Former federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney brought his campaign to unite the Alberta Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties to Okotoks last week.
He is seeking the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party with the goal of merging it with the Wildrose to prevent a vote split in the next provincial election that could give the NDP government a second term in office.
“What I’m trying to do is get a mandate from Progressive Conservatives to pursue unity,” he said. “If I get that, then try to sit down with the Wildrose Party and work out an agreement on the creation of a big, broad, diverse, free enterprise party like the provincial version of the Conservative Party of Canada.”
He told an audience of about 55 people at the Foothills Centennial Centre on Nov. 22 he simply wants to get the ball rolling.
If both parties agree, Kenney proposes party members vote in a referendum in the summer of 2017 and, if successful, move forward to create a new party that fall and a leadership vote the winter of 2018.
He said some in both parties may not look favourably on a merger because of the bitter political battles of recent years, but they need to be willing to put the past behind them for the good of the province.
“The future of this province is too important to be left in the hands of a relatively small number of partisan insiders,” he said. “I think this province is too important for egos and resentments.”
Kenney said too many Alberta families and businesses are facing great adversity, a record level of insolvencies and bankruptcies, high unemployment and a flight of billions in capital investment dollars from the province and it’s being made worse by the NDP’s policies.
He said he would repeal the carbon tax and join Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall to fight against the planned federal carbon tax.
“The carbon tax will cascade down through the economy and end up hitting the average person who’s already struggling and hit the poorest amongst us the hardest,” said Kenney.
He said he would also repeal Bill 6, agricultural labour legislation passed by the NDP government.
On social issues, Kenney said conservatives of all stripes have to work together and accept all voices within the PC Party.
“There is a broad range of views, we try and discuss and resolve it with respect internally,” he said. “It’s not being intolerant of different views, it’s tolerating them.”
When asked about Okotoks’ request for funds to build a water pipeline, Kenney said he wasn’t prepared to make any commitments. He said projects such as water pipelines are critical and he would consider them a top priority. He also said he would prioritize signing an agreement with the federal government on the Building Canada fund, which would provide funding to municipalities for infrastructure projects.
Ted Morton, a former PC leadership candidate and provincial cabinet minister, said he supports Kenney’s efforts to unite the PCs and Wildrose. He is one of more than 50 former MLAs to back Kenney.
Morton said he doesn’t want to see a split of the conservative vote that could give the NDP a second term.
“I think I’ll look through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror and put aside personal dislikes, past grievances and work to get a government elected that will put Alberta back to work,” said Morton.
He said many on both sides still bear scars from bare-knuckle politics between the two parties, but they need to put the past behind them.
The new Progressive Conservative Party leader will be selected in a delegate convention on March 18, 2017. The Highwood Progressive Conservative Association is holding its delegate selection meeting on Dec. 10. People must have been a party member for two weeks prior to cast a vote.
