I first met Darren way back in the days of the 1989 provincial campaign. Both young and new to the political game, we shared many chats about changing the world – or at least Alberta – over pizza and beer.

Time went by and I lost touch with him, until a chance Google search led Darren to my contact information. Not losing a beat, our first conversation in over 15 years delved into the current political scene.

“I heard you left the P.C.’s”, he said from the other end of the phone. “I never thought I’d see the day…”

I explained the reasons in the best Reader’s Digest abridged version I could, and quickly learned that Darren was at that exact place I used to be in, that uncomfortable place so many long-time Progressive Conservative supporters are now finding themselves.

We hashed and rehashed all of the well-known concerns about Ed Stelmach and his government. Darren sounded like so many others I have spoken with lately, frustrated and disillusioned. Abandoned by the party he had given so much of his time and support.

Then he opened the door: “Tell me about the Wildrose Alliance.”

Darren had seen and read much about the upstart provincial party, and his questions were many. They were also indicative of the impression the WAP has formed and is still forming in the minds of the average Albertan.

After defusing the usual negative spin and wrong impressions that the Wildrose had been painted with, we focused on the truth and reality.

Subjects of policy – “I can get behind that.” - the by-election – “It sounds like Hinman could surprise.” – and the leadership race were discussed.

I explained my decision to support Danielle Smith, but directed Darren, admittedly the more socially conservative of the two of us, to the websites of the other two quality leadership candidates as well.

My intention was to gain a new party member. The leadership question was secondary.

By this time I was beginning to think that I was going to deliver another former P.C. supporter to my new party. We were approaching hour three of the phone call and things were going well, me giving my spiel and Darren perusing the different websites.

He even stated that he was going to make the move and buy a membership after the weekend. Success!

Then he noticed a familiar name working for the Dyhrolm camp, and with a deflating “Oh, oh.” the course was set for another round of defusing.

Fantastic article in the new Macleans magazine that shines a national light on the Wildrose Alliance and the leadership race.




It fairly and accurately describes each candidate, and makes a great point about Mark Dyrholm and Jeff Willerton focusing their campaigns on social issues that aren't at the forefront of our current list of priorities, while Danielle Smith appeals not only to the growing number of socially moderate members who are fiscally conservative but to a greater number of Albertans overall, and see Smith as by far the best choice to challenge Unsteady Eddie on our top priority: the economy.

link: http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/08/27/alberta’s-wild-card/

Summer is a time for hot dogs and beer. It's also a traditional place for folks to gather and shoot the political breeze. With a dud of a leader in charge of a directionless party, P.C. party members have had some interesting chats under the sun, and our inside sources passed on these snippets:

Top 10 Things Overheard at Alberta’s P.C. Member B-B-Qs

10. We’re still above 50%, right?

9. Who the hell invited Boutilier?

8. There’s 12 burgers total. That’s 4 each!

7. Good God! Iris Evans in a two-piece!

6. (Referring to the Mark Dyrholm billboards) I don’t know who those three dudes are, but the compliment was nice.

5. Hancock ate all the damn potato salad. Again.

4. If Danielle Smith wins, I'm joining the Wildrose Alliance. If not,...

3. Good God! Gene Zwozdesky in a two-piece!

2. We’re moving to Regina next spring. The economy is a-boomin’.

1. Who the hell invited Stelmach?

Random thoughts while enjoying one of a dwindling number of hot days remaining in the Summer of ’09…

…the federal Conservatives are once again polling in majority territory. If only that could happen during an actual election…….tough times for the Alberta Progressive Conservatives in the Calgary-Glenmore by-election: if they dismiss the threat of the Wildrose Alliance, they could get burned. If they acknowledge the threat, it is a public admission that the upstart party is for real…….’they didn’t vote for him because he’s Black’ is a much used line from pro-Obama-ites in the U.S. Given the President’s freefalling approval rating, this must signal the largest and most unexpected mass neo-racist movement in American history or leftwing stupidity is being exposed once again. My guess is the latter…….Scotland: terrorist’s new best friend…….P.C. by-election candidate Diane Colley-Urquhart is following a strategy of distancing herself from her party, which is a new angle for the P.C.s. Normally they wait until you ask too many uncomfortable questions of the Health Minister before you are ‘distanced’…….Speaking of Guy Boutilier, wouldn’t he look good running in Wildrose Alliance colors?........as expected, a high-ranking member in one of the other WAP leadership candidate’s camps has publicly labeled Danielle Smith a ‘liberal’. Who had August 23rd in the pool?.......Obama’s America is still in Iraq and is increasing its presence in Afghanistan, yet there are no mass protests. I guess I was right: the anti-war movement was really the anti-Bush movement…….Has anyone seen Ed Stelmach lately?.......The more I speak with Danielle Smith, the more I’m convinced she is meant to be Alberta’s next premier…….speaking of looking good in Wildrose Alliance colors, I wonder if Jim Dinning still has the political bug in him…….the Alberta economy is crashing, the Saskatchewan economy is booming. Hell has officially frozen over.

