Talking politics with small-town shop owners

Through The 180's Alberta road trip, we asked shop owners in small towns for their thoughts on the state of the province.

In Athabasca, a town hit hard by the decline in oil prices, there's a small department store called Bubel's Athabasca. The owner, Helen Bubel, says the mood is dark in the town. 

People have lost their jobs and there's no money. We're feeling it right now.- Helen Bubel, owner of Bubel's Athabasca

Her son, Gary Bubel, feels the NDP government is not helping small towns like Athabasca.

We need somebody in there that's got a little more imagination. Right now our government is not helping us, and we need people in there that are gonna be more aggressive.- Gary Bubel, Athabasca, Alberta

In the Southern Albertan town of Longview, you'll find the Longview Jerky Shop. Founder Len Kirk says business is down about 25% since the price of oil began to fall. He says the election of the NDP and Premier Rachel Notley adds another layer of unpredictability. 

I know a lot of people who've lost their jobs in the oil industry... It's scary. With the new government it's a little bit scary too. We're used to the conservatives. So hopefully she does a good job, but we'll see.- Len Kirk, Longview Jerky Shop

In Fort Macleod, in the southwest corner of Alberta, Sam Kim owns the Century II Motel. He's originally from South Korea, and has been in Alberta for two and a half years. He says he hears the arguments and mixed feelings people have about the new government, but says that's one of the benefits of living in Canada. 

If you don't like nowadays government, you'll get another chance. Some people like this government. They've also got a chance to elect them again... we cannot change the oil price. We cannot control other things. Only we can control ourselves.- Sam Kim, Century II Motel, Fort Macleod

To hear the full conversations, click the play button above.