Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership hopeful Jason Kenney pitched his “unite the right” plan on stops throughout Central Alberta over the weekend.
In Red Deer on Saturday, Kenney said uniting the Progressive Conservative Party and the Wildrose Party is necessary to take down Alberta’s New Democrat Party.
“I think it’s possible the PC Party could win the next election,” said Kenney. “I think it’s also possible the Wildrose Party could win the next election. But as long they are fighting each other and competing over the same scarce resources, it’s also possible the NDP could win. That is a risk none of us should be prepared to take.”
First on his list of things to accomplish is to get elected as the leader of the PC party in March of 2017.
If elected he will begin negotiating a framework agreement with the Wildrose Party to create the united free-enterprise party.
Once the process is completed, which he is hoping for by the winter of 2018, the new party will hold an election to find its first leader.
“I’m not saying I am the only person for that job,” said Kenney.
“I believe once we get to that point we would attract a lot of very talented people offering themselves for what would likely be the next government of Alberta. This is not about me. I’m here because somebody needs to get the ball rolling.”
Longtime conservative Sue Hall said she is full support of the merger and believes Kenney is the guy to lead this province going forward.
“He’s down to earth … When you meet him in person, it’s only about what’s best for Albertans versus Jason himself. He’s willing to put it together and if he doesn’t win he’s willing to step aside for whoever does win and back them,” said Hall.
Like Kenney, Hall has seen enough of the ruling NDP.
“They’re spending way too much money. One of the things Alberta has run on for so long was not putting the younger generation into debt. We worked really hard to get out of debt and to be billions of dollars in debt in your first year is not good,” said Hall.
Kenney will return to Ottawa this week to wrap up his 20th year in Parliament. He will be back on the road next week for more campaigning.
jonathan.guignard@www.reddeeradvocate.com