Debating pros and Cons of merger

MEDICINE HAT The question of whether Alberta’s two right-ofcentre political parties should merge into one has dominated the final debate among the three candidates for the leadership of the provincial Conservative party.

Jason Kenney told the debate audience in Medicine Hat Wednesday that the Tories and Wildrose party agree on many issues now. He says there’s no good reason to risk a second-term NDP government because of vote-splitting.

Richard Starke says he’d rather see some form of co-operation between the parties, while Byron Nelson says now isn’t the right time to be discussing the idea.

Nelson says there’s “zero chance” of creating a new party before the next election.

The party will choose a new leader March 18.

Late last month, candidate Stephen Khan pulled out after saying the race had devolved into “vitriol, anger and division.”

Two other leadership candidates, Sandra Jansen and Donna KennedyGlans, previously quit the race, saying progressive voices were being forced out. Jansen, a Calgary MLA, has since joined the caucus of Premier Rachel Notley.

Wildrose Leader Brian Jean has opened the door to uniting with the Tories, but has said his membership would have to agree. He said if they did, he would step down as Wildrose leader and run for the leadership of the new party in a contest to be held this summer.

Kenney said he would seek a mandate to dissolve the party and merge it with a dissolved Wildrose to create a new conservative entity.

The next provincial election will be in the spring of 2019.