WILDROSE MAKING GAINS
Premier Jim Prentice doesn’t think a political backlash is brewing after three Wildrose defectors — including Danielle Smith — lost their Progressive Conservative nomination contests on the weekend.
Speaking Tuesday to the Herald editorial board, Prentice said the defeat of the former Wildrose MLAs who lost their PC party nomination battles — Gary Bikman, Rod Fox and Smith — aren’t connected, but reflect the individual circumstances in each riding.
On Saturday, three of the 11 official Opposition MLAs who crossed the legislature floor last year to join the governing Progressive Conservatives lost in their attempts to capture Tory party nominations: Smith in the riding of Highwood, Bikman in Cardston- Taber- Warner and Fox in Lacombe- Ponoka.
“I think what happened is indicative of what’s on the ground in those three constituencies. I don’t think Danielle Smith was a bearing in Rod Fox’s contested nomination,” Prentice said.
“Danielle Smith’s contest, clearly, was its own situation that reflected her position as a former leader of the Wildrose party crossing the floor. It obviously is something people in that constituency felt strongly about. And at the end of the day, they voted with their feet, as people do.”
Of the Wildrose MLAs who crossed the floor of the legislature last year, five have either been acclaimed or won a contested PC nomination in recent weeks, Prentice noted. Three of the other defectors have decided not to run again, including former Wildrose house leader Rob Anderson.
However, it was Saturday’s loss by Smith, the former Wildrose leader, that stunned many political observers, given that a number of Tory cabinet ministers had campaigned for her in recent weeks.
“At the end of the day, one of the engines that drives the Progressive Conservative party has been the contested nomination. And it’s up to people in the individual ridings to decide. It’s not up to the premier or anybody else to make that choice,” Prentice said.
“Clearly, Danielle faced pretty strong sentiments on the ground in Highwood. She attracted most of that, but don’t overlook the fact there’s some pretty other exceptional candidates — Ian Donovan, Kerry Towle — were both renominated.”
But Wildrose MLA Heather Forsyth said it’s obvious a revolt is brewing across Albertans to the floor crossings.
“There’s no question there’s a backlash,” said Forsyth, who left the PCs for Wildrose ranks in 2010.
In a Facebook post, Bikman said the floor- crossers believed they were acting in the best interests of constituents when they jumped ship to the PCs. However, he acknowledged many former supporters view them as “cowards and traitors” and are upset over not having a say in the decision.
In an interview, Bikman said Tuesday it’s clear voters didn’t want their Wildrose MLAs to “change horses mid- stream,” but it’s difficult to know why the three defectors lost PC nomination bids.
Bikman said he didn’t view the mass defection as an attempt to unite the right in Alberta, but a move to put conservative principles — embraced by Prentice — ahead of party allegiance. Many people, however, disagreed.