The Alberta PCs are holding our first delegated leadership election since 1985. Jason Kenney is running as leader with a plan to unite right-leaning voters by merging the PCAA and Wildrose Party into a new entity. He claims it is essential if we are to defeat the NDP in the next election. While I and the rest of the executive of the Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills PC Constituency Association are not in the slightest bit opposed to a coming together of centre-right thinkers and voters (in fact we strongly encourage it), Mr. Kenney’s plan is not the way to go.
The plan must clear many significant hurdles -
Kenney must win the PC leadership – he will then make overtures to the Wildrose;
The PC membership at large must approve a proposal to dissolve the party (a 50+1 vote);
The Wildrose must do the same, but with a 75 percent ‘yes’ vote;
A new party must be created, including writing and approving a new constitution and election platform, and electing a leader and executive of the new party; and finally
Constituency Associations must be created in 87 ridings, where they will also have to vote on new constitutions and executives.
The new party will also have to contend with constituency border changes, destroying the prior work done to create new Constituency Associations and executives. All work must be completed before the spring of 2019, but at any time the NDP could call a snap election – I would if I were them.
Mr. Kenney’s plan could very easily guarantee a second term of NDP government, not prevent it. And, it will not guarantee a victory even if all the steps are completed successfully. Mr. Kenney cites the Saskatchewan Party as an example of the centre-right coming together to defeat an NDP government. The Saskatchewan Party lost three elections before it formed the government, and even the federal Conservative Party that Mr. Kenney helped create lost its first election, and could only win two minorities before a majority.
There are options to unite conservative-minded voters. In Germany, the Christian Democrats run in all areas of Germany save Bavaria, where the Christian Social Union runs as a sister centre-right party. There is an implicit understanding that the two will govern in coalition, but remain separate parties with separate policies. An agreement like this could be reached where-by the parties cooperate on a geographical basis. Alternatively, cooperation could be achieved on a candidate-by-candidate basis, where the strongest candidate on the centre-right runs regardless of party. This would build trust, leading, perhaps, to a merger in the future when old animosities have been reconciled. It’s also a better path to defeating the NDP than creating a Franken-party without well-established or considered principles.
Mr. Kenney’s plan is a plan for power, not for Albertans. It is not a plan to provide the most effective and efficient government for Albertans.
I say this while wearing two hats. The first is as a professional political risk consultant – it is my job to view these events objectively and determine the most likely outcome. The second, however, is as an Albertan. The Alberta I know and love would not, and cannot, compromise its principles to win power. That was what the PC party did before I became involved in the party, and it was why we have an NDP government now. If we do that, if we turn our back on what made our party and province great, then we are simply inviting another NDP government back to power.
Mathew Preston, BA MSS
VP Communications
Progressive Conservative Constituency Association – Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills
