Alberta PCs Need to Panic

Last week’s resignation of Alison Redford has thrown the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta into a state of turmoil – where confusion, chaos and indecision is steering a rudderless ship.  Well respected Dave Hancock has been named premier but by all accounts he is deemed to be the caretaker leader awaiting a new premier, a premier that must be named within a six month timeframe.  The opposition parties have had a field day with Alison Redford’s $45,000 trip to South Africa but it was the two defections from the PC caucus that sealed the fate of Alison Redford and crystalized major problems within the Alberta PC party.  From my perspective there are a good number of major political issues that must be addressed by the Alberta PCs if it is to survive the party’s implosion, not the least of which is the leadership race itself.  For the immediate moment the big question is: does the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta have an action plan that defines and consolidates its center, right of center base?  For me this action plan will require more than a call to arms of the committed, it will require a plea to the Alberta electorate, a clear and unequivocal statement that the “centralist” approach to governance is the only approach to realize continued prosperity for Albertans.  Following are a number of factors that come into play in developing the Progressive Conservative Action Plan:

The Redford Resignation

I was and am firmly convinced that Alison Redford could have weathered the expenses storm.  When the PC party executive indicated that they couldn’t win the 2016 election with Redford at the helm and when Len Webber offered uncalled for remarks about Redford’s character – calling her a bully and not a nice lady – she did the honorable thing and resigned.  If there is one result from the resignation that is positive, Alison Redford will remain a MLA and able to offer her advice and keep the PC caucus solid, at least I hope that will be the case.

The Leader, Dave Hancock

Premier Hancock will have the monumental task of leading and maintaining the government’s agenda at a time of crises.  Also, and because of circumstances Premier Hancock need to clearly define his Progressive Conservative party’s purpose and clearly distinguish his party from all opposite forces.

Confusion and Division - Within Caucus, Within Constituencies

With the two defections from the PC caucus, a number of “maybe” defectors and the discord within some constituencies, it has becomes crucial to reactivate strong, vocal support and commitment from government members and officers within local constituencies.  Ten days ago (just after the two defections) Finance Minister Doug Horner offered some sage advice to those questioning the fundamental principles of today’s PC party – Mr. Horner opined to the questioning government MLAs saying they have a decision to make: . . . stay and make a commitment to the party or go, but continued infighting is unacceptable.  What Doug Horner said to government MLAs can be equally said to organizers and executives at the constituency level.       

A Real Danger Looms

As Alberta’s political situation moves forward and Alberta Progressive Conservatives begin to consider who will lead the Alberta government toward the 2016 general election, I see a real danger looming – and the danger, the fusing of the weakened Alberta PC party with the Wildrose Party – more than once called the “unite the right” initiative.  We (whether you call yourself a Canadian or an Albertan) have seen the “unite the right” experiment occur in 2003 when the Reform – Alliance coalition and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada merged to form Conservative Party of Canada lead by Steven Harper.  So in judging and weighing the candidates who want to lead the Alberta Progressive Party an important question must be asked of each  candidate, do you agree with pursuing the “unite the right” initiative? 

 

Possible Leadership Candidates:

Who would you pick to be Alison Redford’s replacement?

Jim Dinning – Was Provincial Treasurer in the 1990s.  Considered a frontrunner candidate in the 2006 leadership race and lost to Ed Stelmach.

Doug Griffiths – First elected in 2002 (age 29) and ran for the PC leadership in 2011.  Was Municipal Affairs Minister and a few months ago was assigned the Services ministry.

Doug Horner – Currently Finance Minister and ended up third in the 2011 leadership race.  Has held various portfolios and is the son of Hugh Horner.

Ken Hughes – A Calgary MLA, Hughes was energy minister and now municipal affairs minister.  Was a federal MP and in 2008 was the inaugural chairman of Alberta Health Services board.

Jeff Johnson – Elected in 2008 representing the Athabasca-Redwater constituency, Johnson is Alberta’s education minister and Chairman of Council of Ministers of Education of Canada.

Donna Kennedy-Glans – Was associate minister of electricity and renewable energy.  Resigned from the PC caucus recently and sits as an independent.  Before elected MLA, was a Calgary lawyer and held executive positions in the oil patch.    

Thomas Lukaszuk – Up until recently the Edmonton MLA was deputy premier, is now skills, training, labor minister – known to have caused a major rift between unions and post-secondary institutions.

Naheed Nenshi – Mayor, City of Calgary.

Don Iverson – Mayor, City of Edmonton.

Steven Mandel – Three term mayor, City of Edmonton.

Gary Mar – Former health minister, was front runner in 2011 leadership race, lost to 

Alison Redford – currently Alberta’s Asian envoy. 

Ric McIver – Former Calgary City councillor (for three terms) lost in 2010 Calgary mayoralty race – currently, infrastructure minister.

Diana McQueen – From Drayton Valley, the MLA was environment minister, currently energy minister.

Jim Prentice – A lawyer and former federal cabinet minister; Indian affairs, environment, industry – currently working for Enbridge Inc. to deal with aboriginal affairs as it relates to the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal.

