Seventy-five per cent or bust.
The Wildrose Party has ended its membership drive and will vote July 22 on whether to merge with the Progressive Conservatives to form the United Conservative Party.
“The biggest hurdle in the unity process is the 75 per cent required by Wildrose,” said Wildrose leader Brian Jean. “I think the future of Alberta depends on a unified consolidated movement being the next government of Alberta.”
Jean said he is hopeful they will meet the 75 per cent threshold, which is the requirement because the party Wildrose exists under the society act.
“Confidence is something I’m hoping will come soon, I am very optimistic right now,” he said. “I am confident members will have their decision and they will decide what is in their best interest. I am confident they will make the right decision.”
Jean said he is hopeful of reaching the 75 per cent threshold and he is aiming higher.
Premier Rachel Notley has been dropping in the polls like a rookie cowboy trying to stay on top of a Calgary Stampede bull. The NDP leader had an approval rating of 28 per cent — a drop of three per cent since March, according to an Angus Reid poll released in the latter part of June.
“I just want to do my job,” he said. “I want to focus on the message that everyday Albertans want to hear. They want a government that focuses on practical common sense solutions.
Jean said the present government is the most expensive in Canada.
“We are going to be at about $90-billion in debt by 2020,” he said. “There are important things to do and we need to run our government more efficiently.”
Jeff Callaway, president of the Wildrose Party, said the recent membership drive is an indication there is plenty of interest in the unity vote.
“We are by far at the largest number for membership in the history of the party,” he said. “We are well over 40,000 members now. The biggest thing is it is a reflection of what Albertans are looking for as an alternative to the NDP.
“I think they are speaking with every $10 membership that gets sold by both ourselves and the PC party,” Callaway.
He shares Jean’s optimism of hitting the 75 per cent mark.
“We have a huge amount of enthusiasm across Alberta,” Callaway said.
He dismissed the idea that people against the merger have taken out memberships just to stop the potential Unity party.
“From everything I have seen, I think a few NDP operatives have been swamped out by the average Albertan that is looking for better government,” Callaway said.
For information on how to vote go to wildrose.ca/sgm
The threshold for the for the Progressive Conservatives in the unity vote is 50 per cent. PC members will vote from July 20-22 on unifying with the Wildrose.
For more information on the PC voting process go to pcalberta.org
Both Jean and PC leader Jason Kenney have indicated they would seek to lead the new party if it comes to fruition.
