Article content

CALGARY — Although the Progressive Conservatives would later defend the telephone poll as legitimate research into the surging popularity of the Wildrose Party, the contents of the call certainly upset Danielle Smith’s biggest supporter — her father.

“On the first day [of the campaign] Mr. Smith gets a call. He pushed once, indicating he was voting Wildrose and then he was exposed to four lies about the Wildrose platform,” said one of the party’s senate candidates, Vitor Marciano. “I think that had him hot under the collar.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Alberta election campaign is one of the meanest ever, observers say Back to video

It has been barely more than a week since the election was called and Albertans are not going to the polls until April 23, yet politics watchers are already calling the contest one of the meanest campaigns on provincial record.

[np-related]

The 41-year-old Tory government faces its first real fight for the electorate since the early ’90s, and the uncommon competition has inspired an almost unheard-of scrappiness.