With the leadership race for the Alberta Party finally getting into gear with several high-profile candidates now in the hunt, a new era in Alberta politics could be on the horizon.
To date there are three candidates running for leadership of the centrist party – former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel, former Progressive Conservative MLA Rick Fraser and lawyer Kara Levis.
Whether the leadership race, which wraps up with the vote in February, will help increase the party’s support amongst Alberta voters remains to be seen.
What is known is that if the party does succeed in significantly raising its profile, it could spell big trouble for both the ruling Rachel Notley NDP and the Opposition Jason Kenney UCP.
For his part, outgoing Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark says he hopes more Albertans will come to see his party as a viable alternative to the two main parties.
"That’s what the Alberta Party is meant to be,” said Clark. "We have invited people in to join the party who share our values.”
For his part, candidate Mandel says he believes the Alberta Party can attract voters unhappy with the current government and also those unwilling to support a Jason Kenney-led right-wing alternative.
"Our current political leaders have tried so hard to make this a polarized province,” said Mandel. "This is about the true potential of standing at the centre. Much of what they (NDP and UCP) do is driven by dogma. Much of what I do is driven by practical considerations.”
Having won less than three per cent of the vote in 2015, there’s no doubt the Alberta Party and its soon-to-be new leader have a tough road ahead.
Yet with neither the NDP nor the UCP having managed to run away with public support in the two years since the last election, the Alberta Party at least has a fighting chance to make significant gains.
Although the Alberta Party cannot yet be considered a viable contender to form government, Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney should probably start to worry.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