As I opened the letter containing my Wildrose Alliance membership today, my thoughts drifted to those poor, unfortunate souls who still call Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives home.

While I find myself as an active member of a growing political entity, enjoying the ‘newness’ factor and riding a wave of optimism, I can’t help but be grateful that I have broken free from the chains many P.C. members find themselves shackled.

How difficult it must be to put on a brave face every morning.

Sure, they are members of a party that has been in control of the province for almost 40 solid years, many of them good ones. There is no shortage of successes which can be pointed, no shortage of ‘larger than life’ iconic characters in times past.

But lately, the more conversations I have with P.C. members, the more they sound like Toronto Maple Leaf fans, holding up successes from long gone eras while desperately trying to convince those around them that those past days of glory somehow translate into good times today in spite of reality.

I suspect their loyalty is more out of habit and convenience than out of actual policy support. Given the sheer number of seemingly-endless flubs and mistakes made even before Ed Stelmach became leader, plus the abandonment of traditional conservative policy in exchange for the current movement to the left, how could I believe otherwise?

They look at the Calgary-Glenmore by-election and find a well-organized and invigorated challenge from the Wildrose Alliance. They see a WAP candidate in Paul Hinman who isn’t just a ‘name’ but an experienced, honest politician who is actually well-liked and respected inside and outside of the political world.

They see the ‘Send Ed a Message’ movement growing and solidifying behind the Wildrose team, to the point where even other candidates from other parties are trying to capitalize on the WAP tactic.

Everyday it seems there is a newspaper column or a talk radio show about the once-unheard of threat to the reigning P.C.s coming from the Wildrose Alliance.

Then they see their own candidate, Calgary City councilor Diane Colley-Urquhart, having to fight off sticky issues such as her association with the much-hated Human Rights Commission, her public support of the leftwing special interest Pembina Institute, and the ‘is she or isn’t she?’ resignation from the City in order to run.

Not to mention the damage she did to her own cause with her whining about ‘name-calling’.

P.C. party members (the ones who haven’t yet jumped to the Wildrose Alliance) are nothing if not astute. Whereas they once disregarded the WAP as nothing but a ‘fringe’ element full of radicals, their recent methods of trying everything from attacking party policy (the ‘grassroots’ idea is a favorite target of theirs) to their attempts at discrediting the WAP and its members is a strong indication that they have come to accept the reality of the situation.

It is reminiscent of federal Liberal members who suffered during the Stephane Dion fiasco. In public with the lights on and the cameras rolling, they voiced their support of their leader and their party. Privately, they were counting down the minutes until they could dump their mistake and move on.

With no obvious heir apparent to challenge Stelmach at this fall’s P.C. AGM, members will probably do what is expected and give Eddie’s leadership a strong show of support – if for no other reason than optics.

The federal Liberal members didn’t have the option that is available to the growing number of disillusioned Alberta Tory supporters: a party that represents the values and ideas their own party used to believe in; a place where the term ‘Alberta Advantage’ still has meaning.

As Wildrose leadership contender Danielle Smith correctly put it, it’s not the members who have left the P.C. party, it’s the P.C. party that has left its members.

The mid-1980’s was a good time to be a Canadian conservative.

After enduring years of flirtation with increased socialism during the horrific Trudeau years, the nation was in the hands of P.M. Brian Mulroney and his Progressive Conservative government.

To the south, the United States was in the middle of the Reagan era. The friendship between our two leaders and our two nations was as close as it ever had been. The decade was being shaped in the conservative image.

It was during this time that I was given a book called ‘The Reagan Revolution’, which not only helped shape my opinion of The Gipper as one of the greatest presidents ever, but the work also introduced me to someone who would become one of my idols in the world of punditry: Robert Novak.

As a believer in supply-side economics and small-government, Novak proved that it was not only possible but acceptable to hold libertarian opinions and still consider yourself to be a ‘conservative’ – a truth I often recall when rejecting arguments to the contrary from my more socially conservative colleagues.

In a country that has come to accept faulty national social programs as symbols of patriotism (want to know what ObamaCare will really look like? Come to Canada for your next MRI. Take your time – it’ll be about 6-8 months), it was refreshing to hear common-sense talk from someone not afraid to point out the consequences of big government rule over its people.

Talk about a lesson America is on its way to learning the hard way.

Whether reading his columns or watching him on shows such as CNN’s Crossfire (the banter between Novak and James Carville was as entertaining as anything on T.V.), Novak had an impact that didn’t stop at the American border.

Although he sometimes found himself in a controversy, he never crossed into the pit of tabloidism, and he never lost his dignity.

