable housing and snow and ice removal will.
“I don’t think Calgarians care particularly about the tunnel, I think they’d rather see the candidates focus on other issues,” says Brownsey.
But not all agree. Political Scientist Duane Bratt, also with Mount Royal, cites a recent Calgary Herald poll to say the tunnel fiasco is symbolic.
“The tunnel wasn’t there, but issues of transportation were and issues of council spending were and so the tunnel touches on both of those issues,” says Bratt.
Both experts say Bob Hawkesworth is the one pushing the airport tunnel topic hard in debates but that could be the big mistake in his campaign.
