First I applaud Ted Morton for stepping down from Cabinet and announcing his candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta. Premier Stelmach did the same thing in 2006. At least they agreed on that approach to campaigning. for the leadership.
Interesting that Dr. Morton is calling on Wildrose Alliance types to return to the true Conservative "Mothership," the PC Party under his rule - or thumb - depending on your preferred metaphor. Mr. Morton insists the unite the right must be done to avoid vote splitting and the moderates making problems for them by coming up the middle.
I expect the progressives in the PC party will have trouble finding a candidate they can believe in to run in this leadership race. It is not Alison Redford although she has the inside track if you listen to the chattering class. Her resume reads like a social democrat but her approach to governing is very much a command and control old fashioned law and order agenda.
With no progressive force in the leadership race Dr. Morton will win and purge the Red Tories out of the party like Harper has done federally. The governing philosophy of the Smith Alliance or the Morton Conservatives will be a combination Calgary School and Fraser Institute with minor variations depending who rules the Republic of Alberta.
Here is an interesting Calgary Herald video clip of the Dr. Morton Cabinet resignation announcement with comments from Smith of the Alliance and Mason of the NDP. Form your own conclusions.
"Mothership" eh? I KNEW they were all aliens.
ReplyDeleteWow, Danielle is talking made up stuff. In response to her points, no one knows outside of caucus knows what the budget is, that is normal and right on track, and I am not feeling any delay in the budget process as it will be announced in the leg in its scheduled sitting. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Beside whatever it is I' agin it, Smith once again doesn't have much to say.
ReplyDeleteI delight in the implosion of the PC's and the prospect of the WRA's dukking it out for the far right. Teddy is not going to go anywhere. His US based arrogance and bluster has him away out of the gate and he will peak too soon. Albertan's and the rural Tory hicks didn't like intellectuals and Ted can't hide form that. Great theatre but Morton's undying passion to command and rule Alberta into his values is going to be his undoing. Let'er rip Ted my boyo. Flashing and burning suits you.
There are many examples of Ted's character and value system but I bet few know of his distain for the charter of human rights. In a Alta legislature commemoration of the charter when comments were being made by the members, Ted heckled caustic catcalls from the government bench. This fits with his stand on the land use forum where the new law is eroding land ownership rights.
ReplyDeleteAnybody But Morton, we don't need religious wacko Tea Partiers in Alberta. Let's draft Jim Prentice!
ReplyDeleteDanielle Smith is the biggest "loser" in this whole week's events.
ReplyDeleteI agree we need someone new for the PC party. Doug Griffiths recently won the daveberta.ca poll, so maybe he's in the running. I've heard Teresa Woo Paw, Lindsay Blackett, Jonathan Denis too.