After a summer of campaigning, the ballots for the United Conservative Party leadership contest have been mailed out to the membership, and on October 6, a new leader will be selected.
The leadership race has been debated in coffee klatches throughout the province, by conservative members and residents. While there are seven in the race, three frontrunners seem to be decided.
The Mail asked some local political thinkers for their opinion on the race as it heads into the home stretch.
While there haven’t been many recent polls, Bryce Nimmo agrees with the prevalent opinion that former Leader Danielle Smith seems to be the one to beat.
“I would have to think she more than likely has a pretty good chance,” said Nimmo.
Part of her popularity has to do with the Sovereignty Act, which was designed to assert Alberta’s place in confederation.
“None of the candidates have come up with any ideas other than her, and the rest all spent time finding fault with her ideas,” said Nimmo. “That is what I found distasteful.”
While Travis Toews is popular in some circles, Nimmo has some concerns.
“I found it very distasteful when they were talking about bonuses that were given to the health people including Hinshaw and I don’t disagree with them… but for him as treasurer to say ‘I had no idea this was happening’ I don’t see that as a leader,” said Nimmo.
He does note with the preferential ballot, and seven candidates in the race, it is tough for a candidate to win outright on the first count.
“It seems to me it’s pretty hard to win on that first ballot, and that’s when you have to start figuring out all the other things and the angles,” said Nimmo.
Bob Friesen has been following the race, and while Smith’s Sovereignty Act has captured the imagination of a portion of the membership, Friesen is skeptical.
“I think that Sovereignty Act of hers is not going to happen, and I think it is a method for her to get votes,” Friesen tells the Mail.
“She is going to get an awful lot of votes because, on the surface it sounds good, it sounds like all sorts of nice things for Alberta but it is not realistic, and I just don’t want anything to do with, even remotely separating from Canada and that sort of thing.”
Friesen has always identified as conservative and says he is not completely happy with any of the candidates.
“I am leaning towards Toews, he has good political experience and could handle the job,” Friesen said of Toews. “He’s a little more rational, certainly he wants the best for Alberta, but he is talking in a little more realistic sense. It is almost a matter of who is the best of seven not-so-good candidates.”
Chris Bobra has been casually watching the race. While there are many issues facing the province, he says for the party, the main issue is unity.
“The Conservative Party of Alberta has too many extremes. Smith has her following, Jean has his following, Toews has his following, and other candidates have their following. There’s not one leader who can accommodate the vast majority of the party,” he said. “There is too much division that way. Whoever gets elected, he or she is going to have to get the sitting members under their wing.”
