Former Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams traveled to Fort McMurray this week to support Alberta PC leadership candidate Gary Mar and to give the candidate a boost in support from Newfoundland’s diaspora in the northern Alberta community.
The retired Newfoundland Premier’s support may be one of the former Calgary MLAs most significant endorsement in northern Alberta, where most MLAs are backing former Deputy Premier Doug Horner.
The endorsement could play well among regular conservative voters, who could respect Mr. Williams as a crusader for provincial-rights, but his battles with Ottawa also pitted him against Calgary-based Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Mr. Williams led the charge against Prime Minister Harper’s Conservatives in the 2008 federal election, which ended with the Conservatives being shut out of that province. They failed to elect any Members of Parliament on the island again in the 2011 federal election [edit: Peter Penashue was elected as the Conservative MP for Labrador, on the mainland portion of that province].
Seen by many as Mr. Mar’s main competition, former Finance Minister Ted Morton has a photo of Prime Minister Harper and himself prominently placed on the front-page of his website. Earlier in the race, online conservative pundits piled on Mr. Mar’s campaign for gaining the support of Federal Liberal fundraiser Daryl Fridhandler.
This is not the first time that Alberta’s political parties have tried to use a Newfoundland connection to get votes in Fort McMurray. In 2007, former Premier Brian Tobin was expected to join then-Liberal leader Kevin Taft at a fundraiser in Fort McMurray. Mr. Tobin had to cancel at the last minute.
13 replies on “what effect can danny williams have on alberta’s pc leadership contest?”
Hi Dave,
Just a small correction – I believe the statement “They failed to elect any Members of Parliament in that province [Nfld] again in the 2011 federal election” is erroneous. Peter Penashue (currently Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs) was elected as member for Labrador.
Thanks for your continued, insightful analysis.
Anonymous – thanks for the comment. I stand corrected and have edited the post to note Mr. Penashue’s election.
Cheers,
Dave
Danny Williams campaigned against Stephen Harper in 2008. This is not going to play well with federal tories in Alberta and was a downright stupid move on Mar’s part.
I completely agree with Yakimak. Just pissed off the Feds, now it will be even harder to get anything done for Alberta. Mar must be getting downright desperate, especially in the wake of the privatization and P3 fiascos that have tarnished his polls. According to the herald polls, he is only sitting at around 20% approval rating. The front runner is actually Orman, then Morton.
I am shocked that Williams, a respected premier would lower himself to this company. I don’t think Danny has been reading much on this candidate.
Most Newfoundlanders are too smart for these self-aggrandizing stunts that the Tories are so famous for. What’s next, are they going to fly the pope or Justin Beiber in the conservative and youth vote??? No substance whatso ever.
Desperate times, desperate measures, no thanks. I am voting Liberal. Let’s split the Tories.
I think we may have found Gary Mar’s new slogan: “Anything but conservative” š
Looks like Gary Mar has ‘Cooked his Canadian Goose’.
Either Morton or Orman is going to be premier. I think it should be Morton.
Clearly the Wildrose vote is collapsing and they will be lucky to get one seat. Just shows you with an extremist leader like Danielle Smith you get nowhere.
I’m curious whether the PC supporter(s) who come to this blog to post the same anti-Wildrose statements every day ever become weary of it.
It must be awfully soul-sucking sometimes. And I hear the Leg computers aren’t very user-friendly. š
Can Morton overcome this news?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/07/edmonton-alberta-ted-morton-emails.html
Extremist leader? I have read Joe’s website for a long time and you most certainly are not that writer.
Alberta does not need or want Danny Williams. He may be popular in his homeland but sways no influence here. I personally think Danny Williams is nothing but an ignorant, hot-head who looks for conflict at every turn. I like to think that the people of Alberta are a civilized people and not a bunch of gulliable hillbillys who have no repect for the seals or environmental issues. How many times has Danny threaten to take down the Canadian Flag in his homeland? Danny is all about Newfoundland ONLY, not Canada.
Awesome….Danny’s out, Alison in. Time for the happy dance…Alberta WINS! Don’t need the newfie making problems for Alberta.