The road just got alot harder for the Wildrose Party. Don't fool yourself by Wildrose's gain. The coalition of libertarians, bigots, balanced budget, rural voters simply is not big enough to win. They need to move left to have a chance at governing and that ground is held solidly by the PCs at this point.
Alberta is changing. Voters in Alberta are changing. The PC's shift to a more traditional centre is evidence of how large influxes of migrants for the rest of Canada and the world are changing the political identity of the province. This was Wildrose's shot. They either have to completely purge and gain tack on a set of issues where they out-wedge the PCs or wait for a scandal.
Based on how blown back the PCs were initially by scandals they're going to be running a much tighter ship.
I think that Wildrose has a place in and of that Alberta is a diverse and complex enough polity to demand an opposition party but that when they really looked at what this party stood for, urban voters cast them off like chaps and vests the day after Stampede. For that party to be successful they need to bring more to the table than tired right-right wing policy proposals.
Albertans are an erudite bunch it would appear by them understanding the complexities and trade-offs of governing, which is why they chose the 'status quo' proposals of Redford. How the Wildrose makes inroads to that is an exercise they'll have to look to internally at first.
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