As mentioned in an update to my previous post, a media release on Airdrie-Chestermere Progressive Conservative MLA Rob Anderson's website has announced that he and Calgary-Fish Creek MLA Heather Forsyth are crossing the floor to the Wildrose Alliance. Anderson was quoted in the release:
Over the past two years, I have committed myself to trying to make a positive impact within the government caucus by clearly advocating for the views and needs of my constituents. Unfortunately, the current PC Party Leadership has failed to address my constituent’s concerns and will not permit me to speak publicly about these issues. Instead of remaining silent I have decided to stand up with even greater force for the people who elected me,” stated Anderson. “This is what the citizens of Alberta pay me to do. This is what my constituents expect of me. I have no interest in investing any more of my life and taxpayers’ money defending poor public policy that has been developed by a small band of out-of-touch government appointees and insiders.”Anderson was first elected in 2008 and Forsyth was first elected in 1993. After serving as Solicitor General and Minister of Children’s Services under Premier Ralph Klein, Forsyth was bumped from cabinet when Premier Ed Stelmach entered office. These defections will now make the Wildrose Alliance caucus the third largest caucus in the Alberta Legislature (with three MLAs), bumping the NDP to fourth.
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9 comments:
Hi Dave! I wrote about this today also. Rob's move is pure survival...Heather's, I am at a loss of. I have a wild and crazy theory on my post though. Let me know your thoughts..lol.
Shane
www.calgaryrants.com
Really Shane? At a loss are we? Your PC's are polling neck and neck with the Liberals. What don't you get?
Anon...I am at a loss as to Heather's sudden surge of self importance. I cannot understand what she has to gain here politically. She is a nobody and likely on her way out anyway.
Shane
Shane - Perhaps Heather actually cares more about re-introducing accountability to government than gaining something politically?
Wildrose remains a protest party, and will be one until they show well in a general election. However, ignoring the obvious problems that these defections expose within the Tory caucus will only serve to legitimize Wildrose as a credible alternative.
Dismiss Forsyth and Anderson's reasoning for this jump at your own peril.
Resolute: "Perhaps Heather actually cares more about re-introducing accountability to government than gaining something politically?"
If she did she would run in a byelection as a WRA candidate. But why bother when you can just give the finger to your constituents and cross the floor.
...big oil scoops up a couple more dissidents who'll do their bidding for lower taxes, fewer regulations and less gesturing towards anything environmental. Turns out even the Alberta PCs are too left-wing for the oil companies. Talk about a petro-state...
//But why bother when you can just give the finger to your constituents and cross the floor.//
Yeah, because it's not like the Wildrose Alliance hasn't been gaining any support or won any PC strongholds.
People should get over themselves, yelping about how Canada's a petro-state because we have lower taxes than Ontario is ridiculous. Stop sounding like Hugo Chavez and people will take you more seriously.
Canada's not a petro-state, but Alberta is. And it's not about lower taxes, it's about the fact that the whole economy and political system revolves around oil.
The only thing that we can leave behind is our good name. Rob Anderson and Heather Forsythe have show such a total lack of ethics that they have given up that entitlement. I am not sorry to see people of poor character leave my party. Shame on those who can justify this travesty on our democracy. Shameful... King Rob wanted it all and wanted it yesterday. Good riddance.
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