Thanks Bob. Even from far away, you will be missed.

There is a unique perspective that comes with living in enemy territory.

As an unabashed, vocal member of the Wildrose Alliance living in the constituency held by Progressive Conservative Premier Ed Stelmach, I have had my share of conversations with various locals. From party policy to the invigorating leadership race, the discussions have been intriguing to say the least.

For many years, Ed Stelmach could do no wrong in these parts. Well-known and well-liked, Stelmach has long been a favorite son, from his days as Reeve for Lamont County to his surprising rise as Alberta premier.

Being a ‘nice guy’ and being the leader of Alberta are not interchangeable, however, and the more the Stelmach government follows error after miscue, the more the voters in the Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville constituency are beginning to question their support for Special Ed and the ruling P.C.s.

Life-long P.C. voters, flustered and disillusioned, are starting to re-evaluate their voting intentions. They have witnessed ‘one of their own’ making one mistake after another, from the Royalty mess to ignoring the economic downslide to being ‘surprised’ at the still-climbing provincial unemployment rate.

The people are becoming restless and, more potentially damaging to Stelmach, they are beginning to lose faith. Descriptions like ‘aloof’ and ‘the Les Nessman of Alberta politics’ are replacing ‘nice guy’ regarding Ed. Notice: at no time do you hear the Premier described as ‘leader’.



“He’s trying to rule Alberta like a Reeve”, said one Fort Saskatchewanite. “He’s a good man, but come on – putting two former Liberals in charge of mapping out our economy?”

Fumbling the boom and failing to prepare Alberta for the subsequent bust is bad enough, but it’s the other flubs like caucus members musing about raising taxes or introducing a provincial sales tax – a move that would signal certain death for any government in Alberta – that has the locals shaking their heads.

Such missteps as firing Guy Boutilier for the crime of speaking up for his constituents, voting in MLA raises while Albertans continue to lose their jobs, provincial Health minister Ron ‘let them eat cake’ Liepert’s decision to end coverage of many much-needed medications for our elderly citizens (who have paid their Alberta Health Care premiums their entire lives only to be let down in their time of need), and other various embarrassing and harmful errors has led even the most stringent Stelmach fan to question their political allegiance.

And if it’s happening here, it’s a good bet it is occurring province-wide.

While I doubt this has yet to result in a mass move of members in this constituency from the P.C’s to the centre-right Wildrose Alliance, there are a few years to go until the next provincial election, which means a few more years of Stelmach screw-ups to endure. With each one comes more damage to his and his government’s image, even in the eyes of his own constituents.

Said the man on the phone:

“I’ve voted P.C. since ’71. Well, no more. You are the unofficial voice of the Wildrose around here,” said the man. “Keep shining your light on the government.”

With Stelmach in power, that’s an easy promise to keep.

I’ve just returned home after sharing some great conversation and equally great Tim Horton’s brew with Danielle Smith.

Along with even more confidence in my assertion that she is the best choice for leader of the Wildrose Alliance, Smith left me with an issue to ponder. You learn quickly that if you are going to have a chinwag with Danielle, you’d better be ready to voice your honest views.

The issue: What result would I consider to be a ‘success’ for the Wildrose Alliance in the upcoming Calgary-Glenmore By-Election?

Outgoing leader Paul Hinman and the ‘Send Ed a Message’ movement has become somewhat of a rallying point for the WAP, a unifying element in the midst of an increasingly heated leadership race.

It is dangerous to put too much emphasis on the results of a single vote, especially in the case of by-elections. I consider the off-beat elections to be no more an indication of public opinion than the average newspaper poll.

You are only as good as your last result, which means the starting point for the Wildrose Alliance in the contended constituency is 8.07%, 1025 votes, and third place according to the final tally from the 2008 election.

Take into consideration such factors such as:

- the WAP candidate is outgoing leader Paul Hinman, a recognizable name to say the least,
- the tumbling public opinion of the ruling P.C.s,
- the absence of an incumbent in the race,
- the effectiveness of the ‘Send Ed a Message’ campaign,
- a perennial losing candidate for the Liberals running yet again,
- unprecedented media focus on the Wildrose Alliance due to the current leadership race,

…it is easy to get excited about the WAP chances. Really, except for an unseen collapse, the Wildrose should be further ahead after the votes are counted this time around.

Technically, any outcome which shows an increase in numbers over 2008 is a step-forward.

A strong second-place finish would signal a stepping-stone for the party, and would be a huge confidence builder. It would transform the membership’s psyche from thinking of the Wildrose as an ‘emerging’ party to that of one that is truly growing. It would show the first tangible evidence of the growth of the party.

It would also solidify the party’s credibility in the minds of the media.

