2 Wildrose MLAs to cross to PCs

[killer_carlson]

An interesting take by Derek Fildebrandt, former rep for the Canadian Tax Payers Federation.

http://fildebrandt.ca/2014/12/the-we...e-long-knives/

Was this a move by Prentice to re-gain fiscal conservatives under one umbrella and purge the Redford liberals from the party?

[Dion]

Recall Danielle Smith campaign goes door knocking in the Highwood riding

The movement to unseat former Wildrose leader Danielle Smith ramped up on Saturday in the riding of Highwood.

A grassroots movement of more than 20 people canvassed homes in Okotoks, High River and other towns in the MLA’s constituency with hard copies of the petition in an attempt to force a by-election. The doorknocking was reminiscent of Smith’s own efforts of years past which contributed to the success of the Wildrose Party, leading to their status as Alberta’s Official Opposition.

Recall Danielle petition organizers say they plan to present the petition to Danielle Smith at her constituency office. The group hopes the collected signatures, which equate to nearly one fifth of the votes Smith received in the previous provincial election, will prompt the MLA to consider stepping down.

Turncoat Smith and her response

Highwood MLA Danielle Smith released the following statement on Saturday afternoon in response to the Recall Danielle campaign.

"I am continuing to gauge the reaction from my con‎stituents and will be doing more consultation in the new year. At the moment I am focused on two of the biggest issues in my constituency: helping to resolve outstanding DRP claims in High River and the need for a water pipeline for Okotoks. I'll continue to do the job I was elected to do, which is to represent the residents of Highwood to the best of my ability."

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/recall-dan...eets-1.2163729

[rayne008]

Originally Posted by Dion

She's done as a politician.

I disagree.

People have very short memories. This was done before Christmas and probably months and months before any election.

I'm willing to bet she wins the PC nom and her seat in the next election.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by rayne008

I disagree.

People have very short memories. This was done before Christmas and probably months and months before any election.

I'm willing to bet she wins the PC nom and her seat in the next election.

Yep you could be right, and clearly she is banking on voter apathy kicking in. People are really upset about this right now though.

As others have said - resigning from Wildrose and sitting as an independent was the high road, and she could have avoided much of this blowback by going that route.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by rayne008

I disagree.

People have very short memories. This was done before Christmas and probably months and months before any election.

I'm willing to bet she wins the PC nom and her seat in the next election.

She should be done, but it isn't a guarantee.

WRP will need to run a very strong candidate and put large amounts of money into Highwood to make it happen. I can see it happening, just based on the fact that it would be very destructive to the WRP , on a provincial level, if she were to actually win.

[killer_carlson]

I dont think she's counting on voter apathy at all.

I think she's banking on a couple conditions she made in her cross over, specifically to get flood claims resolved and a water line to Okotoks.

If she gets those done she has proven herself right to her constituency - she got more done for them as a PC member than as leader of the opposition.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by rayne008

I disagree.

People have very short memories. This was done before Christmas and probably months and months before any election.

I'm willing to bet she wins the PC nom and her seat in the next election.

The Foothills riding is very strong PC wise. When John Barlow won the PC nomination back in 2012 he had to beat out 3 other people vying for that nom. Add to the fact there are many PC members who were against the turncoats being allowed to join the party. She won't win the nom.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by ExiledFlamesFan

Hey Dion, what are the chances Smith loses in high river?

It's looking more and more like the only person who is supporting this defection is Danielle herself. Could be a career ending move.

I'd pin her chances of re-election at about the same as the Oilers making the playoffs.

[Dion]

Airdrie's Deputy Mayor Allan Hunter to start petition seeking resignation of Airdrie MLA Rob Anderson

A long-time supporter who reluctantly supported Anderson’s move to the fledgling Wildrose in 2010, Hunter said he is starting the petition because he is uncomfortable with the MLA’s decision to return to a Tory government that has consistently mismanaged the province’s finances during four decades in power.

