The WIldrose and PC parties have voted to merge, with matching 95 per cent votes. -- NEWS FILE PHOTO
Medicine Hat News
With matching 95 per cent votes in favour of unification, the Wildrose and PC Alberta parties will merge, uniting Albert’s right.
More than 42,000 Wildrose supporters took out memberships to vote on the proposed unification. The turnout was 24,598 — equaling 57.7 per cent.
Of the voters, 23,466 voted yes and 1,132 voted no.
Wildrose MLA Drew Barnes says he is ecstatic to see the sides merging.
“I’m happy and I’m very excited after today,” said Barnes just minutes after the merger was announced. “I was expecting about 88 per cent to vote in favour of the merge, so 95 per cent on each side is fantastic.”
Barnes was in Red Deer for the announcement, and says this vote bodes well for Medicine Hat and its surrounding area.
“The values of Medicine Hat and the surrounding area will be heard by the united parties,” he said. “We need to work away from a government based on an ideology and centralized decision making. This is a chance to bring local decision making back, and to give Albertans the advantage back.”
Rita Bessant was a Progressive Conservative board member for 30 years, before walking away three months ago. She says she is not in favour of the merger.
“While I wish them luck, and I do hope this works out, I do not support the merge,” she said. “To me this party will be like Frankenstein, but less of a monster. The point is, in my opinion, I do not see this working. I think at some point down the road someone is going to want to take control and the other side is going to have to be OK with it.”
Former MLA Jim Horsman says he has been involved with the PC’s since 1960, and is willing to wait and see where the merger goes.
“I’m not surprised to hear the results,” he said. “It’s going to be quite the race going forward, and I am very interested to see who will be the leader. I think the party needs a clear message and a strong leader to gain the confidence of Albertans.”
While he knows there will be some doubt surrounding the unification, Barnes says he thinks the merger can work smoothly.
“I think this can, and will go excellently,” he said. “While it may not go perfectly, I think it will go greatly. I don’t think the sides are that far apart, and I think we can work together to do what is best for Albertans.”
The new party will elect a leader Oct. 28 of this year.