Of course, a Hinman victory would be a province-wide coming out for the Wildrose Alliance, and would officially announce the arrival of the new legitimate players on the provincial political scene. It would also prove Ralph Klein prophetic:

The real challenge to the Progressive Conservatives has, indeed, come from the right.

Just like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ and the old needle in a haystack pastime, there’s a new game Albertans are playing: Where’s the Conservative in the Alberta Progressive Conservative government?

You certainly can’t find it in the current regime.

When Ed Stelmach assumed the position of premier smack-dab in the middle of a huge provincial economic boom, he and his bloated government took full advantage, spending taxpayer dollars and committing to projects with almost reckless abandon.

When signs appeared everywhere that an unprecedented global crunch was imminent and that the boom was about to bust, the Stelmach government continued to do what it does best and continued spending taxpayer dollars at an outrageous rate.

Added to that was Stelmach’s ill-conceived Royalty structure for the provincial energy sector, which drove business away from our oilsands and resulted in marked improvement for the economy's of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia (all of which will no doubt be sending Christmas Cards to Eddie this year).

Since that plan was put in place, the government has had an endless stream of 'adjustments' and 'corrections' to the plan.

The only evidence of fiscal conservatism from the Stelmach regime was last week’s announcement of a hiring freeze in the public sector. This token move is more window-dressing than tangible, given the lateness of the move. It reeks of desperation and comes across as yet another snippet of proof to those who believe Unsteady Eddie backed into his job without the necessary skills.

They’ve finally rushed to close the barn doors to the amusement of the horses watching from the meadow.

On the green front, the P.C. government has put all of its eggs in one basket with its theoretical ‘carbon capture’ project. Note: it’s the science that is unproven. The estimated $2 billion price tag is all too real.

Such a transparent attempt to gain the trust and respect of Alberta’s political tree-hugging left has been scoffed at by citizens and experts. There’s about as much chance in capturing an actual ‘conservative’ in the P.C. caucus.

If the government truly believed in environmental causes and global warming, those billions could and should have gone to more proven, worthwhile projects or at least some environmental research. Instead, they chose to grasp at straws at the cost of billions of our dollars.

On social issues….wait, my opinion on that subject has already resulted in verbal slaps from everyone, friend and foe alike. Best leave that one untouched.

So now we have an interesting political scene. The New Democrats are far left, the Liberals under new leader David Swann are far left, and the ruling Progressive Conservatives are….left.

Is it any wonder the only true conservative party in Alberta, the Wildrose Alliance, is attracting so much attention these days?

“…how does it feel having your name linked with his, being part of the same party and all?” asked the voice on the phone. “Tell me you don’t share his point of view!”

Given the amount of phone calls and emails flying around here yesterday (and apparently this morning) you’d be forgiven if you thought that the ‘Sunday is the Day of Rest’ idea had been outlawed within Fort Saskatchewan city limits.

Seems that self-proclaimed religious (?) activist Bill Whatcott decided to spread his message of sunshine (read: anti-abortion, anti-everything he disagrees with) propaganda to this fair city, and in doing so, caused a little reaction that has made yours truly look like the second coming of Kreskin. My ability to foresee the future is gettin’ scary.

People are doing what comes natural when retrieving junk mail like Whatcott’s flyers – taking a quick glance, seeing (and being disgusted by) the pictures, seeing it as the idiotic drivel that it is, momentarily worrying that there is a nutjob walking freely amongst us, then promptly disposing of it.

Except this time, along with the standard attack on Premier Ed Stelmach and others who don’t share Whatcott’s warped view of Christianity, there is mention of the Wildrose Alliance leadership race.

It’s the misinterpretation/misunderstanding that is confusing to the people on the street.

We all know that few people will take the time to read the flyer top to bottom. Most will quickly scan the paper. Many will equate garbage like this with the Wildrose. Unfortunately, many voters from right inside of Ed Stelmach’s own constituency who could have been reached now hold smeared and tainted impressions of the party.

“…so does this freak represent party policy?” asked one caller.

“…a political party distributing flyers with these kinds of pictures?” said another before I corrected her.

I have no doubt any response from Whatcott will be in the usual Defend and Deny vein, complete with Biblical verses and all the fixin’s. But this isn’t for his benefit.

While I understand that the hands are tied when it comes to this sort of thing – membership rules are membership rules, after all – what can’t be ignored is the damage that has been done and is still being done to the public image of the Wildrose Alliance by Whatcott and his minions.

While it is undesirable to give any more exposure to someone who seemingly thrives on it, perhaps it would be in the best interest from a P.R. standpoint for the Wildrose Alliance to publicly distance itself from these characters.

One email stated:
“Leigh, I’ve always respected your opinion and shared many of your social and political values. When I read your article about the leadership race, it was the final push for me to switch party allegiances after almost 40 years of loyalty to the P.C.’s. After this, I’m wondering if I made a mistake…”