October 4th
Rick Bell, Calgary Sun

EDMONTON - This is going to be a whole lot of fun.

Yes, politics in Alberta could actually be more than witnessing elections with yet another landslide victory.

You know, the campaign where less than half the people vote or the campaign where the Tories score a lopsided win when they run on absolutely nothing or the campaign where the opposition is just grateful not to be obliterated.

This time, Danielle Smith, the Wildrose leader, says the prospect of a brawl for it all is “wonderful.”

“We’re going to have a showdown in this coming election.”

The Wildrose leader says the PCs under Redford have decided to “lurch to the left” and “there is a world of difference” between the Wildrose and today’s Alberta Progressive Conservatives.

She compares the situation in Alberta to the ‘90s with the Reformers at the national level facing “a PC party that ceased to be conservative.”

“We have to do the same thing in this province as we did federally with the Reform party,” says Smith.

Meanwhile, the Tory MLAs meet their new boss in the capital city bright and early Tuesday morning.

The salivating newshounds will be there in full force. Nothing draws a crowd like the collective eating of crow.

You see, Alison Redford was only supported by one MLA on the first ballot of the race she won this past Saturday.

Some of the MLAs thought she wasn’t the best of the candidates. Others thought she was altogether not suited to the job.

Still others, off the record, detest her and have bad-mouthed her or questioned her conservatism.

One high-up wrote her off as a “Clarkie,” after former PM Joe Clark, a person Redford holds in high regard.

On the premier-designate’s part, Redford ran against what she saw as the establishment, the old boys’ club, the vested interests, the royal court, the so-called party insiders.

She didn’t take too kindly to the conduct of some of her colleagues, including characters in cabinet easy to identify with a wink and a nod.

In the race to the top, Redford got people who wouldn’t think of buying a Tory membership to buy a Tory card and vote for her.

Her victory was a takeover not a makeover.

Redford herself has told this page she was not into tweaking the party, she wants to make the party into what she believes Albertans want it to be.

Which Albertans is the question.

Her list of IOUs in the party are few but she will owe Doug Horner, Stelmach’s one-time number two man, who is an unabashed red Tory and refused under any circumstances to be called a unite-the-right candidate.

Second-choice votes from his supporters put Redford over the top.

Oh, it will be a treat to see the MLAs as they troop into Government House Tuesday and get their marching orders.

But don’t forget this is politics and many will crawl on their belly like a snake to get even a small taste at the trough.

Smith, for her part, is on the outside looking in and she does not like what she sees. The Wildrose boss sounds pumped and is on the offensive though an election isn’t on until probably May or June next year.

She’s already slamming Redford for blowing off a fall sitting of the legislature and not committing to fixed election dates. She accuses the province’s new number one of “backtracking.”

Smith isn’t done.

“Now she’s raiding the Sustainability Fund without any oversight to meet her promise to the teacher’s union,” says Smith.

That’s the $107 million cut Redford now wants back in the schools budget as priority one.

“We have more backroom decision making. She’s going to be able to do a couple things here and a couple things there but we still have the governing culture of the PC party. It’s what happens after being in power for 40 years.”

Smith says some conservative activists from the camps of those leadership hopefuls who lost to Redford have been talking to Wildrose.

No sounds from any grumbling Tory MLAs. Some have nowhere to go since many of the ridings have a Wildrose candidate nominated.

Yes, there is more than one kind of change in the air.

One change is behind the closed-doors of provincial government powerplays.

And one is out here with us where political ground will be won and lost.

“We have a divide,” says Smith.

“We are small-c conservatives who believe in local governing and individual responsibility. With Redford we’ll see big government and the nanny-state approach.”

“I’m prepared to do battle.”

Let the games begin.