ALBERTA PARTY
Leader will be chosen today
The new leader of the Alberta Party will be announced this evening in Edmonton.
Voting for the three candidates — Kara Levis, Stephen Mandel and Rick Fraser — commenced Feb. 25 in a preferential online ballot, and concludes today.
“Having this kind of focus on the new leader is good news for the Alberta Party and voters in Alberta who are still not sure which party to support in the next provincial election,” said Blake Pedersen, president of the Cypress-Medicine Hat constituency association.
Pedersen says the Alberta Party offers a credible option for anyone who considers themselves moderate and pragmatic.
“Being socially and fiscally responsible is what differentiates the Alberta Party from the other options currently available,” said Pedersen.
The leadership race was triggered after former Alberta Party leader Greg Clark stepped down in November 2017. He remains an MLA with the party and has said he will run in the next election.
The Alberta Party has seen a significant increase in party memberships, going from 1,024 to 6,543 in the last year.
Local resident John Hamill was planning to vote for leader of the Alberta Party on Monday. Hamill not only has an Alberta Party membership but one in the United Conservative Party as well. The UCP was an amalgamation of the PC and Wildrose parties, and Hamill believes it is regrettable Alberta keeps having party splits and/or amalgamations.
“Let’s get two parties or three parties and keep them,” said Hamill, who does not believe the Alberta Party is likely to have sufficient support across the province to really make a difference in the next election in spite of a surge in party membership.
However, it remains to be seen what impact a new Alberta Party leader will make in terms of attracting more support.
“That’s the key. People are going to hang on until that’s decided,” said Hamill.
One of the people waiting to see what happens is Jim Horsman, a local resident and former PC MLA and minister.
“I’m waiting to see what happens. I don’t hold a membership in any current political party,” said Horsman. “My membership, that I have in my wallet, is for a party that doesn’t exist anymore (the PC).”
The Alberta Party’s CypressMedicine Hat constituency association is growing its membership in part due to the leadership election, said Pedersen. The Alberta Party did not have a constituency association in Cypress-Medicine Hat until last fall. Cypress-Medicine Hat and Medicine Hat Constituency Associations are affected by the new Elections Alberta boundary changes. With that in mind they are focused on working together and adding members no matter where they live.
After the leader is announced there are likely to be more members joining, said Pedersen.
A provincial election must be called by May 2019.