In Alberta, It's All About Ambition and Power

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 59) December 30, 2014

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 the ruling Progressive Conservative government.  As explosive as these defections were I don’t think many people expected what’s 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 8,268 signatures have registered in the recall petition, not enough to guarantee a recall but sufficient enough to make an important statement.  The Progressive Conservative ranks are also suspicious and grumbling.  Within the PC caucus there are reservations regarding the written “reunification” understanding which gives privilege to the Wildrose defectors in the PC nomination process.  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 Alberta’s political equation – I happen to be one of them.  So is this political maneuver in Alberta just a family squabble between the “red” and “blue” Tories or is it an omen of what is to come and a repeat of what happened at the federal level eleven years ago? Heaven forbid!