Health care is the top priority for all Albertans -- particularly for undecided voters -- heading into the April 23 election, says an Ipsos poll released to Global.
A survey of 890 voters from March 20 to 25 indicated that health care in general was the issue they thought should receive the greatest attention from Alberta’s leaders. That was the case for young and old, male and female, high income and low, and across party lines.
Most importantly, health care was even more likely to be identified as the top issue by undecided voters, meaning it “could potentially be game-changing,” said Ipsos Reid associate vice-president Jamie Duncan.
It’s not surprising that health care would top the list, Duncan said.
“It’s always at the top,” he said. “It’s a conversation that’s been going on a very long time in Alberta.”
What’s interesting is that among the undecided voters 63 per cent identified health care as their top issue, compared with 51 per cent of all of the respondents.
That means there’s an opportunity for the parties to earn new voters by clearly outlining their health-care platforms, Duncan said.
The NDP aimed to do that on Tuesday. Leader Brian Mason promised to build more than 1,000 new long-term care beds, thus freeing up hospital beds, if his party were elected.
Mason also pledged to spend more on home care and mental health services, to cap drug costs for seniors and to cover basic dental care for children.
The other parties know it’s the No. 1 issue, too. The Liberals are led by an emergency room doctor, Raj Sherman, and have made health care a centrepiece of their platform. Rethinking health care is as the top of the Alberta Party’s five-point platform.
The Progressive Conservatives have promised to create more family care clinics, while the Wildrose party wants to dismantle Alberta Health Services and decentralize the health care system.
When it comes to Albertans’ second priority, education topped the list for all parties’ supporters except for the Wildrose, who made the deficit or budget their No. 2 issue, and that’s “exactly what the party has been talking about,” Duncan said.
The Wildrose promised Tuesday to pass the “Balanced Budget and Savings Act” if elected, which would keep taxes low, balance the provincial budget next year and commit funds to the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.
The Ipsos survey asked this question: “Which one or two of the following issues do you feel should receive the greatest attention from Alberta’s leaders?” As respondents could choose up to two priorities, the answers add up to more than 100 per cent.
Here’s a look at their top responses:
Ipsos Poll on Alberta Election Issues Tables - Mar 27 2012
© Shaw Media Inc., 2012. All rights reserved.