Balanced News: Party leaders in Alberta walk fine line of an emergency during election campaign

The leaders of the United Conservative and New Democratic parties are pledging to focus on the needs of the more than 24,000 people forced out of their homes by wildfires in northern and central Alberta. The crisis is hitting during a high stakes provincial election set for May 29. Recent polls show the two top parties are running neck and neck with a sizeable portion of the electorate undecided. In her role as premier, UCP leader Danielle Smith said she’s keeping NDP leader Rachel Notley in the loop on what’s happening with the government response to the wildfire situation. Notley has some background on these situations, given she was premier when a major fire threatened Fort McMurray in May 2016. It was the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta’s history as more than 88,000 residents were forced to flee to safety. Both Smith and Notley say that public safety is the top priority in this situation. Smith said at a news conference on Saturday that she doesn’t think