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Alberta Politics

Wildrose to PC MLAs: It’s not your fault, your party left you. Come on over.

The Wildrose Caucus has released a flashy new YouTube video encouraging Progressive Conservative MLAs to join the Official Opposition.

The video begins with two former PC MLAs making the pitch to cross the floor. “I was nervous when I first did I, but I have to tell you, it is so much better over here,” Wildrose MLA Heather Forsyth says in the video. “It’s not you, it’s them,” Rob Anderson testifies.

Rob Anderson Heather Forsyth Wildrose
PC MLAs Heather Forsyth and Rob Anderson crossed the floor to the Wildrose Party in 2010.

The rest of the video includes short clips of testimonials and pleas from Wildrose MLAs to their PC MLA colleagues. “It’s not your fault, your party left you. Come on over,” a welcoming Ms. Smith says in the final clip.

It is yet to be seen if any PC MLAs will accept the opposition offer.

A Wildrose history of floor crossing

In 2010, less than two months after then-Premier Ed Stelmach received 77% in the PC Party’s leadership review, two backbench PC MLAs, Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth, crossed the floor to join newly selected leader Danielle Smith‘s Wildrose opposition. Soon after, former PC MLA Guy Boutilier joined the Wildrose caucus. It is not surprising that the Wildrose would make this pitch only one week after current PC Party leader, Premier Alison Redford, received an eerily similar 77% in her party’s 2013 leadership review.

The Alberta Alliance, the precursor to the Wildrose Party, gained its first MLA when Edmonton-Norwood PC MLA Gary Masyk briefly ran under the party’s banner in the 2004 election in the new Edmonton-Decore constituency. Mr. Masyk was defeated in his bid for  re-election.

 

10 replies on “Wildrose to PC MLAs: It’s not your fault, your party left you. Come on over.”

They talk about “being a conservative” but they’re against privatizing land titles? They want more bureacuracy to run Alberta Health Services for ideological reasons? How does that stand up for the taxpayer?

Oh wait, it doesn’t. Wildrose is anything but conservative.

Jesus, that’s creepy. Anderson looks even more like a used-car salesman than usual. Danielle is as genuine as a three -dollar bill. But, ya know, when the bullets are parting the hairs on your ass, it’s good to have GI Joe Anglin in your corner. Talk about being bereft of ideas…

Harvey, the privatization of land titles offices proved to be a complete disaster in the US of A. You never want the records of who owns what being handled by a cost-cutting profit minded corporation. Go as small government as you want, but if the government aren’t the record keepers of note, you’ve basically descended into Somalia style anarchy.

Privatization has worked with liquor stores and registries in this province. We will get better service and for less money if land titles was also privatized. Look at BC, ON, or SK. All positive results.

Too bad the Wildrose just doesn’t get it.

Ya that was a kind of creepy ad. Not sure if it was the lighting or what. Why would the party jumpers not make their own party? Oh, oops they got elected because they had the Conservative brand name on their jeans. Why would the public vote for them again in another party with a different name but same people? That is some silliness I have to say.

We know that privatization has NOT worked well with Registries. Several have been shut down after their links to organized crime were discovered. Articles have been written showing that Alberta is the place to go in North America if you are an illegal looking to fake your way into the system, because our private registries can be bought off and/or easily duped. Maybe you like helping potential terrorists get their fake ID, but I consider that a flawed policy.

Neal: government are still the record keepers in registries and I presume it would be the same for land titles. The only thing that is different is the delivery (private or public). If a private nursing home can care for my aging grandma, they can surely accept a piece of paper for government. And they just might be able to do it faster and maybe even bring it online because we’re one of the few with an old archaic paper system still. This is something worth exploring, me thinks.

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