Alta. parties could merge for anticipated election
Updated Wed. Jan. 2 2008 8:42 AM ET
The Canadian Press
EDMONTON -- Two small right-wing political parties in Alberta are proposing a merger in advance of an expected spring election.
The Alberta Alliance has announced on its website that both it and the Wildrose Party of Alberta will ask their membership to approve the idea.
If accepted, the merged party will call itself the Wildrose Alliance.
The leader would be Paul Hinman, member of the legislature for Cardston-Taber-Warner and current leader of the Alberta Alliance.
The proposal calls for the Wildrose Alliance to combine similar policies, adopt a constitution similar to that of the Wildrose Party, and to elect a new combined party executive.
Albertans tend to be an interesting bunch when it comes to voting. Here's a graph that explains what Alberta has been up to over the years.
Source
So, Albertans stick with one party, usually for a long time, but when they become unhappy, they switch on a dime. That time is coming, not next election, but if Wildrose Alliance can gain 6 or so seats, watch for them to form the government in the election after that one. That's my prediction.
As a lifelong Albertan, I can feel the change coming, but it won't be the Liberals or NDP, both their leaders are worse than Stelmach, heck, it was all the Liberal/NDP voters, pretending to be Conservatives, that got Stelmach elected, real Conservatives wanted Morton. I don't take kindly to that kind of interference, but lefties see nothing wrong with it, they don't even blush when they tell me they paid their $5 to vote in the Conservative leadership race.
Next election we might even get a minority government for the first time in Alberta, but it will be the Wildrose MP's that hold the power. If they get a better known leader, and some good candidates, watch out for Wildrose Alliance. I'm sure the PC's can feel the hot breath on their necks, and they should, if those two parties merge, look out!
8 comments:
The problem I have now is that there's no party for me to vote for. The Alberta PC's may as well be the Alberta Liberal party. They need to go. Since I won't vote Liberal, why would I vote for ersatz Liberal?
The only party I would have considered voting for was the Alberta Alliance. The Wild Rose party is a special interest group formed to sell out Alberta to the oil companies. And yes I work in oil and gas so I want a healthy industry. At the same time I don't want to give it away for free.
Now that the Alliance has absorbed the Wild Rose, there's no way in hell I'll vote for them.
I voted Green last time as a protest. This time I don't know what I'll do. Either vote Green again or sit out my first election at any level ever.
Thanks for blogging on this Hunter.
I appreciate it.
Jane Morgan
Reid, I considered voting Alliance last election, but I liked Ralph too much, we got a Liberal in my riding instead, so I have nothing to stop me from voting Wildrose Alliance next time, if my riding was PC, I might hesitate.
I remember thinking about not voting after Mulroney, then the Reform party seemed to rise from nowhere, so I was glad to vote Reform. Maybe a closer look at the Wildrose Alliance party is in order. I am not associated with them in anyway, but they appeal to me, like Reform did.
First Lady, you are welcome, I'm just one small Albertan voice, but as an average Albertan, I think we are looking for an alternative. If I won't vote Liberal or NDP, and a vote for the Greens is as bad as not voting, what do I do.
Reid is right in a way, who do you vote for? Wildrose Alliance needs to start getting heard, they need to wake Albertans up to the fact that they are a viable alternative. This has not been happening so far. They need to reach the average voter, get their platform out there for people to start discussing. They need to connect with more than just political junkies.
Actually Hunter, you are correct. I really liked just about every aspect of the Alliance policy so my reaction to the proposed merger was a bit of a knee jerk reaction. I will of course look at the new policy if the merger happens.
With the Wild Rose policy, there were some items I liked, some items I kind of disagreed with but could live with, and one item that I just can't accept.
So depending on how the new merged policy platform looks of course will determine whether or not I consider casting a vote for them.
I supported Morton and I think that the party made a big mistake selecting Stelmack. And while I acknowlege the chicanery of the left who joined to try and get a more liberal candidate selected, I don't actually think their numbers were great enough to affect the outcome.
Hunter, aren't you afraid that by voting for the Wildrose Alliance you'll be splitting the vote and actually electing the Liberals? Or are you thinking that with Stelmach in there we have the Liberals in there anyways?
Actually Hunter, you are correct. I really liked just about every aspect of the Alliance policy so my reaction to the proposed merger was a bit of a knee jerk reaction. I will of course look at the new policy if the merger happens.
If I remember correctly, the new party will be adopting the AA policies and the WR constitution. First Lady would be able to provide more information on that...
Grant, I think if we successfully merge, we are reducing the amount of vote split. After all there will be one less name on the ballot. Also, if people are concerned about vote splitting it is all the more reason to rally behind the viable alternative. ... And, yes if a couple of Liberals get in, it is no different than the PC's.
Richard; you are correct the new merged party will have the Alliance policies; they remain intact; in full.
Jane
Good question GrantK1. Last election a lot of Conservatives stayed home or voted Green in protest. That's how I got a Liberal MLA, so I have nothing to lose by voting Wildrose Alliance. That's also why I predicted a minority government for Alberta, initially more Liberals/NDP might get in next election because of vote splitting.
However, Conservatives will watch the Wildrose Alliance MLA's closely and if they like what they see next time will turn enmass towards that party, IF they have a dynamic/well known leader, that seems to be the one element missing right now, and some respectable strong candidates.
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