“Rob Anderson is doing what’s good for Rob Anderson, regardless of what’s best for Airdrie,” he said.

“People are ticked off because he’s going back to folks who have been in power for 43 years, have had tens of billions of dollars at their disposal and haven’t put enough in the bank to weather the current storm from low oil prices.”

He said Anderson “had burned a lot of bridges” with the Tory constituency association because of his vocal criticism of the government in recent years and predicted the MLA could face a challenge for the party banner from Airdrie mayor Peter Brown.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politi...on-resignation

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Dion

The Foothills riding is very strong PC wise. When John Barlow won the PC nomination back in 2012 he had to beat out 3 other people vying for that nom. Add to the fact there are many PC members who were against the turncoats being allowed to join the party. She won't win the nom.

I thought that getting the nomination was part of the crossing the floor deal, I guess if it is not, then it is likely she won't make it.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I thought that getting the nomination was part of the crossing the floor deal, I guess if it is not, then it is likely she won't make it.

Highwood PC riding association has stated her nomination is not gaurenteed.

[Slava]

Foothills was where Prentice ran and won. The riding that Smith represents is called Highwood.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Slava

Foothills was where Prentice ran and won. The riding that Smith represents is called Highwood.

Yeah, I don't get it either, as Dion is calling it Foothills...and yet isn't he in Smith's riding?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

Foothills was where Prentice ran and won. The riding that Smith represents is called Highwood.

My error. I meant Highwood

[troutman]

Why aren't WR supporters spending more energy to root out the people that wanted to punish Smith for walking in a gay parade?

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by troutman

Why aren't WR supporters spending more energy to root out the people that wanted to punish Smith for walking in a gay parade?

They think they won and will win the next election now without the liberal biases of the disillusioned fiscal conservative, socially liberal folk that came over from the PC's. (And I say this as a former WRP supporter).

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by troutman

Why aren't WR supporters spending more energy to root out the people that wanted to punish Smith for walking in a gay parade?

because the WR supporters who want to root that out of the party wanted nothing to do with the party after the AGM vote.

There are loads of former WR supporters without a party to support right now.

[Resolute 14]

More to the point, there is no point. Wildrose is done. As an exercise, it would be a waste of energy.

[Dion]

Wildrose defectors may face bumpy ride in party nomination process

Suzanne Oel, president of the PC constituency association in Highwood, said former Wildrose leader Danielle Smith — who led the charge of nine opposition MLAs across the floor just before Christmas — will almost certainly face challengers for the Tory nod in the riding.

“I don’t have any doubt in that at this point,” she said Wednesday.

While the board accepts Smith as the Tory MLA, Oel said it wants an open nomination process.

She said there were potential candidates gearing up for a run before the floor-crossing who will likely stay in the race.

The PC board will have its first meeting with Smith on Friday evening. Oel said the board would like to hold the nomination as quickly as possible, in part to ensure that the PC standard-bearer has the support of the local membership.

Anderson was originally elected as a PC MLA in 2008 before crossing the floor to the upstart Wildrose in 2010, only to return to the Tory ranks as part of the mass defection from the official Opposition.

He said Wednesday he hasn’t decided whether he will run again but suggested he had been on the receiving end of more criticism the first time he crossed the floor.

“I’ve heard from very angry people but I’ve also heard from hundreds of people in my riding that are very happy with the move,” said Anderson.

“Will I have a challenge, sure? I wouldn’t take anything for granted but I think that if I do choose to run I would have a very, very strong shot at it.”

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politi...pc-nominations

[Dion]

Bruce McAllister
@McAllisterBruce Watching Canada game & making calls at the office. WRP called, reading script, asking for $$. Really? Ah, no, & maybe stop hounding people.

One of the responses

Derek Fildebrandt
@Dfildebrandt . @McAllisterBruce If I left my family w/o any notice in the dead of night & they called asking for money, I’d at least be polite. #abpoli