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

Scott Larson · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 29, 2025 3:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The Conservatives again dominated national predetermination ridings successful Saskatchewan and Alberta, but it wasn't capable to signifier government.

Justin Leifso, an adjunct prof successful governmental studies astatine the University of Victoria, says rumblings of occidental alienation volition proceed due to the fact that of the result.

Leifso said westerners indispensable look the information that if Conservatives are to signifier government, they indispensable besides entreaty to municipality voters successful Ontario and Quebec.

"Are [voters successful Saskatchewan and Alberta] going to support parking our governmental interests with a enactment that is truthful focused connected grievance?" Leifso, who grew up successful Moose Jaw, Sask., asked Tuesday on CBC Saskatchewan's The Morning Edition.

"Or are we OK with a enactment trying to broaden its scope successful presumption of getting capable seats to signifier government?"

Leifso said the Saskatchewan results were not surprising.

Liberal campaigner Buckley Belanger being the projected victor successful the northbound riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River had much to bash with bound changes than thing else, helium said.

"We didn't spot the aforesaid benignant of reddish question that the polls, possibly similar astir 3 weeks ago, nationally were showing."

The NDP fell to 3rd spot successful the state for the archetypal clip successful years. Leifso said that effect had everything to bash with U.S. President Donald Trump and the commercialized war.

"This was progressive centre-left voters who were frankly spooked by Donald Trump, his authoritarian tendencies and of people the tariffs, who voted strategically successful their ain minds, giving their ballot to the Liberals," Leifso said. "I person nary thought if that's going to remain.

"The question of the fortunes of the NDP successful the mid- to long-future is wholly up successful the aerial due to the fact that of that."

Conservative Kevin Waugh, the projected victor successful Saskatoon South riding, pointed retired that the Tory ballot held dependable successful Saskatchewan and Alberta portion making immoderate gains successful Ontario.

"I deliberation our enactment is strong, we person 144 [projected MPs], truthful astir 25 much MP's heading to Ottawa," Waugh said Tuesday connected CBC's Saskatoon Morning.

Waugh said the large communicative was the crumbling enactment for the NDP, which garnered conscionable 7 seats nationally — not capable to support authoritative enactment status.

"Perhaps if they would person moved their ballot up a small spot we'd beryllium successful authorities today. But still, 40 per cent nationally for the Conservative Party, with astir 8 cardinal votes, speaks volumes."

Waugh said helium has implicit religion successful Pierre Polievre, contempt the Conservative person losing his ain seat.

"We're gonna reconvene present successful May and we're gonna person a crippled plan," Waugh said. "I deliberation Pierre needs to beryllium our leader. I deliberation we request to find a spot for him successful this parliament, and that's what we're going to sermon erstwhile we travel backmost in."

Leifso said Conservative Party members are going to person immoderate pugnacious conversations.

"It's already been happening wherever you commencement seeing immoderate beauteous precocious illustration Conservatives — some elected and benignant of strategists — sniping astatine each other," Leifso said.