[Dion]

Embattled Alberta Premier Alison Redford is expected to address her restless caucus Monday to sell them on a “work plan” – probation, in essence – as a new poll shows the Progressive Conservatives’ 43-year run in power is on track to come to an end.

If she doesn’t meet the goals, some Tories expect the next step would be a snap meeting of the party to call another confidence vote. Ms. Redford faced such a vote in the fall, earning 77 per cent support. It was a poor showing in that type of vote that ultimately forced out Ralph Klein, while caucus dissent forced out his successor, and Ms. Redford’s predecessor, Ed Stelmach.

“A group of us wanted to get together and talk,” Mr. Young said in an interview Monday. “There was a party meeting on the weekend. We hadn’t heard anything other than it’s a great meeting. Twitter was saying otherwise, so we wanted to have a discussion on what our thoughts are.”

Mr. Young said the mood of constituents in his Edmonton riding is critical of the government.

“There needs to be some kind of change, whether that’s in terms of behaviour or what have you. But the mood, and that’s a good way to describe it, is not favourable, unless there are people who think otherwise that are not coming into my office,” he said.

Asked if he was considering leaving the caucus, he replied: “There’s no secret, those are options for any MLA… right now, I’m just waiting and seeing what all those options are.”

Ms. Redford’s former deputy premier, Thomas Lukaszuk, issued a cryptic message for those following political news in the province on Twitter. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!! Some will need more luck than others,” he wrote.

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