Alberta Wildrose - Sticking to Principles a Troubling Strategy

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 59) January 4, 2015

Alberta’s Political Debacle 

Making sense of what’s going on in Alberta’s political arena has gotten just about everybody shaking their heads in confusion, if not disbelief – on December 17 the leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition and eight of her colleagues walked the political floor and joined Jim Prentice and his ruling Progressive Conservative government.  As explosive as these defections were I don’t think many people expected what is unfolding in the aftermath.  The grassroots of the Wildrose Party are outraged by the unprecedented action of their former leader Danielle Smith.  Some are so incensed they’ve launched an online petition asking for the recall of Danielle Smith – to date 8,434 signatures have registered in the recall petition, not enough to prompt or guarantee a recall but sufficient enough to make an important statement.  Some within the Progressive Conservative ranks are also suspicious and grumbling.  Within the PC caucus there are some reservations regarding the written “reunification” understanding which gives privilege to the Wildrose defectors in the PC nomination process – an issue that is now questioned.  As to the general membership of the PC party, a good number are concerned that the “progressive” component in the Alberta PC movement is being squeezed out of the political equation – I happen to be one of them.  So is this political maneuver by Danielle Smith just a family squabble between the “red” and “blue” Tories or is it an omen of what is to come – a repeat of what happened at the federal level fifteen years ago?

The Preston Manning Factor

To add further confusion and suspicion to the defection debacle; on December 22 Preston Manning publically apologized for his role in the cross over strategy?  Mr. Manning admits that he was asked by the Wildrose caucus to share his experiences in the “unite the right” movement and the fusion of the Reform –Alliance party with the federal PC party.  Apparently Mr. Manning’s views were the turning point for nine of the Wildrose MLAs, but not the full caucus.  From my perspective, Mr. Manning is a pretty smart guy and he took a calculated power risk, a risk that turned sour with the grassroots.  In my view the defection strategy was to have the full Wildrose caucus move into the PC caucus – a third of the Wildrose caucus members disagreed.  With a third not agreeing with Preston Manning’s view or Danielle Smith’s power ploy, it is clear; an important, significant segment of the Wildrose consider principles and values to be more relevant than gaining or seeking power.  Danielle Smith (and Preston Manning) should have understood that the Progressive Conservative philosophy is different from Wildrose principles and values – that became obvious at the Annual Wildrose meeting held a few months ago where 58 percent of the delegates voted against the party becoming more liberal.