Skip to content

Brother-in-law knows

No matter which political party you support or don’t support, you’ve got to smile when you think of Premier Ed Stelmach’s brother-in-law.
Our_View_March_2009
Array

No matter which political party you support or don’t support, you’ve got to smile when you think of Premier Ed Stelmach’s brother-in-law.

Allan Warshawski, Marie Stelmach’s brother, recently took out a membership in the party that some people believe could defeat Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives in the next provincial election.

The farmer from Chipman, who lives just a few kilometres down the road from Stelmach’s home, walked into the Wildrose Alliance’s founding meeting in Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville and bought a membership.

Asked about his purchase, Warshawski said, “I think (the premier has) lost himself. Ninety-five per cent of what he does is for himself and five per cent is for others.”

That’s exactly what Stelmach’s opponents — on both the left and right sides of the political continuum — have suspected ever since the farmer from Vegreville took over from ex-premier Ralph Klein.

But to have that confirmed by someone who really knows him — well, that’s something entirely different!

It makes one think that, when it comes to passing the turnips at the annual Stelmach family Thanksgiving supper, behind closed doors, good old Steady Eddie projects the same competence, imagination and inspiration (or lack thereof) as he does when he’s in front of a TV camera.

If Stelmach’s own brother-in-law is losing faith in him, perhaps others are too.

And if one looks into the situation, it’s apparent that’s exactly what is happening.

Consider, for instance, the concerns raised recently by the Highwood Progressive Conservative riding association (a Southern Alberta bedrock of right-wing thinking, if ever there was one).

In a damning letter to Stelmach, the group suggests the party is “nearing the precipice of moral insolvency to govern.”

The Highwood riding board says the Tory party “is bereft of policy, planning, execution, follow-through and communication to the members of the party, and, most importantly, to the citizens of Alberta.”

Now, such words may just be a result of bitterness that Stelmach dropped Highwood MLA George Groeneveld from cabinet (he used to be Alberta’s agriculture minister).

More likely though, it’s among many complaints of dissatisfaction with Alberta’s Tories to come from rural residents.

The times, they are a-changin’, but Stelmach doesn’t seem to understand that.

Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith is likely going to run a strong campaign in the next election, and this just might be the election that Alberta’s Conservatives go down in flames.

Do you think it’s any coincidence that such longtime and intelligent Tories as former cabinet ministers Marv Moore and Ernie Isley are switching their support to the Alliance?

They may just be the first of many to jump ship.

After all, if Stelmach’s brother-in-law has no faith in the premier, won’t many others be similarly doubtful?

Lee Giles is an Advocate editor.