It was the first, difficult, and potentially parlous task facing whoever won the leadership race of Alberta’s blossoming Wildrose Alliance party this weekend in Edmonton, and lucky for her, Danielle Smith pulled it off. The party had tangled itself on a major organizational snafu: with membership exploding—the Wildrose now 1,000% larger than it was at the start of the year—the leadership race ran short of ballots, and untold numbers of members hadn’t received mail-in ballots in time to send them in by Saturday’s vote. Campaign teams scrambled to make arrangements to help supporters vote, whatever corner of the province they lived in. Short of a landslide, though, “whoever wins this, it might not be a great win,” worried one party organizer the day before the leadership convention. A contested Gore v. Bush-type showdown would not only make the Wildrose look unready for the big leagues, but risked driving a momentum-killing wedge between the rival leadership camps. But with more than 70% of members voting, and Smith ably taking more than three-quarters of those, her victory was unquestionable. Her opponent, Mark Dyrholm, conceded immediately.
Ms. Smith’s second job began right after, proving to Albertans that hers is a serious party, and not some wild-eyed separatist fringe group. She’s well suited for it: a young 38, photogenic, with a policy mind honed as the Alberta director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, and a public speaking ease cultivated in front of a TV camera (she hosted a national Sunday politics program on Global) Ms. Smith comes off nothing like the cantankerous, redneck caricature the governing Tories have tried sticking on Wildrose—or as one minister calls it, through clenched teeth, the “wild man party.” Ms. Smith’s is plainly to the Tories’ right: she looks to the Fraser Institute for health care reform (though vows to respect the Health Act); is skeptical of carbon-curbing efforts since she thinks many Albertans, like her, aren’t totally buying the manmade climate change theory; and promises laws protecting property rights. But dismissing the lady as a kook will be hard for premier Ed Stelmach’s party since those cheering her this past weekend included two former PC cabinet ministers, and some current and former federal MPs.
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An interesting article Jack. Thanks for posting it. The Wildrose Alliance sounds intriguing, although I am very skeptical about its new leader. Without knowing much more about her, she sounds from the article rather conservative-light — all about economics and nothing about social policy. I hope that the party has not chosen her for electability as opposed to substance, because conservatives (and Conservatives) in Canada really do need a public figure to speak for them. We certainly do not have anyone at the federal level.
Cunctator, give Smith’s website a readover… Here’s a link to her page on policy…
http://www.daniellesmith.ca/?cat=8
Item #1 is a call for a new policy on firearms. Item #2 is a call for recognition of property rights. Item #3 deals with energy policy. Who could ask for anything more?
Thanks Mac, I will take a look. Property rights (hopefully including an attack on the most blatant assault on property, namely income tax) and the right to bear arms, are clearly important, in that order. However, I would expect a conservative to talk about the protection of the family as the basic social unit and the defence of our communal heritage. Both are under assault, the former by big government liberals and and liberals in conservative clothing, the latter by unrestrained immigration and political correctness.
I don’t know about you but I wasn’t raised in a commune so I’m not familiar with our “communal heritage” but I’m not waiting for any government to protect my family/social unit… I’ll take care of that myself. Having our fundamental rights protected would make that fight easier and Smith is calling for exactly that.
Political correctness is the poison which is killing our society from within.
By communal heritage, I was referring to the traditional values of this society, including the fundamental rights that we take for granted. That means, of course, that demands for changes to the definition of the family unit, the intrusion of the state into the raising of children (and thereby restricting the role of parents), and limiting parental oversight of education, ought to be countered, as well as resisting demands from minority groups (ethnic, religious or otherwise) to change the society to suit them. (Recall Harper’s comment that we should adapt ourselves to newcomers!) You would be hard pressed to defend the idea of the family when the state declares your definition inappropriate or outdated or non-inclusive.
I would also add that the restoration of the role of Parliament as the premier legislative body, as opposed to the court system, and the reduction in the power of party leaders as corner stones of what I think a conservative would like to see.
Being one who is through with Special Ed I am both elated and concerned about WRA and its new leader. Elated because we have an option besides the PCs. I am also concerned that maybe Ms. Smith is little more than another neo-con, AKA a liberal who doesn’t want to spend money. I like the ‘not spend money’ approach but I am a bit worried that she is not going to allow the development of the infrastructure (family, friends, private sector) to look after those who need looking after. I fully realize that no modern western society is going to elect a true conservative aka one who is socially conservative and fiscally conservative but I hope that Ms. Smith has enough intelligence to not simply cut funding without reducing the taxes etc that make living with people with special needs prohibitively expensive.
