While both Danielle Smith and Premier Jim Prentice are painting a rosy picture, for those who voted for the Wildrose Party as an alternative to the PCs, Wednesday’s cross-over of nine members is anything but an early Christmas present.
Former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith says she crossed over to the PC caucus because she wants to help return government to conservative values.
“Values and principles like balancing the budget, eliminating wasteful spending, respecting property rights, decentralizing decision-making and clean, ethical government,” said Smith.
“Over the course of the last several months, I’ve become more and more convinced that these are values I share with Premier Prentice.”
But Wildrose voters in Smith’s Highwood riding in High River are furious with her move.
“When you believe in a party, you should be staying with the party,” said one constituent.
“I’m not surprised, but I’m disappointed,” said another.
In six years, the Wildrose Party went from a single MLA to 17 and official opposition status.
It will stay as the official opposition, but is now down to just five representatives in the legislature.
Sources have told Global News that not everyone in the Tory caucus is happy with the Wildrose cross-overs.
The 2012 election campaign was bitter, according to some political analysts, and the newest members of the Tory family may have to wait some time before feeling the love from their PC brothers and sisters.
“Parents adopting into your family bullies from the schoolyard that have been making your life miserable for years, and you’re all supposed to be a happy family – how is that going to work?” said political analyst Doreen Barrie with the University of Calgary.
All of that now has to be sorted out by Premier Jim Prentice and his bigger PC caucus.
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