[RCO]

Wildrose supporters rankle Alberta Tories
By Renata D'Aliesio, Calgary HeraldOctober 21, 2009 6:53 AMBe the first to post a comment
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Calgary West MP Rob Anders (left) and MLA Ron Liepert.Photograph by: Archive, Calgary HeraldCALGARY - A spat broke out Tuesday between Tory provincial and federal politicians representing Calgary-West, underscoring divisions between Progressive Conservative and Reform factions in Alberta over the emerging Wildrose Alliance.

Several former MPs -- all with roots in the Reform movement-- have become involved with the new party, while Conservative Calgary West MP Rob Anders attended its leadership convention last weekend.

When asked about the Wildrose Alliance on Tuesday, Health Minister Ron Liepert criticized media attention being given to ex-Tory MLAs who were part of former premier Don Getty's cabinet, which "left this province with the largest debt in our history."

"I'm not about to abandon the principles that I've been involved with at the Progressive Conservative party for the last 25 years simply for the flavour of the month that happens to waft by," said Liepert, MLA for Calgary-West.

Liepert also blasted his federal riding counterpart, noting Anders'connection to the Wildrose Alliance and accusing him of campaigning against him in the 2008 provincial election -- a claim Anders denied.

"We have no relationship, as far as I'm concerned, and I don't really care," he said of Anders.

As Liepert attacked Wildrose Alliance backers, several ex-MPs who are backing the upstart right-wing party contended the PCs have lost their fiscal and democratic compass.

Eric Lowther, MP in Calgary Centre from 1997 to 2000, said Tuesday he thinks the Wildrose Alliance's emergence will put pressure on Premier Ed Stelmach's Tories to adopt "responsible spending."

He also cited an "erosion of our democratic institutions," pointing to this year's ouster of the province's chief electoral officer, who called for numerous voting reforms.

"The Wildrose party is forcing them back to the roots of conservative thinking," Lowther suggested. "We're seeing a healthy revisitation of conservative themes that the long-entrenched PC party has lost."

Joining Lowther in support for the Wildrose Alliance are former MPs Myron Thompson, David Chatters and John Williams.

Chatters, an MP in northern Alberta from 1993 to 2006, said his frustration with the PCs began during the tail end of Ralph Klein's era, when government spending rose rapidly.

He said he also feels the Tories aren't listening to Albertans or giving them a chance to offer input into major changes, such as the government's current overhaul of the health system.

"They keep telling us they're going to deliver better health care and shorter waiting lists, and what are they doing? They are cutting active care beds and the mental care beds and they're cutting diagnostic imaging," Chatters said.

Anders, a Calgary West MP since 1997, is the first sitting Conservative MP to wade into the PC-Wildrose Alliance tiff.

Anders, who began his political career as a Reformer, voted for Danielle Smith in her Wildrose Alliance leadership victory over Mark Dyrholm.

Anders said he's known Smith for nearly 20 years.

While he wouldn't indicate whether he'd back the Wildrose over the Tories, Anders noted in an e-mail to the Herald: "I sense that Premier Stelmach understands that government spending is an issue. His recent actions may be too little, too late."

Anders, who can vote in Stelmach's mandatory party leadership review on Nov. 7, said he's not certain whether he'll attend the PC convention in Red Deer or how he'd vote if he did show up.

University of Calgary political scientist Tom Flanagan, a former senior adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, doesn't expect other sitting Alberta MPs will speak publicly about the Wildrose Alliance.

Flanagan isn't surprised several former MPs with Reform roots have joined the new party, noting the two political movements share similar principles. However, he's not certain whether their shift signals a growing divide between provincial and federal conservatives.

"It's not universal. It's not as if everybody who is supporting the federal Conservative party is announcing that they're favouring the Wildrose Alliance," Flanagan said.

Aside from the involvement of some ex-MPs, Smith attracted two federal campaign organizers to her leadership bid: Dale Bossert, who managed campaign Jason Kenney's last campaign in Calgary Southeast, and Rob Griffith, Harper's campaign chief in Calgary Southwest.

Premier Ed Stelmach, in Calgary on Tuesday, said he's not worried about Anders'support for Smith, adding the two levels of government are working closely on climate change.

"There are those detractors, but I'm not going to deviate from my own personal plan and goals for the province," Stelmach said.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/n.....story.html

[Habsrwfan]

I wonder what the rise of the Wildrose Alliance means for the Federal Tories?

If the Wildrose Alliance takes power, do you think that Danielle Smith would put pressure on Prime Minister Harper to also move closer to conservatism?

With a barely conservative politician like Stelmach as Alberta Premier, it likely gives more cover to Prime Minister Harper for his own shift to the center.

I will say that it's great news that there's a strong party to the right of the Alberta PCs that will hopefully push the PCs back closer to the right.

However, I'm still wondering what the federal level fallout would be from Danielle Smith becoming Premier of Alberta.

[kwlafayette]

Everybody likes a winner, and the Wildrose sure looks like a winner right now. But, as the old Zen master said, we'll see.

[Mac]

Tempest in a teacup.

kwlafayette, did you notice any earthquakes between Ottawa and Regina when Brad Wall took over? Yes, he was replacing Dippers but a party without the name "Conservative" in it took power.

-Mac