PC Leadership Race

[coppertop]

With the Premier's letter of resignation only a few weeks away the leadership race is going to heat up. The results of the leadership will impact every Albertan, not just members of the PC Party.

The choice will be whether we want a Premier that understands issues and concerns of all Albertans or one that understands Big Business and the continued BOOM mentality.

[Rodjam]

Any hint of concern often means a person has socialist leanings and that is a sure way to lose a leadership race. Tory blue has meant big business for so long that it may be hard for some people to seperate the two. I think what affects this province is tha antics of the politicians on either side. Right or wrong people here would rather have a known Tory devil then what seems to end up happening in BC or Saskatchewan.

[coppertop]

It will be important that the new leader understands that not every Albertan is benefitting to a large extent from the booming economy.

People on fixed incomes; those in the agricultural sector, seniors on low to moderate incomes etc., all are faced with the rising cost of living but aren't part and parcel of the high salaries that go with the resource based industries.

If large corporations are backing a certain candidate then it is obvious that they will pull strings and expect to be catered to if that individual becomes the premier.

I hope we get a middle of the road, honest individual with a good knowledge of all sectors of the ecomony but particularly one that understans the agriculture industry. We need a person that is committed to a long term vision for the province, not the ad hoc throwing money around that has taken place over the past few years.

[ivbinconned]

Then vote for Ted Morton! He's as close as your going to get.

[coppertop]

He may very well be but he does not have the support to stay in the race to the end. He isn't well known outside the Calgary area. I have travelled extensively in the province over the past number of years and this year when I am out and about the topic of the leadership usually comes up, I have YET to hear Ted Morton's name mentioned as a possible contender. There will be a second ballot, and my bet is that the one who finishes second on the first ballot will win it. If everyone favored Dinning there would not be numerous others running. I see the results of the ballot like this:

Dinning
Stelmach
Norris
Oberg
Morton
Hancock
Doerksen
etc.

In fact I would bet that there may be only Dinning, Selmach,Norris and Oberg still in the running by the time the vote actually happens. The other candidates will have to raise big bucks to say in the race and get out to all areas of the province with the message they are running on. Norris has good support in Edmonton, but knows nothing about agriculture, rural Alberta etc.

Dinning is the favorite son of the oil and gas industry, very slick and polished and has a few old former cabinet ministers working for him in rural areas, but they have long since lost their clout. He has likely saturated his support and if he doesn't win on the first ballot he will not win at all. ( My fearless prediction).

At any rate, no matter who we support we are in for intersting times over the next three months or so. The race will heat up in a couple of weeks when the Premier FINALLY sends his letter of resignation to the party.

[wilagro]

I'll go along with Stelmach. Ted Morton is just too scary. Dinning will bring more of the same old crap that Ralph has dished out.

WE have had enough of Ralph and his gang, lets try someone with new fresh ideas. Oh whoops, that would mean a whole new party. Well, who knows that might happen too.

[coppertop]

Anyone who supports the candidate that is backed by the huge corporations should realize that big business will run things from behind the scenes, and the agriculture industry, people struggling to keep up to the high cost of living, elderly and others that are having a tough time keeping their head above water will not be a priority.

A candidate that has lived on a farm, understands commodity prices, BSE issues, the need for a long term ag policy that works etc., will help rural Alberta a lot more than one who is giving lipservice to doing something for agriculture.

If we don't get some program in place for the bio-diesel, ethanol initiatives here we will lose the feeding industry to the US where by products of the bio industry will be used to feed cattle. I would love the opportunity to ask some tough ag questions to all the leadership candidates individually, it would certainly weed out the wannabe's that don't have a clue !!

One thing about Ed Stelmach is that he understands not only the agriculture industry but also the resource industry. His term as Transportation Minister gave him an excellent insight into the industry that moves on wheels. He had highway advisory committees across the province that were made up of people from the resource sector and he learned a lot from those folks.

I have heard that some of the cabinet ministers are telling health care and childrens services board members that the leading candidate will certainly look after the needs of their clients in the large urban centres.....so where does that leave rural Alberta ???

[ivbinconned]

"Ted Morton is just too scary."??

Wilagrow, your such a whimp!

[wilagro]

Well thank you ivebinnCONNED. Glad you appreciated that wimpy comment.

Morton is just too much of a righwing nut for me. Jerry Falwell and his ilk would probably love him tho'.

Cheers

[WRAPper]

If your interested in the race just be sure and try and make the effort to get out and listen and interact with these candiadates when they come through your area. You may find that your "armchair" perceptions aren't as accurate as you'd thought. The comment on the importance of this is very astute and I believe this has more importance than most provincial elections do. Participate!!!

[coppertop]

Good advice WRAPper !! The best way to judge the candidates is in an All Candidate forum. For anyone living near St. Albert there is one at the Arden Theatre on September 14th commencing at 6:30.

I have met most of the candidates personally with the exception of Alana from Calgary, and there are a couple that are very scary when it comes to the agriculture industry and anyone that isn't in the top ten percent of salary earners in the Province.

Ted Morton was on the radio for an hour this evening. He has some good ideas but some are too far off center for my liking. I think both he and Doerksen will appeal to the evangelical folks.