Alberta’s United Conservative Party members were surprised by a stronger than expected surge of interest in the party’s founding convention in Red Deer May 4-6.
“The registrations have run away from us,” said Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ron Orr, referring to the 2,000 people who have, so far, registered for the annual general meeting and convention. This has doubled previous expectations.
“There’s a great deal of excitement…We’ve had to book an additional hall,” Orr added.
The event at the Sheraton Hotel, which is open to party members and their guests, will be the first convention and AGM under the leadership of Jason Kenney, who was elected to helm the UCP last October.
Orr believes the apparent rise in political engagement in Alberta rests on two factors: People are concerned about the province’s continuing weak economy; and there’s a higher level of interest, even a “hopefulness,” about the prospects of the UCP in the next election.
“A lot of people are wanting to get on board and push us a bit,” he said.
Discussions could touch on the controversial Trans Mountain Pipeline project, which is being held-up by British Columbia. But Orr said the main focus of the three-day meeting will be to solidify party policies, and elect a new party executive, which can take the UCP forward now that Alberta’s Conservatives have regrouped and “renewed” their focus.
While “there had been a lot of disillusionment about where we ended up after the last (Tory) regime ended,” Orr feels the ensuing “reformation” process — including the uniting of the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties — has resulted in “a higher level of political performance.”
The UCP already conducted brainstorming policy sessions throughout Alberta, in which grassroots ideas were discussed. The 1,200 policy recommendations that came out of this process were consolidated, somewhat, but Orr believes more whittling will have be done at the convention.
The most important thing to preserve is the grassroots aspect, he said: “We have to allow people to continue to have have a voice in the party on all big provincial issues, including education, health and the economy.”
For more information on the convention, please visit, www.unitedconservative.ca.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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