There has been a lot of media attention over the past week focused on the split between federal and provincial Conservatives in the Calgary-Centre by-election. While most Tories appear to be supporting Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt, many Progressive Conservatives remain unhappy with Ms. Crockatt’s tacit support of the Wildrose Party in the recent provincial election.
PC Premier Alison Redford has tried to downplay the rift between the two parties in the by-election, even admiting that she has a giant Conservative sign on her lawn.
Whatever campaign sign occupies her front lawn, a photo of the Premier posing with federal Liberal candidate Harvey Locke at this weekend’s Progressive Conservative convention will surely fuel more speculation about a split between federal and provincial Conservative parties.
The attendance of Mr. Locke at the convention also raises questions about whether the federal Liberals are trying to forge new political ties with the provincial Tories in Alberta.
13 replies on “Premier Redford poses for photo with Calgary-Centre Liberal Harvey Locke.”
A political party rift / split / faction !
Say it ain’t so…. LOL
Dave I’ll bet you can use this post at least once more this year just by changing the names. Plus you will probably be able to do that 3 more times before the next election. 😉
Also, full disclosure, there’s a picture of me with Rick Fraser floating around from the AGM, providing evidence of the collusion between paramedics and music teachers… 😉
Dave, I wouldn’t put too much credence in politicians being pictured with nominal political foes. Take it from me, most politicians will allow their photo to be taken with almost anyone!
Enlightened Savage: Now that is sure to fuel speculation! 😉
@David J Climenhaga: I agree. My final question on this post might be the more interesting one. Have the Federal Liberals forsaken their provincial cousins in favour of closer ties to the provincial PCs?
Hey Dave:
I think you could also note the number of pictures of Harvey and Kent, David and Darshan on Harvey’s Facebook page etc.
I think it is safe to say that the Fed Libs realize that to win any sort of seat in Alberta it is going to be necessary to forge new alliances and coalitions on the Fed side that may not ‘neatly’ translate onto the provincial side. No one is abandoning anyone, i’d just suspect that the Locke campaign realizes that cooperation is the only way towards success.
But that’s just my thoughts on that.
Pretty pathetic when David J. Climengagga can’t even spell his own name! Or is this another one?
The Conservative Party has more in common with the Wildrose in Alberta than the PC’s. That leaves the question – how do PC’s vote federally?
“Teams (members) fight with eachother when they are to weak to win or too strong to be beaten”
Ken Dryden
The PC party tossed Ralph Klein their most popular Premier in Alberta History under the bus(before he finished his last term), then Stelmach (before he finished his first) and are getting ready to do the same to Redford.
Both the Federal and the Alberta PC’s can not afford a civil war.
The Federal Liberal Party is the best example of how you can be on of the most successful political party’s in the history of modern democracy on min the on the bench in a rebuilding mode the next. Because of an internal civil war (and you can add a poor relationship to most Liberal parties across Canada at the Provincial level) has cost them power and perhaps if not careful existence.
The Wildrose party will do just fine not matter how this PC-Fed Con spilt turns out. In fact, it might benefit them to have an NDP or Liberal Prime Minister in Ottawa. For both players Redford and Harper (thin skinned leaders unloved by caucus)if they were smart they would end this now.
As far as Redford taking pictures with just anyone is crazy. Those around the Premier do not let photo ops with politicians just happen without knowing what is going on. My guess that she or someone around her let it happen.
The civil war will be fun to watch.
Wade
IIRC the federal liberals in Alberta have out preformed the provincial liberals for many electoral cycles now in terms of the number of votes and percentage. For the federal liberal party to grow its base in Alberta, certainly the provincial party isn’t the place to look for paths to success.
Kyle;
Number of seats held in Alberta by the Federal Liberal Party in Alberta ZERO.
Ridings where Fed Liberal Candidate placed higher than 3rd place in Ridings that were once Liberal in the 2011 same number ZERO.
It was the lack of support by the Fed Liberal party that was in part a problem for the ALP.
Most in that were in the Leadership of the LPCA held PC memberships and flirted with the Alberta Party. They (2011 LPCA)were the most delusional group of people, they would make the Mitt Romney GOP look like hard number crunchers.
After the 2012 Provincial election Liberals in Alberta seem to get it now. The Harvey Locke campaign has support from LPC and the ALP. Plus, for sure will place higher that 3rd in the next election (in Calgary of all places).
Brand is not the issue leadership is.
What is also clear is that since 1993 the Federal Liberals have not been in government without having at least one Liberal seat in Alberta.
Just as the CPC has not been able to form government without having a seat in Quebec.
History might prove me right being apart of the Alberta P.C party is not path to success at all.
Wade
Any sort of relationship between the federal Liberals and the Alberta PCs would simply lend yet more credence the NDP’s assertion, dating all the way back to Tommy Douglas’ “Mouseland”, that there is no real difference between Conservatives and Liberals.
One of the things missing here is an acknowledgement that by-election voting can not be used to gauge the support for a party the way it might be in a general election. It’s safer to vote for opposition when you know that opposition will not change the status quo. Often times what you get in a by-election is everyone’s second choice.
All this arguing about who has whose support is interesting and fun, but it’s still a bit like choosing who places and shows in a horse race if the favourite is lame.