The retirement from elective politics of former Wildrose leader Brian Jean, the MLA for Fort McMurray-Conklin is a milestone for the United Conservative Party.Jean sought the new party's leadership and the choice of Jason Kenney by a wide majority of the membership wasn't just the election of the leader deemed most capable of defeating Premier Rachel Notley and the NDP in the 2019 election, but a rejection of the kinder face of the conservative restoration.
Turns out that Kenney is not being well received by other than a minority of partisans in Calgary, Alberta's oil and gas sector and the province's hard-right conservatives.
Part of Kenney's handicap is his disdain of others and his ruthlessness. Voters who distrust him aren't sure that this is the time in Alberta, facing the challenges that it does, for a strongman to replace a diplomat.
The great men of Alberta politics – Henry Wise Wood, William Aberhart, Ernest Manning, Peter Lougheed, Ralph Klein – have all had a kind soul and an approachable demeanour.
It is becoming more apparent by the week that Kenney is more bully boy and less tolerant than these predecessors – and Rachel Notley.
In addition to the UCP and the NDP, who are the main contenders, there are eight other parties preparing to field candidates in the next general election.
Five of them are conservative organizations representing several thousand Albertans who don't subscribe to Kenney's brand of unity, the Alberta Advantage, Alberta Party, Alberta First, Pro-Life Alberta, and Reform parties.
In February, Alberta Advantage acclaimed Edmonton lawyer and Wildrose co-founder Marilyn Burns as leader and will formally register with Elections Alberta before summer.
Only the Alberta Party has seats in the legislature. In February, it elected leader Steve Mandel, former Jim Prentice Progressive Conservative minister of health and previously, mayor of Edmonton.
On the left are the Alberta Liberal, Green and Communist parties. Only the Liberals hold a seat in the legislature.
The Liberals and Greens have had new leaders for less that a year – David Khan and Romy Tittel respectively – who are still untested in election campaigns.
Naomi Rankin, Communist leader, has campaign experience, much of it, but in a lost cause.
There are an additional nine parties that have names reserved with Elections Alberta but have not yet registered as political parties: @Politics Direct, The Precariat, Hard Working Albertans, Renew Alberta, Western Independence, Alberta Independence, Alberta Freedom Alliance, National Party and Progressive Canadian Political Conservatives.
Alberta always produces a herd of minor parties, especially for elections when government might change hands. There have been as many as 12 parties fielding candidates.
It is likely that at least 10 parties will have candidates in 2019 and some of the remaining nine wannabe parties may register and be represented.
Few will win seats in the legislature; minority parties seldom do.
But the conservative ones will nibble away UCP votes and may help Rachel Notley win a second term.
Albertans have always dreamed of changing the world from their tractor seats, so they get off those seats and organize or join a new party.
Especially in restless times like these.
- Frank Dabbs is a veteran journalist and author.
