CALGARY – Heading into Monday’s provincial byelection in Calgary-Glenmore, all eyes were on the wild card — the Wildrose Alliance.
Today, in the aftermath of the party’s stunning victory over the runner-up Liberals and third-place Conservatives, many eyes are cast toward the future and whether the upstart political entity has the potential to add MLAs and grow after securing a seat in the legislature.
Former Conservative MLA Guy Boutilier is watching. He became an Independent after being ousted from the PC party for publicly speaking against the government’s delay of a nursing home in his Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo constituency.
Boutilier said Tuesday he’s eager to learn more about the Wildrose Alliance and isn’t surprised by Paul Hinman’s byelection victory.
After receiving overtures from several political parties, including the Liberals, Boutilier has decided to meet soon with the Wildrose Alliance and Hinman.
"He represents true conservative values," Boutilier said, but noted he hasn’t made up his mind on joining another party.
"Right now, I represent my constituents of Fort McMurray and true conservative values," he added.
Expanding its reach into other ridings is one of several challenges facing the Wildrose Alliance.
Like all opposition parties, it faces the challenge of raising money to mount provincewide campaigns against the long-ruling Tories –although the Wildrose Alliance collected nearly as much cash as the Conservatives during the 2008 general election.
It must also make inroads in urban centres such as Edmonton, begging the question of whether its message of smaller government will sell in the capital.
While the Tories, Grits and NDP are playing down the staying power of the Wildrose Alliance–formed last year through a merger of two right-wing political groups–Hinman said he’s confident the party will be more than a byelection wonder.
He notes next month’s leadership vote involving contenders Mark Dyrholm, Danielle Smith and Jeff Willerton is a crucial building block. The three candidates will debate today in Calgary and on Thursday in Lethbridge. A new leader will be chosen Oct. 17.
Hinman, serving as the interim leader, promises the party will turn up the heat on Premier Ed Stelmach’s Conservatives.
"It’s now about refocusing and how we’re going to ensure that Ed keeps hearing this message day in and day out," he said. "His deficit spending, his superboard, his muzzling of MLAs and disciplining health-care workers is not working for Albertans."
Hinman declined to talk about efforts to entice current or former Tory MLAs into the Wildrose Alliance fold, except to say: "Stay tuned and watch."
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said the byelection is a milestone for the Wildrose Alliance because it gives the party a voice in the legislature and secures a spot in the televised leaders debate for the next general election, likely in 2012.
"The next big move for them is their leadership race, and are they going to generate more attention to this?" Bratt said. "They’ve got an opportunity of going from win to another win in pretty rapid succession and that gives a sense of momentum building."
Another challenge for the party, Bratt suggested, is developing more substantial policy ideas that expand beyond government criticism.
Wildrose Alliance leadership candidates Smith and Dyrholm said they expect Hinman’s win over veteran Liberal candidate Avalon Roberts and Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart, the Tory contender, will spark more interest in their leadership contest.
"What people are going to see is there is finally a new conservative option on the table," Smith said.
Dyrholm added: "What (the byelection) means to the party is that we can be viewed as the legitimate heirs to conservatism in Alberta."
University of Calgary political scientist Tom Flanagan, a conservative strategist and a former senior political adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the byelection offers the Wildrose Alliance an important toehold. "It’s a warning shot across the bow" of the Tories, Flanagan said.
rdaliesio@theherald.canwest.com
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