Rivals say disillusioned PCs welcome if Kenney wins

The Liberal, New Democratic and Alberta parties are banking on a Jason Kenney victory at this weekend’s Progressive Conservative leadership vote to bring in new members.

Officials in each party are rubbing their hands together, claiming their party as the true home for Alberta centrists unhappy with the socially conservative Kenney heading up the PCs.

The scramble to claim the political middle has been going on for months. For the NDP, longtime PC MLA Sandra Jansen’s floor-crossing to their ranks was a huge boon.

NDP deputy premier Sarah Hoffman points to the political defection as proof all progressives have a home in her party, particularly women who feel attacked or shut out by conservatives.

But Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark is hoping disillusioned PCers don’t feel comfortable swinging all the way left.

Opening his arms wide, he’s ready to embrace, without question, anyone who shares his party’s values.

“There’s a lot of people who have centrist, progressive values who probably don’t feel like they have a home after March 18,” he says.

“Those people are absolutely welcome in the Alberta Party.”

But he’ll have to duke it out with interim Liberal leader David Swann, who says the door of his party will also be open for anyone who feels politically cast adrift.

Early this week, he had yet to decide whether he would attend the PC convention in Calgary, acknowledging it’s going to change the face of Alberta politics significantly.

Although a Kenney win will hurtle Wildrose Leader Brian Jean into a battle for leadership of a new united conservative party, Jean said he will be staying in Edmonton over the weekend.

There’s a lot of people who have centrist, progressive values who probably don’t feel like they have a home after March 18.