LEADERS UNVEIL UNITED RIGHT ROADMAP
Wildrose and the PCs to hold ratification vote July 22 on deal to end decade of rivalry
For Brian Jean and Jason Kenney, the new United Conservative Party unveiled Thursday afternoon is about the very future of the province.
The Wildrose and Progressive Conservative leaders didn’t mince words as they stood together in an Edmonton hotel to lay bare the roadmap to a united right, using language more usual during an election campaign than at a joint news conference.
For Jean, the United Conservative Party will assure solid conservative governance in Alberta “for generations to come.”
Kenney said if members ratify the agreement July 22, it would “rebuild the promise of Alberta as a beacon of hope and opportunity.”
Both of them spoke of putting egos aside for the good of the province, Kenney calling the current NDP government “catastrophic.”
When asked about the unity plan Thursday morning, Premier Rachel Notley said the two opposition parties clearly agree on massive cuts to public services, tax breaks for the wealthy, and aren’t sympathetic to, or supportive of, LGBTQ rights.
“They’re a group moving increasingly to more and more extreme positions, to the point where they may fall right off the map,” Notley said.
“I guess if they do, now they’ll have company.”
MENDING BROKEN FAMILY
Welding the Tories and Wildrose back together after a decade of fractious fighting is at the heart of the agreement.
Developing the plan took weeks of give and take on both sides; that the unity discussion group surpassed its self-imposed deadline speaks to the issues likely still to be ironed out if the agreement is ratified and the party moves to a policy convention.
It reflects what Jean called “the foundation of Wildrose,” while Kenney described it as “a renewal of democracy in Alberta.”
The founding principles of the new party include economic freedom, grassroots democracy, free individuals, limited government and a fair regulatory regime.
It also lists among its bedrock ideals compassion for the less fortunate through progressive social policies, universal health care, high-quality public education and environmental responsibility.
If Wildrosers and Progressive Conservatives vote to go with the unity plan, it will be up to them to massage those tenets further during the party’s first policy convention, earmarked for early 2018.
KENNEY, JEAN LIKELY TO PURSUE LEADERSHIP
A vote to pick a party leader is pencilled in for Oct. 28, though Kenney was coy when asked if he will definitely run, saying he’ll wait until after the ratification vote.
Jean was happy to answer for both of them, saying neither of them would be peddling the unity agreement if they didn’t want to head up the charge.
Strathmore-Brooks Wildrose MLA Derek Fildebrandt said Wednesday night he was considering throwing his hat into the leadership contest as well, and some are still kicking around the rumour that former federal Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose might wade into provincial politics.
“I’ve said from Day 1, I hope we attract a good number of talented Albertans offering public leadership,” Kenney said.
“If anybody else is chosen leader, they will have my total and enthusiastic support.”
Both Kenney and Jean acknowledged the timeline is tight, but said they’re up for the challenge.