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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wildrose Alliance leadership race: Will Danielle Smith run for leader?
You have to be really atuned to the minutiae of Alberta politics to have noticed that the leader of Alberta's Wildrose Alliance Party, Paul Hinman, resigned last week. The Wildrose Alliance (WA) is an amalgam, on the eve of the last provincial election, of an older fringe party, the Alberta Alliance, with a fledgling Wildrose Party. The Alliance was basically a populist party, while the Wildrose was shaping up to be very much a libertarian-leaning party. It is still unclear (at least to me) exactly where the balance of power lies within the WA -- being a small party, it is prone to being swayed by a few insiders -- but an interesting recent development suggests there is hope for small-government, private-property types in Alberta.
The interesting development is that Danielle Smith appears set to throw her hat into the ring for the leadership. She has resigned her position as Alberta Director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and says here (see video below) that she did so in order to pursue political ambitions.
For those who don't know Danielle Smith, she has been a distinguished voice for small government and private property for a long time in Alberta. She was formerly head of the Alberta Property Rights Initiative, among other things.
While my poor heart has been broken by too many politicians (and by too many women) in the past to give the WA under Danielle Smith my most enthusiastic support, I will venture to say that this seems to be the last best chance for freedom-loving people in Canada to get a like-minded politician elected.
Stephen Taylor interviews Danielle Smith from Stephen Taylor on Vimeo.
Posted by Grant Brown on April 28, 2009 in Canadian Provincial Politics | Permalink
Comments
I've met Danielle on more than one occasion. She is incredibly talented, intelligent, accomplished, and a tireless friend of liberty. She would do wonders for the Wildrose Alliance if she ran for the leadership.
Posted by: P.M. Jaworski | 2009-04-28 7:43:10 AM
The Wildrose Alliance is an irrelevant entity. What does the party stand for? It's nothing more than a fringe rump that is going to go nowhere. If she wants real change and not self-promotion, she should join the PC Party. Look at the amount of harder core conservatives elected this time around.
Posted by: Irvine R. | 2009-04-29 7:59:35 PM
The Wildrose Alliance is not only a relevant entity, it WILL be the official opposition in 2012. Danielle Smith will rally disenfranchised right-leaning voters and the diehard Alliance supporters. Given the current economic climate, it will be much easier to get urban voters onside as well. Angry people vote, and now that there's a viable opportunity besides the bumbling Liberals and NDP, people will take full advantage.
Posted by: John Q. | 2009-04-30 3:20:34 PM
With Ron Stevens stepping down as Deputy Premier and MLA for Calgary Glenmore, Danielle should run for the PC's. It is the safest, most sure fire way of becoming an MLA and really making things happen. The Wildrose Alliance Party was wiped out in Calgary Glenmore in 2008 and if she does become the Leader of the Wildrose Alliance she will have to run in Glenmore and will lose badly. Her reign as leader will be short lived as the Liberals will beat her in vote count unless she is the PC candidate.
The smart thing to do is to run for the PC's, get in the legislature and work on making things better.
Posted by: JD Galt | 2009-05-16 12:38:50 AM
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