Opposition: Who’s in charge?

The Progressive Conservative party’s move to subject Premier Alison Redford to a “work plan” is raising questions about who is in charge of the Alberta government, opposition leaders say.

“Why is a group of PC partisans telling our elected premier what her job should be?” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith asked Monday.

“I think that’s the job of Albertans and she should know herself. I’d like to know a little bit more detail about it. One columnist described it right when they said she’s been put under adult supervision and she’s on parole.”

Redford spent much of Saturday in Calgary hearing grievances about her leadership from the Tory party’s board of directors. The group decided on the idea of creating a plan the premier will be expected to follow to revive her sagging support, though few details have emerged on what the strategy might entail.

While the Conservatives are trying to exercise more control over their embattled leader, they are also blurring the lines of whether Redford is truly accountable to Albertans or to PC brass, NDP Leader Brian Mason said.

“I think Albertans expect that, whether there’s a crisis in the PC party or not, that the government is going to govern and it’s going to move its agenda forward, and that’s not happening,” he said.

Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said Redford’s work plan should focus less on fixing her party’s fortunes and more on fixing Alberta’s problems.

“I think she should pay some attention to fixing the disaster recovery program, she could pay some attention to fixing health care. She could actually balance the budget. Those would be the things I would like her to put a priority on,” Smith added.