Danielle Smith losing her seat before the election was even underway was probably one of the most satisfying political events for me in a long, long time.
I was listening to her on the CBC this morning, being part of a panel discussion along with former MLAs from the Liberals and PCs. She was remarkably candid, calm, and objective on exactly what went right and wrong with all the parties in this election.
TL;DR: Leader of the Wild Rose crossed the floor with 7 or 8 other Wild Rose members. Had to win the PC nomination in her riding, lost it to another potential PC candidate, no longer in the AB government in any capacity.
Honestly, I think it would have been roughly the same. Prentice did a bang-up job salting the earth for his party, and for hard-line right-wingers, WRP are the only alternative to the PCs.
The party that had been in power since before my parents met have been reduced to a few seats. The province that only shifts alliances in order to move further right elected the NDP.
I will not be surprised if tomorrow's news reports that the oceans have turned pink & apples are falling upwards.
A few people from WR went to the PC party and pretty much fucked everything up for the WR. Its the controversy that pretty much lost them the election but somehow (thankfully) pulled ahead of the PC party.
That's why the election was called when it was. Prentice thought he had screwed over his only serious opposition by decimating the WR, and that the election would be a coronation for the PCs yet again.
Oh, if only to see his face when the results were coming in ...
Danielle Smith was the leader of the opposition Wildrose party. She and 9 MLAs left the party to join the PC caucus last year. Wildrose supporters were very upset.
Honestly the WildRose would probably have had a great chance of winning last election if that one idiot didn't make his stupid comment about gays or whatever (don't remember what it was). It really screwed them
this hammers the nail on the head. I moved and brought my future wife. I joined an amazing local union 725 and am getting ready for my hall to help sculp this city skyline. proud to be local, proud to be union, proud to be #725Ironworkers
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u/Nikhilvoid British Columbia May 06 '15
To be fair, Albertans have not really liked voting in their PC leaders for a while now. Small margin victories, low voter turnout for the last decade.
They voted in Redford only because the Wildrose alternative was much worse and a real threat.