[Dion]

Jeff Callaway, a former party president and current vice-president of fundraising for Wildrose, said in an interview Monday that MLAs Rob Anderson and Shayne Saskiw are recruiting all members of the Wildrose caucus to join Jim Prentice’s Progressive Conservatives.

Callaway said the two pivotal members of the caucus have an offer letter negotiated with the PCs that promises protected Tory nominations in the next provincial election for the Wildrose defectors.

The floor-crossing is being sold by the MLAs as essentially a merger between the PCs and the official Opposition party, but the Wildrose party executive is firmly against what would amount to a “takeover,” he said.

“This is being characterized by Saskiw and Anderson as a unification of the conservatives, which is entirely false,” said Callaway.

As for the leader, Callaway said he did not know Smith’s position on possibly going to the PCs herself.

“Would she cross the floor, say? She is not unaware of these discussions by any stretch,” he said.

Callaway said the contents of the offer letter had been read to him by an MLA, and other MLAs had confirmed the situation to him.

“I believe basically the threat is if you don’t come now, there will be a spring election and we will just wipe you out,” he said.

Anglin said Monday he had been told that on the weekend Smith herself was pitching the idea to MLAs of the whole caucus crossing the floor.

“At this point in time, nothing would surprise me,” Anglin said.

“I think they’re all in survival mode. I think they’re trying to figure out their futures and I know many of them prefer to get re-elected versus run against Prentice.”

Anglin said he understands Wildrose MLAs are prepared to vote on the offer Tuesday.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politi...ng-merger-talk