I don’t have a horse in this race but I have always found Alberta politics fascinating especially since the advent of Reform. My advice for what it’s worth is to cut the lady some slack for a bit. She needs time to get the new party up and running.
Cunctator, my tongue was firmly in cheek… although I don’t agree the government has any role whatsoever in defining what is (or isn’t) a family. For myself, I would rather the government keep it’s greedy fingers out of the pies and return to it’s legitimate role of protecting citizen’s rights rather than it’s current role of imposing on citizen’s rights.
Jack, I sincerely hope that Smith and the WAP don’t get swamped in the excitement. Alberta deserves better than they’re stuck with and if that means a political legacy must be slain, so be it. If Smith and her supporters are smart (and I’ve seen nothing to suggest otherwise), they’ll assemble a full slate of candidates for the next election and then run a policy convention ASAP.
We’ll see how it goes, Mac.
Even before Paul won in Calgary, the talk in his former riding is it will go WRA next election. Steady Eddy is not liked here at all for some decisions he made as a minister in Ralph’s government, that cost the government many millions of dollars to satisfy a few so called vip in the riding.
Jack,
I do not think we should ever cut a leader some slack. Doing that, as was done with Harper, makes it very easy for him to retract promises, change positions, and generally behave in ways that advance only his own, as opposed to the public, interest.
But I agree with you that Alberta politics is fascinating — and, as with the pre-national Reform Party, perhaps the WRA will act as a driver for the rest of the country.
Congratulations from me to Danielle! She will make a magnificent Premiere of Alberta.
As I have spent a lot of my life in Alberta, I do have a vested interest and I knew that Ed was not fit to govern a province like Alberta the day he ‘won’ the leadership of the PC’s, by default. The man is dull as skim milk; he is Mr. blancmange. Albertans like brilliant, colorful leaders who like them.
The end of the PC’s will be quick and without fan fare. PC M.P’s who wish to ‘serve’ better jump to the WRP ASP because the PC’s have burned up all their good will. I know what happened to the Liberano’s when they came down with the NEP – I was living in Grand Prairie at the time – the initial shock wore off in a day, the sorrow for ourselves, our friends and our province was immediately replaced with justified hate for PET and the Fed Liberals; it was extended to Lougheed for allowing the unthinkable to happen.
The Reform Party was born of that betrayal, and the WRP will be just as successful – the PC’s are foul like last weeks turkey, Albertans don’t forget. New Albertans are as vehement as born Albertans in that it only takes about 5 months for the average (with exception of some old left wing nuts that float in to preach and attempt to ‘preside over’ the uneducated ‘rig rats’ and others who don’t hesitate to tell them to hit the road – teachers spring to mind!) newcomer to become an Albertan in spirit and and ’can do’ rugged individualism. Alberta has an air of freedom and optimism that appeals to young people - and old people who have enthusiasm for life and hope for the future. It is contagious. Danielle is the type of person that will fuel that enthusiasm and add her own to the flame. She will leave Ed in the dust …..and I will be cheering for her and her team !! I am an Albertan at heart .
I could never, ever vote for a Liberano or a Dipper. Never have, never will .
BTW, Cuctator, I hope that you have a link to that quote you attributed to our Prime Minister. Otherwise….
I think that most Albertans mostly want the damned jobs back that disappeared since Stelmach started changing royalty contracts and chasing natural gas and oil companies to Saskatchewan and B.C. A mile west of Redcliff , Ab , there’s about five acres of drilling rigs , trucks , trailers , pick-ups , tanks that have been sitting there for months . I imagine it’s the same scene all over the province . The other things such as property rights , gun laws and getting Stelmach out from under my bed minding my business when he’s got enough problems fixing Albertas economy and everything else mentioned above are all fine and dandy , but first things first . JOBS .
Re: #13 — “JOBS!”
Agreed, Cantuc. I have no idea how “Steady Eddie” managed to achieve this debacle but it couldn’t have been easy. It takes special talent to do that “stuff”.
Give Danielle a year (which the PC’s have) and maybe she can find a way to cut the Gordian Knot.