Politics
Alberta election attracts online hijinks

The Wildrose campaign bus was unveiled to the public on Monday March 19, 2012 outside the Alberta Legislature

Credits: AMBER BRACKEN/QMI AGENCY

JACKIE L. LARSON | QMI AGENCY

EDMONTON -- In the waning hours of the election, online hijinks are keeping social media-savvy voters amused -- and party strategists busy. 

Just 24 hours after its launch, the snarky www.toryorwildrose.ca has garnered 25,000 hits and 6,000 shares.

The Liberals cobbled the site together to get viewers scratching their heads over sound-bite similarities between individuals from the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose camps. 

Visitors can click on quotes and guess which party made which statement on issues like privatization of health care and education.

"Since when was homosexual marriage a human right? Is it listed in the U.S. Bill of Rights?," read one quote on the site which goes to PC Ted Morton.

"For years I have warned Christian educators that you can't partner with public education because public education is godless," reads another quote attributed to Wildrose candidate Allan Hunsperger, vilified as this week's loose cannon for his comments about gays doomed to burn in hell. 

Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said the web site is fun and makes its point. 

"The deathbed conversion of the PCs to progressive values is a little hard to swallow," he said.

"The party that has called for private health, stood against gay rights and mulled about delisting abortion is the same party that Alison Redford bought her membership card in."

Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives have their own media gaffe to rival the Wildrose double-axel double entendre that planted leader Danielle Smith's image directly above an apparent hubcap bustier on her own campaign bus. 

The PC TV ad that used stock art common in advertising to depict Alberta's oil and gas industry pulled a picture of an ocean drill rig flying a Chinese flag. 

The ad has been pulled, but political science blogger Stephen Taylor's blog shows the irksome images at www.stephentaylor.ca.

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