Policy conference meant to keep Tory members happy

There was no mutiny, no insurrection, no revolution. Not even dark mutterings in the hallways.

The Progressive Conservatives held a two-day policy conference in Edmonton on the weekend and all is well in Tory land.

At least that’s what we’re told.

The conference was conducted behind closed doors, so journalists didn’t see firsthand what happening inside. For all we know, delegates were happily burning the premier in effigy while tarring and feathering the cabinet.

But, to be honest, the conference never became that interesting or relevant.

It was a thumb-sucking exercise for 450 keen party members to discuss issues such as health care and taxes and infrastructure.

Fact is, they didn’t reach any conclusions. The weekend’s discussions were merely aimed at framing resolutions for the party’s annual general meeting to be held in November.

The big issue at the fall meeting will be the party’s mandatory review of Premier Alison Redford’s leadership.

She’s not doing well in public opinion polls, her spending-restraint provincial budget is under attack and her government seems to lurch from crisis to crisis. But that’s an outsider’s perception.

Based on the premier’s reception by party members this weekend, Redford will do extremely well in the November vote. In the small portions of the convention open to reporters, delegates gave Redford regular standing ovations and would preface questions to her with comments along the lines of “I’d like to commend the premier …”

Of course, a cynic would suspect reporters were treated to a Potemkin village view of Redford’s leadership — but much more likely is that this is a true reflection of the feelings of dedicated members of the Progressive Conservative party.

That doesn’t mean, though, that all PC members are as committed to the party or her leadership, especially the armchair PCs who only come out once a year to the annual general meeting for socializing, drinking and gossiping, but not necessarily in that order.

That’s why Redford will be spending the summer touring the province to connect with Albertans — and PC party members.

And it’s why during the weekend conference Redford promised party members they’ll have an “unprecedented” say in shaping the direction of government through new policy advisory committees that will target topics such as health care and education.

This is Redford’s way of dealing with a chronic complaint from party members who feel disconnected and ignored by the government. This type of grumbling has been going on for years. A decade ago, for example, party delegates were miffed that the government ignored their resolutions calling for our own provincial police force and our own provincial pension plan.

“There’s a distinction between government and party,” said perennial MLA and voice-of-reason Dave Hancock at the time. “The party can’t expect the government to do everything it’s asked. So, if a resolution is passed by the party, that doesn’t mean the government is bound by it.”

The problem for the PC party is that truly unhappy members will leave and set up their own party and call it, for example, the Wildrose.

So, the PC party ignores disgruntled party members at its peril.

Redford wants to keep them happy.

When asked by journalists on Saturday if she was tearing down the wall between party and government, and giving PC party members an improper influence over public policy, Redford said noncommittally, “I think all Albertans should have a say in government policy.”

Redford has also allowed the party to set up a special “leadership council” that, according to an internal PC document, would give a “greater voice” to the grassroots members “to set the direction of the party for years to come.”

The document is an interesting read.

It says the leadership council, made up of about 100 party members, is needed to “rebuild the party brand” and “to make sure the PC party and brand is strong enough to carry on as a party, even if we are not the government.”

It’s not often you see the PCs mention their own political mortality. I’m just saying.

The idea behind both the leadership council and the policy advisory councils is to re-energize and re-engage party members.

You might not believe it, but many PC members feel as alienated from the government as do the 500 demonstrators who braved Saturday’s cold, wet weather outside the conference to protest against the recent budget cuts.

One big difference is that those demonstrators won’t be casting a vote on Redford’s leadership this fall.

When that vote comes, Redford wants to make sure she has a room filled with party members who are re-energized, reengaged and loyal.