Bill Smith – Former president of the Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party.

 

Alberta Politics in Turmoil

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 21) March 23, 2014

Who would you pick to be Alison Redford’s replacement?

Jim Dinning – Was Provincial Treasurer in the 1990s.  Considered a frontrunner candidate in the 2006 leadership race and lost to Ed Stelmach.

Doug Griffiths – First elected in 2002 (age 29) and ran for the PC leadership in 2011.  Was Municipal Affairs Minister and a few months ago was assigned the Services ministry.

Doug Horner – Currently Finance Minister and ended up third in the 2011 leadership race.  Has held various portfolios and is the son of Hugh Horner.

Ken Hughes – A Calgary MLA, Hughes was energy minister and now municipal affairs minister.  Was a federal MP and in 2008 was the inaugural chairman of Alberta Health Services board.

Jeff Johnson – Elected in 2008 representing the Athabasca-Redwater constituency, Johnson is Alberta’s education minister and Chairman of Council of Ministers of Education of Canada.

Donna Kennedy-Glans – Was associate minister of electricity and renewable energy.  Resigned from the PC caucus recently and sits as an independent.  Before elected MLA, was a Calgary lawyer and held executive positions in the oil patch.    

Thomas Lukaszuk – Up until recently the Edmonton MLA was deputy premier, is now skills, training, labor minister – known to have caused a major rift between unions and post-secondary institutions.

Naheed Nenshi – Mayor, City of Calgary.

Don Iverson – Mayor, City of Edmonton.

Steven Mandel – Three term mayor, City of Edmonton.

Gary Mar – Former health minister, was front runner in 2011 leadership race, lost to Alison Redford – currently Alberta’s Asian envoy. 

Ric McIver – Former Calgary City councillor (for three terms) lost in 2010 Calgary mayoralty race – currently, infrastructure minister.

Diana McQueen – From Drayton Valley, the MLA was environment minister, currently energy minister.

Jim Prentice – A lawyer and former federal cabinet minister; Indian affairs, environment, industry – currently working for Enbridge Inc. to deal with aboriginal affairs as it relates to the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal.

Bill Smith – Former president of the Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party.

The Iron Lady of Alberta Politics, Under Siege

For months Premier Redford has been relentlessly attacked by Alberta’s opposition parties for the $45.000 travel tab she and an aide racked up in their trip to South Africa to attend Nelson Mandela’s funeral.  After six weeks of pressure coming from all corners of the province, including from within her own party, she finally caved in to the pressure, repaid the $45,000 tab and offered a rather cryptic apology,  In her statement last week,, Premier Redford claimed that the issue was a distraction from her government’s agenda.  Premier Redford’s apology and statement last week seemed to have satisfied the opposition parties but didn’t go down well within the PC Party’s executive committee and the government’s caucus members.  At the time of writing this column two MLAs have resigned from the PC caucus and are sitting as Independents with some smaller groups of government members assessing their future role in Premier Redford’s government.  One can summarize the present state of the Alberta PCs, utter chaos!  Following are my thoughts on the more recent developments::

Regarding the $45,000 Travel Cost – Two weeks ago I wrote about Premier Redford’s trip costs for herself and her aide:  “The circumstances were unusual and extenuating . . . . it was the circumstances and not poor judgement that created the atrocious bill.”  I hold to that assessment today and feel she should not be paying out of pocket for unfortunate circumstances.  I would also like to offer a defence for the premier using an Alberta government plane for her trip to Ottawa (cost, $15,000).  Why do we have this type of plane in Alberta?  I understand Alberta has a couple of these planes to accommodate the specific needs of the Premier, Cabinet Ministers and senior officials – these planes are used to allow the Premier to do a more effective job.  Yes there has to be prudence and good judgement, would the opposition (critics) sell off the planes?  Also, I understand that the plane used by the prime minister to go to Nelson Mandela’s funeral costs $10,000 per hour of flying time.   

Regarding Len Webber’s Decision to Leave the PC Caucus – Len Webber left the Alberta PC caucus making some quite pointed remarks.  Mr. Webber openly called Premier Redford a “bully” and “just not a nice lady.”  Obviously Mr. Webber is disappointed with how he’s been treated by Redford.  His remarks should be discounted in that he has expressed his intentions to run as a Conservative in the 2015 federal election.  He should immediately resign from government so that a by-election can be called.  Similarly Donna Kennedy-Glans should resign her seat in Edmonton so that a by-election can be called. 

Regarding Redford’s Management Style – I have never met Premier Redford nor do I have any idea as to how she relates to her Cabinet or her caucus.  From what I have read she seems to be a strong willed, confident manager – two important criteria for a good leader.  I was particularly impressed with how Premier Redford handled herself opposite British Columbia’s premier in the Northern Gateway Pipeline dispute and not sharing Alberta’s royalties with BC.  From my perspective Alberta needs a strong willed leader so what the premier and the party needs to do is clean house, repair a very tarnished image and maintain an operation with good, fair policies and programs.  Premier Redford and the PC Party have two years before the next election, hope they can rebuild based on the existing footings.